Q: Could You Ride On Top A Plane?
A: Yes! Yes you can (in theory)!!
Okay so first we need to know stuff about planes. Specifically: How fast do they go?
Your typical commercial plane take off at about 160-180 mph, and land at approximately 150-165 mph. However, in the air, they usually cruise around 550-580 mph.
For comparison: The fastest tornado ever recorded was the F5 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado, taking place on May 3rd, 1999. It was measured to be 302 mph (alternatively, 486 km/h).
So what would 550-580 miles per hours feel like? Would you survive?
Thankfully, someone’s already done it this in real life. And lived to tell the tale!
A man named Felix Baumgartner or “Fearless Felix” once broke the sound barrier with his own body in 2012, reaching 843.6 mph by jumping from a capsule held afloat by a giant helium balloon. He survived by wearing a pressurized suit, which protected him from the deadly speeds as he spun down to Earth during the span of 9 minutes, in free fall for 4 of those minutes.
Felix described the experience as “an incredible up and down” but also “really brutal at times”. He claims he didn’t actually get to enjoy the sonic boom, as he was too busy trying to stabilize himself and stop spinning. He also describes the forces of gravity causing him to lose consciousness at times.
Nevertheless, this proves my point! Sure, you would experience incredible pressure on your body, and probably fall unconscious a few times, but with a pressurized suit and a secure spot you could ride on top a plane!
So, in other words, my weekend’s going to be booked...
