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Subject: The Raptor Curse Gets Worse
SYSOP    6/10/2012 7:52:22 AM
 
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TonyAAA       6/10/2012 5:57:29 PM
Just wondering, but has there ever been another aircraft besides F22A that regularly operates at high (65-75K') altitudes where the pilot doesn't wear a full-on pressure suit?
 
In every other plane that uses those kind of heights I'm aware of (U2, SR-71, TR1, etc) the pilot/crew were always required to wear pressure suits that resemble space suits.
 
 
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Dave_in_Pa       6/11/2012 2:29:36 AM
"In every other plane that uses those kind of heights I'm aware of (U2, SR-71, TR1, etc) the pilot/crew were always required to wear pressure suits that resemble space suits." 
 
The flight suits of the SR-71 Blackbird were space suits.  They were modified versions of the NASA Gemini program space suits, having 14 of the 18 layers that the NASA version used. (I was an Air Force Life Support Systems tech at Beale AFB, where the Blackbirds were based. I was in the 456th Bomb Wing then stationed at Beale, but had a tour of the 9th SRW's Life Support shop and saw the suits and learned a few things.)
 
An incredible machine, that Blackbird!  More than a jet aircraft but less than a space ship. AND in the late 50's-early 60's, it was designed by the truly brilliant engineering team led by Kelly Johnson at the Lockheed "Skunk Works" with slide rules!  No PCs back in the day and very limited use of those early days mainframes. American genius at it's finest!
 
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hcobb    OBOGS   6/11/2012 6:22:57 PM
Actually the F-22/F-35 OBOGS use a physical reaction that traps nitrogen molecules (as is, without breaking those nasty triple bonds) in a molecular sieve so that the Oxygen molecules are passed through to the pilot. Then this sieve (or zeolite) is then heated to expel the nitrogen (which is then routed to the fuel tanks to keep them safe as the fuel level goes down) and then cooled down to repeat the cycle.

As nitrogen is most of the atmosphere and oxygen is almost all the rest, this produces a high concentration of oxygen with little fuss and bother, hopefully.
 
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