John Paul Stapp - Man

John Paul Stapp personally participates in a test of body tolerance by sitting on a rocket-mounted sledge. His experiments paved the way for a safer launcher, designed for pilots in case of escape from high-speed aircraft.

After World War II, the types of aircraft in the world became increasingly faster and fly higher thanks to improved design on the fuselage, jet engine or powerful rocket system. However, faster and higher flights also mean great risks for pilots.

The impulse between the growing power of the aircraft and the limited ability of the man urged John Paul Stapp. The US Air Force doctor performed his own research on the endurance of people with harsh environments, by attaching himself to a missile-mounted sled.

The first test

Stapp's interest in human endurance tests culminated, when he watched the launcher test screen at Wright Field air base in 1946.

A pilot escaping from a plane flying at high altitude and speed will be affected by strong winds and g forces. The theory at that time for 18G was the limit that people could endure. The question for Stapp is whether this is the true limit, and if not, is there a way to protect the pilot when being hit at a high speed and high.

The change on John Paul Stapp face when performing high speed tests.(Photo: fineartamerica.com)

The researcher's first test was conducted on a 600m-long runway at Muroc Air Force Base. This is the place built for American scientists to study V1 flying bombs. By attaching rockets to a sled, Stapp can speed up the length of the runway at nearly the same speed when the plane crashed. The brake system has the function of stopping the vehicle at the end of the runway, similar to what the pilot experiences when a collision occurs at high speed.

As of June 8, 1951, the volunteers performed 74 turns with this sled, in which Stapp is one of the most frequent riders. Even so, that seems to be insufficient for Stapp, when he wants to try faster speed and stronger deceleration. The opportunity came to this reckless man when he was transferred from Muroc to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, 1953.

At Holloman, in partnership with Northrop Corporation, Stapp studied a rocket-mounted sledge called Sonic Wind No. 1 . Sitting on a chair similar to the seat of a jet pilot, Stapp drives the Sonic Wind for the first time on March 19, 1954. System of 6 rocket boosters with a speed of nearly 700km / h, a record of speed on the ground. When the car stopped, he suffered a strong force of 22 G.

New speed targets are gradually improved in later tests. The rocket-mounted sled, started on August 20, 1954, has increased its speed to 800km / h. Stapp still survived.

The fastest man on the planet

Stapp's last test trip was performed on December 10, 1954, with many more remarkable elements. At this time, three missiles were added to Sonic Wind's propulsion system. Since there is no windshield, Stapp's arms and legs are protected to reduce the risk of injury. He wears a helmet and a mold in his mouth to protect his teeth. High-speed cameras are arranged on the track and above.

9 missiles put sleds and Stapp on historical tests. Within 5 seconds, the car increased its speed rapidly from 0 to 1,017.1 km / h. When the car braked and stopped completely for about 1.4 seconds, Paul Stapp suffered a force greater than 40 g. The force of stopping is comparable when a driver feels like crashing into a brick wall, at a speed of 193km / h.

Stapp is supported in preparation before performing tests with Sonic Wind No.1.(Photo: stapp.org)

Stapp is taken out of the car and taken to the hospital. His body was in a state of shock due to the strong influence of G force, all blood vessels in his eyes were damaged, his vision returned to momentarily and was thought to be blind. Stapp has rib fractures, broken wrists, sudden deceleration also causes respiratory system and circulation to be damaged. After the experiment, Stapp was voted by Time magazine as the World's Fastest Man.

Before completely recovering from injury, Stapp plans to add rockets for the next test, with the goal of increasing speed faster than the speed of sound. However, this plan cannot be done with the intervention of the US Air Force. Stapp is not allowed to participate in higher speed experiments, because his life and work are more meaningful than the risky high-speed races.

By extrapolation, Stapp demonstrates that pilots can survive when escaping from a plane moving at more than 2,800 km / h at altitudes higher than 10,000m. He also proved that a pilot can withstand 45 G forces in a collision. With these experiments, Stapp simultaneously set the record for the largest G force that people ever experienced.

Stapp's experiments help the US military design safer ejection seats for pilots in case of escape from aircraft at high speeds. Stapp died in 1999, at the age of 89.