The highest altitude reached by airplanes. Aviation records

• Maximum speed , with which sat down ever passenger airliner was recorded on December 31, 1988 in Odessa, when Tu-134A 65011 of the Kaliningrad OJSC Belarusian Civil Aviation Administration landed at a speed 415 km/h. By pure chance there were no serious consequences. .
• Bench high point parachutists landing located at an altitude of 7134m. above sea level (Lenin Peak). In May 1969, 10 Soviet paratroopers landed on the top of the peak, and four of them died.
• Longest skydive from maximum altitude on August 16, 1960, by Capt. Joseph W. Kittninger.

  He left the stratospheric balloon gondola at an altitude of 31,150 m and in free flight flew 25,816 m in 4 minutes 38 seconds. During this time, he developed a speed of 988 km/h and suffered a minimum temperature of -70 C. A parachute with a diameter of 8.5 m opened at an altitude of 5334 m, and he landed 13 minutes later. 45s. after leaving the stratospheric balloon.

• The threshold of the gondola hatch was decorated with the inscription “The highest step in the world.” The speed of 988 km/h, developed by Kittinger during free fall, corresponds to the number M=0.93 for the stratosphere. Kittinger reached it at an altitude of 18,300 meters, after which, when passing through the tropopause at an altitude of 11,000 meters, it was already 322 km/h. There is no doubt that the speed of 988 km/h is the greatest speed that the human body has ever developed and sustained, not enclosed in the shell of an aircraft equipped with an engine moving within the earth's atmosphere.
• Highest height, approved by the FAI, belongs to the Soviet parachutist E. Andreev, who on November 1, 1962 flew 24,500 meters in free fall.
• The largest helicopter in the world is a Soviet helicopter MI-12 KB Mil that first took to the air on February 12, 1969. The helicopter did not go into mass production.
• The world's heaviest bomber- Tu-160.
• Its take-off weight is 275,000 kg. The most expensive plane
• - B-2 strategic bomber, priced at $776 million. Absolute world speed record for the aircraft was installed on July 28, 1976 on a Lockheed SR-71A aircraft and amounted to 3529.56 km/h
• . The plane, lifted from the US Air Force Edwards Air Force Base, was piloted by Captain E.W. Joertz. Absolute world altitude record for the aircraft belongs to A. Fedotov, who, on August 31, 1977, flew the experimental aircraft of the Mikoyan bureau E-266M.
• 37650 meters Su-27 fighter 27 installed immediately after development
• world records, some of which have not yet been broken. The feat was celebrated in the strangest way Soviet fighter pilot Lieutenant Mikhail Devyatayev, shot down over Lvov on July 13, 1944. He is the only pilot in the world who was first imprisoned for the same feat and then awarded the highest state award. While captured by the Germans, Devyatayev escaped, captured a He-111 bomber and, together with nine other prisoners of war, flew to territory occupied by Soviet troops. Having escaped from captivity to freedom, the 23-year-old pilot was convicted by a military tribunal as a traitor who had voluntarily surrendered and was sent to camps. 9 years later, in 1953, Devyatayev came under an amnesty and was released, and in 1958 he was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union
• with the presentation of the Gold Star medal and the Order of Lenin. November 21, 1963 Lockheed KC-130F Hercules refueling aircraft with take-off weight 54430 kg took off from the deck without the help of a catapult American aircraft carrier
• "Forrestal". Once upon a time, over the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, Japanese pilot Keneyoshi Muto on N1K2 met with 12 Americans
• on F6F. As a result, 4 Americans were shot down and Muto returned safely to base. Soviet fighter pilot Alexander Gorovets July 6, 1943 shot down 9 German aircraft in one battle

Since ancient times, man has strived for the sky, but the development of technical thought did not allow his cherished dream to be realized. But attempts to conquer airspace have been made more than once. The Wright brothers' first plane took off from the ground and rose 3 m, which was a breakthrough and the beginning of the era of aviation. In aviation, there is the concept of a dynamic ceiling, that is, the maximum flight altitude of an aircraft. Today we’ll look at the altitude at which military aircraft, as well as passenger airliners, fly.

For these types of aircraft, flight altitude is the main characteristic, since this combat vehicle is designed to destroy air targets and gain air superiority.

