Quote from Wikipedia

As part of Project Excelsior on 16 August 1960, Joseph Kittinger achieved
the record for the longest free fall jump of 4 minutes and 36 seconds and
the fastest maximum speed of 714 mph (1,149 km/h)[1], before opening his
parachute at around 18,000 feet (5,500 m).[3] Kittinger started the jump
from a specially constructed balloon at an altitude of 102,800 feet (31,300
m), which also qualified him for the highest balloon ascent and highest
parachute jump.

Some contend that Kittinger's jump wasn't true free-fall as he used a drogue
chute for stability.[4] According to the Guinness book of records, Eugene
Andreev (USSR) holds the official FAI record for the longest free-fall
parachute jump after falling for 80,380 ft (24,500 m) from an altitude of
83,523 ft (25,457 m) near the city of Saratov, Russia on November 1, 1962.
Andreev did not use a drogue chute during his jump.


Greg Tanner


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