For the aviators

[barretcreek]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6146213/Stunning-images-experimental-glider-smashes-altitude-record-flight-reaches-76-000ft.html

[Clark Howard]

Too many threats to life at that altitude, not to mention how long each flight has to take. I must be too old for that fringe foolishness. Regards, Clark

[pcox]

Wonder how they heat the cockpit. Sterno?

[Mark in Ottawa]

You might wonder what the exposure to radiation is at that altitude. A number of years ago I had occasion to visit what was then the largest uranium mine in the world in Northern Saskatchewan. We were down about 500 metres at the working part of the mine when one of the people with us took out a geiger counter and measured the radiation at 10.3 millisieverts. A few hours later when we were flying home at 10,000 feet he then measured the radiation at that elevataion and noted that it was 10.1 - almost the same as in the mine. I would hate to think about what it is at 70,000 or 90,000 feet.

[jon_norstog]

All I can say is "WOW." I guess I'm too old for that stuff ...

jn