Under this name, the American design bureau “Lockheed Martin” created a whole family of multi-purpose combat vehicles. Today in service there is a carrier-based fighter, a ground-based fighter, and an aircraft with a short take-off and vertical landing.

The practical altitude ceiling of these fighters is 18,200 m. The fifth-generation multirole fighters F-35 have already entered service with units of the US, UK, Israeli and Australian Armed Forces. It is planned to supply aircraft capable of carrying nuclear warheads to the armies of Japan and Italy.

“Bird of Prey”, this is how the name of this multi-role fighter of the US Air Force is translated, was put into service in 2005. The F-22 became the first fifth-generation aircraft in the United States Army.

To date, 197 vehicles have been produced, and the total cost of the project is almost 67 billion US dollars. The fighter, whose service ceiling is 20,000 m, was first used in combat operations against Islamists in Syria. Many experts criticize the model for its high cost, low maneuverability, and other technical shortcomings.

The fifth-generation multirole fighter, created by Chinese designers, first took to the air in October 2012, and now the tests are coming to an end.

In one of the test flights, the combat vehicle reached an altitude of 18,000 meters, but the creators say that this is not the limit, and after some modification the J-31 will be able to overcome the mark of 20 thousand meters. The new Chinese fighter was named “Krechet”, but at exhibitions they still use the tail number of the first test model “31001”.

The promising Russian project is still in the development stage, but test flights of the SU-57 are already in the final stages, and soon the fifth-generation combat fighter will be on combat duty in the Russian Aerospace Forces.

The fighter with the factory designation T-50 made its first flight in 2010, and 3 years later the serial assembly of prototypes began. The dynamic ceiling is achieved due to the aircraft’s technologically advanced high-altitude equipment and a special aerodynamic design, due to which the Su-27 can rise to a height of 20,000 m.

Today, the interceptor aircraft, created at the Mikoyan design bureau, is the fastest and highest altitude aircraft among machines of this type.

Practical ceiling of a combat vehicle in service with the Aerospace Forces Russian Federation, is 20,600 m. Note that the Mig-31 is the only aircraft in the world capable of intercepting low-flying cruise missiles. Work is currently underway to upgrade the interceptor into a high-grade fifth-generation multirole fighter.

Reconnaissance aircraft

To avoid detection by ground-based tracking devices, these types of aircraft were designed to conduct reconnaissance at the highest possible altitudes.

The B-57 tactical bomber also performed reconnaissance functions and entered service with the US Air Force in 1954. Today the project is closed, but two aircraft are used for experimental purposes by NASA.

At one time, it was widely used in areas where the US Army conducted military operations, and was also in service with the armies of Taiwan and Pakistan. The service ceiling is 13,745 m, although the modified RB-57F could perform reconnaissance at an altitude of 22,860 m.

The high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft was adopted by the US Air Force in 1957 and is still in use today. Today, there are 35 combat vehicles in service, which are actively used for their intended purpose.

Naturally, over such a long period of operation, the U-2 went through more than one modernization. Dynamic ceiling modern models is 26,800 m. Although in the tactical and technical characteristics of the latest U-2S model, the height ceiling is classified.

M-55 "Geophysics"

In 1988, the high-altitude subsonic reconnaissance aircraft M-55, which received the nickname “Mystic-B” according to NATO classification, entered the armed forces of the Soviet Union.

The USSR began thinking about the creation of such types of aircraft after the American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over its territory in 1960. At the end of the 60s, V. Myasishchev’s design bureau began work on creating a Soviet intelligence aircraft. The M-55 is an aircraft of a double-boom design with a cantilever wing, and its ceiling height is 21,550 m. Today, there is only one M-55 aircraft left in the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Flight altitude for civil aircraft is not so important, but there are still cases when climbing is simply necessary, for example, to get around a thunderstorm.

Soviet airliner, modernized already during the period new Russia, has been in operation on air routes since 1972. The model has proven itself to be excellent in both long-haul aviation and short-distance flights.

The maximum altitude at which the Russian Tu-154 airliner can fly is 11,100 meters. Interestingly, some aircraft of this type are given their own names. And after the plane is written off, the name goes to the new board.

