Job 28:25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
Most people, when asked how much a cubic mile of air at sea level weighs will answer,
"Nothing, air has no weight."
If that were the case, birds, aircraft, and hot air balloons could not fly.
Atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch.
The winds have weight, but only 33 feet of water has the same pressure as 60 kilometers of air.
So water has by far the greater measure.
And I remember reading something (Houston area, I think) about a 737 and a possible bird strike about 8.000 feet above sea level and I have never gone and checked what sort of bird could gain that kind of altitude. Some reason I was thinking no sort of present day bird (the living type) could get that high.
Oh yes, thank you for posting the Job 28:25!
Now, about that chopper at 42,000 feet . . . that's interesting. I don't suppose I picked that one up back then. I haven't been active in aviation for a very long time. In fact, it was called the dislocation of the chain in one ear that caused me to be grounded back in the 90s, if my memory is correct.
Now about the altitude thing in commercial aviation, stretching distance by using less fuel isn't the only reason for using higher altitude. Less turbulence trouble is another very important reason. And in that is also the point of flying over weather.
Seems I am also now remembering that speed is a factor at higher altitude. But I'll admit I'm dealing with faulty memory, so maybe I've got that wrong. But I am sure about getting above weather. That's a biggie. And one thing about those days way back and so many things one learns is one thing that is a nightmare - clear air turbulence. That is one nasty - nasty bit of business. Some flight crews have had the good fortune to never have to deal with that.
Anyway, that which you informed me about the geese; that's pretty neat. That has to be one tough creature to be able to do that. Actually, a chopper at 42,000 feet is also quite something. Seems you'd have to have all drives trains outside of the pressurized cabin area. That's the thing about choppers, the drive trains are a real headache. Tandem rotor requires that long shaft. Single rotor and that tail rotor is the usual bad thing when a drive train fails. But you can still do a running landing and survive if you have had proper training. Wonder what style of blade you'd need at 42,000 feet.