In article ,
says...
You fart a lot when you go from 14.7 PSI to 5 PSI. They don't tell
you this.


I when to a talk by a U2 pilot once. As a data point, they did open the mask up at 70,000 feet as necessary. The aircraft was put on autopilot allowing sleeping time. Drinking and eating and nose scratching/puking were allowed.


Obviously you misunderstood what was said, as usual, Dougie. There is
no 'mask' on a U-2 suit. It's a hard helmet. They eat paste that is
squirted in through a lock in the helmet. The original aircraft were
pressurized to around 30,000 feet altitude equivalent, which means if
you aren't in a sealed suit you die.


U-2 started out as unpressurized
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/new...U260Years.html

But later, cockpit pressure was increased to the equivalent of about 14k
feet, which is pretty thin.
http://aviationweek.com/blog/what-do...ane-pilots-eat

Still, the above article does confirm that flight at altitude is done
with a sealed helmet and that pilots must remain alert, so I don't see
how "sleeping" would ever be allowed. That plane is a bitch to fly.
It's very unforgiving at altitude.

Jeff
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