One of the best airliners in the world, today it has become the most popular in the history of the passenger aircraft industry.

Passengers note not only the comfort, but also the safety of the flight. As part of our review, we note that the maximum altitude to which one of the modifications, namely the Boeing 737-500, can rise is 11,300 m. This fact puts this airliner in the Top 10 highest altitudes. passenger aircraft peace.

But about the most dangerous planes in the world there is a very interesting site on the site.

A380

Jet wide-body airliner from Airbus S.A.S. the largest aircraft of this type. It entered the airline industry in 2007, and has established itself as a safe and comfortable type of air transport.

The A380 can reach high speeds at various altitudes, and its service ceiling is 13,115 m, which is a record among passenger airliners. The reliability of the aircraft led to the production of models on special orders.

The Russian wide-body aircraft began to operate in 1993, and today it is one of the most popular long-haul airliners with a flight range of 13,000 km.

In addition to the distance record, the Russian Il-96 can fly at an altitude of 12,000 m, which makes it the absolute record holder among Russian passenger airliners of this type.

Historical height record holders

At one time, these aircraft surprised the world with their tactical, technical and flight characteristics, and went down in history as the highest in the world.

SR-71

This aircraft, in operation from the mid-60s until 1998, is called by many experts and aviation enthusiasts the most beautiful aircraft of all time. During its entire operation, the US Air Force did not lose a single aircraft, although the SR-71 crashed 12 times due to pilot error or technical problems.

But it was not only its beauty that distinguished it from other flying machines. This strategic reconnaissance aircraft also features high speed. The Lockheed SR-71 was able to soar into the sky at one time to a height of 26,000 meters. The expensive project was closed, although many noted its promise.

The MiG-25RB operational reconnaissance aircraft was a modified model of the Soviet interceptor fighter. Like the prototype, the reconnaissance aircraft could reach high speeds and also rise to high altitudes.

The dynamic ceiling of the 25 RB model was 23,000 m. Today it has been withdrawn from service in the Russian army, so it has been replaced by more effective combat vehicles. But some copies of the legendary MiG-25 continue to fly combat missions in the Algerian and Syrian Air Forces.

The rocket plane did not go into mass production, and only a few prototypes were constructed. X-15 became historic aircraft, which was able to rise to a height of 107,960 m. This record-breaking flight took place in 1963, and pilot Joseph Walker, who raised his car to such a height, reached a speed of 6 thousand km/h. It was the highest flight in the entire history of aviation, and most importantly, it surprised the public, specialists and the entire editorial staff of the site. In 1970, for a number of reasons, the project was closed, but several prototypes are used by NASA to conduct experiments and train astronauts.

Altitude records set different types aircraft

At the end of our review, for the overall picture let’s imagine Interesting Facts altitude records set by various aircraft in different periods of the history of world aviation.

Wright brothers plane

In 1903, the brothers' aircraft rose to a height of 3 meters, which at that time became an absolute record among all previous human attempts to rise into the sky.

Two records

In 1959, pilot B. Jordan set two records for aircraft with a turbojet engine on a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. It was a speed record and also a height record. He lifted the plane to a height of 31,534 m.

Felt weightless

In 1961, Soviet combat pilot Georgy Masolov set an absolute record for fighter aircraft on a lightweight version of the MiG-21F-13 aircraft, lifting the combat vehicle to a height of 35,000 m. During the flight, the pilot was in a state of weightlessness for several minutes.

Combat sortie

In 1977, pilot Alexander Fedotov flew a MiG-25 to an altitude of 37,650 m. Self-monitoring systems noted that the pilot had experienced large overloads.

Propeller plane

The Grob Strato 2C propeller-driven aircraft broke the record for this type of aircraft in 1995 and rose to a height of 18,561 m.

During experimental flights conducted by NASA, the NASA Helios drone rose to a height of 29,524 m, which became an absolute record among aircraft not equipped with jet engines. This device moves only due to solar energy.

Manned spacecraft SpaceShipOne

In October 2004, pilot William Binney flew a private, rocket-powered manned spacecraft to an altitude of 112,000 m.

