"Monday afternoon, NASA's Helios solar-powered 247-foot flying wing
climbed from the Pacific Missile Range at Barking Sands on Kaua'i to an
altitude of 85,100 feet. The 1,557-pound craft took off at 8:48 a.m.,
but six and a half hours and more than 16 vertical miles later, the
aircraft wasn't done. By 4:08 p.m. and with less-than-optimum sunlight,
the craft had reached 96,500 feet ... or about 18.3 vertical miles --
roughly where it leveled off. The last 1,240 feet took 36 minutes."
From AvFlash today.
...and no feather loss was noted.
Brian
brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net> Altus OK
Eureka!