Posted on 06/21/2009 10:43:26 AM PDT by EnjoyingLife
There were a lot of things we couldn't do in an SR-71 Blackbird (The Air Force/NASA super fast, highest flying reconnaissance jet, nicknamed, "The Sled"), but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun would not be the first word I would use to describe flying this plane - intense, maybe, even cerebral. But there was one day in our Sled experience when we would have to say that it was pure fun to be the fastest guys out there, at least for a moment.
(Excerpt) Read more at fromtheinside.us ...
Thanks.....for the good read EL....
;-)
I used to drive a cessna.....LOL
I've never read or listened to a story from a sled pilot that I didn't enjoy. This one made my day.
Good story. Speaking as a former Piper driver, I would have been thoroughly humbled ;-)
Great story, great post.
FANTASTIC! MIND BOGGLING!!! Let Zero try that:-)
A thousand more KTS could be had quite easily when necessary,
The platform is parked and languishing in museums. There are those who say it is needed now even more than in the past, but the past is truly past.
Still, 90 Knots is a hell of alot of fun! and no man was able to do that until this past century! Think of the Billions who have never and never will do 90 knots up there with the Hawks, Eagles, Robins and Sparrows:-)
I would imagine we could use it today.
I spent a year working in the communications center for the maint. depot for the SR-71, and I heard some amazing stories. Check flights could be very short and very fast, such as take-off, climb to 70,000 feet, reach mach 3 speed and land again, all in 30 minutes.
The best example of sheer speed I’ve heard, though, was from the speed run for the record time from New York to London. ATC in the UK described the radar return across the North Sea as a streak, rather than the normal blip.
I spent my entire active duty career trying to AVOID aircraft... lotta good it did me! You’ve got to read the article linked up above. It’s a short, but very good read. :-)
You’re right. As a former resident of the Yuba and Sutter Counties in California I’ve heard a lot more SR71s and U2s than I’ve ever seen.
The thing about the sled was that they may have been able to see it coming some of the time but there wasn’t a danged thing they could do about it. This must have been a bit frustrating.
They also didn’t know exactly where it was going. Satellites are just too predictable.
Excusing himself from the dinner party Bush was whisked to the airport but he had to jump out at 80,000 feet upon return, land on the restaurant's roof and return to the dinner party explaining that he took so long because he had to use an upstairs restroom. It had to be true an anonymous source said so.
Great story! I don’t doubt it for a minute...lol.
Thought some of you might enjoy this ride on Father’s Day:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=610_1244577346
Turn it up!
Fun story.
I have heard it delivered in person in a speech by a former Blackbird pilot.
That’s not a plane, its a missile with seats attached :)
I used to fly out of the aero club at McConnell AFB in Wichita KS and was in a nice new Cessna 172 the club had just bought . Was watching KSANG F4’s do touch and go’s while I was trapped on the taxiway waiting for clearance to take off. They let me use about half an hour on the meter before one of the pilots asked tower if I was waiting to take off and they said yes so he told his flight to get out of the pattern for a few and let me go. I was kinda pissed for having to wait yet knew this was their patch not mine and I was a loaner in a groaner........ The tower let me take off and I popped up at about 65 KIAS yet stayed about 50 feet off the runway and flew the distance and that runway was long due BMAC and the AF sharing it. I was able to get to about 110 KIAS before the end and did my best cessna vertical climb to 1500 AGL to exit the pattern and the FSO from the USAF sitting on the runway came up on the frequency and said 802 that was pretty but do it again and yer ticket is MINE !......:o)
Never got in trouble for it yet it was fun ........
I’ve no interest in jets. This is the sort of thing that gives me a kick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsEq7YXP6Ow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RQGSVf-0iY&feature=related
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