MOSCOW, March 3 – RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. In the air battles of World War II, an iron rule was born: whoever is taller has an advantage. To suddenly dive onto an enemy plane from the direction of the sun, escape like a candle from anti-aircraft guns, photograph a fortified area and get out of the air defense zone unnoticed - only a high-flying bird is capable of this. Today, in the era of powerful radars and long-range anti-aircraft missiles, the old axioms are no longer so relevant. However, height still plays a vital role in military affairs. RIA Novosti publishes a selection of the highest altitude aircraft in Russia and the United States - both in service and sent to a well-deserved “retirement”.

MiG-25

The third generation supersonic high-altitude fighter-interceptor MiG-25 began entering the Soviet Air Force in 1970. At that time, there was no aircraft in the world capable of evading this machine. It reached speeds of up to 2,800 kilometers per hour and could climb to a height of more than 20 thousand meters in just nine minutes. Over decades of operation, the MiG-25 played the role of interceptor, reconnaissance aircraft, stratospheric bomber, air defense breakthrough fighter, and training vehicle. Powerful engines and a durable airframe allowed it to withstand enormous overloads, and the latest avionics for that time helped it to navigate perfectly in the air and see all types of targets.

The MiG-25 holds 29 world records. The most significant and not yet beaten by any manned jet aircraft was installed by test pilot Alexander Fedotov on August 21, 1977. He lifted his experienced MiG-25M to an incredible 37,650 meters! Of course, this was a lightweight “flying laboratory” and not a production copy. But the “standard” height for combat vehicles is 23 kilometers—an altitude unattainable for the vast majority of aircraft of that time. So, in the early 70s, Soviet pilots flying reconnaissance modifications of the MiG-25 freely flew over the entire territory of Israel, Turkey and Iran.

SR-71 Blackbird

American strategic reconnaissance aircraft SR-71 is one of the main symbols cold war. Even now, this aircraft, which first flew in 1964, looks like a guest from the future: futuristic design, a tailless layout that was rare at that time, stealth technology and outstanding flight performance. In 1976, Drozd set an absolute speed record among manned aircraft with turbojet engines - 3529.56 kilometers per hour. The maximum height reached by the SR-71 is 25,929 meters.

During the Cold War, these aircraft became a working tool of the CIA. They carried out reconnaissance flights over the territory of the USSR and Cuba, photographed military installations in Egypt, Jordan and Syria in 1973, and flew over Indochina. The SR-71 is the only type of American aircraft that North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners could not shoot down. He avoided the missiles by sharply gaining altitude and increasing speed - the reconnaissance officer did not even need to maneuver to break away from the pursuit. However, by the end of the 70s, MiG-31 fighters appeared in the USSR: they were quite capable of intercepting the SR-71. Ultimately, this led to the closure of the strategic reconnaissance jet program.

MiG-31

Of all the aircraft currently in service, the fastest and one of the highest altitude is the Russian MiG-31 interceptor fighter, a direct descendant of the MiG-25. Thanks to its powerful D-30F6 engines, it is capable of accelerating up to 3,400 kilometers per hour and rising to a height of up to 25 thousand meters. These indicators, coupled with a flight range of 2,240 kilometers without external fuel tanks, make the MiG-31 an ideal interceptor in an integrated air defense system. A group of four such aircraft is capable of controlling airspace with a frontal length of up to 1,100 kilometers. Today, the entire MiG-31 fleet is being upgraded to the BM version, which features a new weapons control system and on-board radar that detects targets at a distance of up to 320 kilometers.

The military leadership of the USSR tried to use the ability of the MiG-31 to quickly gain speed and altitude to solve many problems, including strategic ones. In the 1980s, Soviet designers were developing a special anti-satellite missile to arm modified interceptors. In the event of a major war, these MiG-31s ​​were supposed to go to maximum altitude and attack enemy satellites hanging in low orbits with new weapons.

U-2

The American U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft first flew on August 1, 1955. At that time, this vehicle was invulnerable to Soviet air defense systems. Subsonic U-2s were more than comfortable at altitudes above 20 kilometers and could remain in the air for up to seven hours. Naturally, US intelligence actively used the new aircraft, regularly sending them into Soviet airspace. However, this did not last long. On May 1, 1960, the scandal of CIA pilot Francis Powers, who flew a U-2C plane two thousand kilometers deep into Soviet airspace and was shot down by an S-75 anti-aircraft missile, thundered throughout the world.

