Would you believe that the altitude record for a winged aircraft was electric? At 96,863 feet or 29,524 meters the propeller aircraft NASA Helios hold that record for level flight “not a zoom climb”. This was an unmaned aircraft.
I used to love getting National Geographic in the 1950’s and 60’s because so many records were being broken. The images of the early high altitude ballon acesions were amazing to a young man who wanted to be a pilot.
There are a few catigories that are worth mentioning. Lets start with an aircraft that has taken off from the earth under it own power. That record belongs to Alexandr Fedotov flying a MiG E-266M. Flying at 123,523 feet in 1977 and still holds “”Offically”” the highest flight from ground.
His Mig E-266m with modified engines taking off on August 31, 1977 and still offically stands today.
The absolute record for a manned flight dropped from an airplane belongs to American test pilot Robert White who when dropped from a B-52 took the X-15 to an altitude of 314,688 feet or 95,916 meters on July 17, 1962.
Michael Melvill who on June 21, 2004 Space Ship One at 170,544 or over 32 miles up set the higest altitude for passanger carrying aircraft.
Some famous people that set altitude records.
Wiley Post in his pressurized suit