NASA's ER-2 set a world record for reaching an extreme altitude for this class of aircraft with a takeoff weight between 26,455 and 35,275 pounds on Nov. 19, 1998. The aircraft reached 68,700 feet. NASA’s ER-2s are an invaluable tool for studying lower stratosphere and the North American Mon-soon Anticyclone (NAMA). More @Wikipedia
Hover over any link to get a description of the article. Please note that search keywords are sometimes hidden within the full article and don't appear in the description or title.