Su-27 – 2500 km/h

Su-27 is a Soviet/Russian multi-role highly maneuverable all-weather heavy fighter of the fourth generation, developed by the Sukhoi Company. It was intended as a direct competitor to large fourth-generation fighters built in the United States, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat and F-15 Eagle. The first flight of the Su-27 prototype took place on May 20, 1977, and in 1985 it entered service with the Soviet Air Force. Today it is one of the main fighters in Russia; its modifications are in service with India, China and many other countries.

General Dynamics F-111 – 2655 km/h

General Dynamics F-111 - supersonic American tactical bomber aircraft aerial reconnaissance and electronic warfare, developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics. It made its first flight on December 21, 1964, and was put into operation on July 18, 1967. He took an extensive part in combat operations in Vietnam. A total of 562 units were produced during production for the US Air Force and the Australian Air Force.

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle – 2665 km/h

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an all-weather tactical fighter aircraft developed in the early 1970s by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) for the US Air Force to achieve air superiority. Its first flight took place in July 1972. In 1974 it was put into operation. Exported to Israel, Japan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

MiG-31 – 3000 km/h

MiG-31 is a two-seat supersonic heavy fighter-interceptor. Work on its creation began at PJSC RSK MiG in 1968. The first flight took place on September 16, 1975. The aircraft was built on the basis of the single-seat MiG-25, primarily to cover the territory of the USSR from cruise missile attacks from the Arctic, where there was no continuous radar field. It is the first Soviet fourth generation fighter.

North American XB-70 Valkyrie – 3309 km/h

North American XB-70 Valkyrie is a prototype of an American strategic bomber that was supposed to fly at an altitude of 21 thousand meters at a speed three times the speed of sound. A total of two copies were built. The first experimental aircraft, the XB-70 Valkyrie, first flew on September 21, 1964, the second on July 17, 1965. One of the aircraft is now in National Museum US Air Force near Dayton, Ohio. The second, on June 8, 1966, while flying in formation of several aircraft, collided in the air with a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, fell to the ground and was completely destroyed.

Bell X-2 – 3370 km/h

Bell X-2 is an American experimental aircraft designed to study aerodynamic and thermodynamic characteristics during flight at speeds from 2 to 3 Mach (Mach number). Its development began in 1945 by Bell Aircraft Corporation in conjunction with NACA and the US Air Force. The creation of the X-2 aircraft was completed in 1952, and its testing began in 1953. A total of two copies were built. Both met with disaster, after which research was stopped.

MiG-25 – 3470 km/h

MiG-25 is a supersonic Soviet/Russian fighter and reconnaissance aircraft, the world's first production fighter to reach a speed of more than 3 thousand km/h. It was developed by JSC RSK MiG in the early 1960s. It is the last aircraft designed by Mikhail Gurevich before his retirement. The first flight of the prototype took place in 1965, and in 1970 it was put into operation. A total of 1,190 copies were produced.

Lockheed YF-12 – 3661 km/h

Third place in the list of the fastest manned aircraft in the world is occupied by the Lockheed YF-12, an American interceptor prototype developed by the famous aircraft designer Clarence Johnson on the basis of the Lockheed A-12 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. This aircraft is the world's largest manned interceptor. It first flew on August 7, 1963. A total of three YF-12s were produced, each valued at approximately $18 million. After a series of flight tests, the project was closed.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird – 3818 km/h

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is an American strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed in the late 50s by Lockheed based on the Lockheed A-12 aircraft. It is the first aircraft created using stealth technologies. Its first flight took place on December 22, 1964. It was in US service from 1964 to 1998 and was actively used for espionage. A total of 32 aircraft were produced, 12 of which crashed as a result of accidents (none were shot down).

North American X-15 – 7274 km/h

North American X-15 is a hypersonic experimental rocket plane that set a number of world speed and altitude records (107.96 km). Work on its creation began in 1955 and was entrusted to North American Aviation. A total of three prototypes were produced. On March 10, 1959, the car took off for the first time. Over the course of nine years - from 1959 to 1968, out of a planned 200 test flights, the X-15 carried out 199. The record was the flight of pilot Joe Walker on August 22, 1963.