Brad Marshall wrote:dan2see wrote:I was in the Canadian Air Force in the 1960's, working on the CF104 supersonic jet fighter. That jet was designed to reach 100,000 feet.
Must have been a very interesting career. Canadian aviation design was at its peak in the 50s designing the CF-105. What a sad story for our country. I recently purchased a diecast model of the Arrow, just released from the Canadian Air and Space Museum in Toronto, that sits on my office desk to remind me of what we are capable of doing.
This is OFF TOPIC but the temptation to comment is too much...
The CF-105 Avro Arrow has some kind of sex-appeal, it creates so much comment and thought, 50 years after it was developed, and then destroyed.
[ RANT ]
The Arrow was a high-profile project that proved two things about Canada and Canadians:
1. We can do anything, and have proven so, time after time.
2. Our government, and our corporations, have no respect for our abilities.
The result of neglect and abuse of our technical and scientific abilities leads to these two results:
1. We buy Chinese-manufactured stuff from Walmart.
2. Folks like me can't even get a job.
[END OF RANT]
Back the OP's topic, but I've broadened the OP a little: from "how high could you climb" to "how high could you manage". Frankly, the many skills required just to reach 8000 meters go 'way beyond simple breathing.
Anyone who wants to climb Everest has to raise at least $50,000 for logistic support, not to mention lost wages. That's one aspect of high-altitude that I could not manage: while I'm raising money, I'm not climbing my local mountains.
My own limit is 'way down at 3000 meters (10,000 feet) but the problem is stamina and logistics. I could get a helicopter ride up to its limit, and climb from there. The views would be wonderful but it's not going to happen.
I think the absolute limit is 9000 meters, but that's still
only if you are an extra-ordinary individual, well-prepared for the ordeal.