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The Ultimate Ground Speed Check - Tales from the Blackbird
There were a lot of things we couldn't do in an SR-71, 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. (oppositelock.jalopnik.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I can't believe USED copies of the book are going for $400+.
I was a manager for several of the cameras installed in the Bird.The window or camera ports, were synthetic quartz (BK-7) and coated in gold to minimize heat transfer. Never the less we had to recoat these ports due to friction erosion at high speed. Gold is a great conductor but soft. WRC
I have always loved this story, but it always makes my eyes leak. Similarly the story of dimming the lights and hoping not to upset the plane, and outrunning a missile lock and covering a lot of miles before he throught to throttle back.
The happiest guy around had to be the LA Center controller. He had probably been itching to stick it to one of the jet jockeys, but had no way to do so without a smack down from the non-combatants in the FAA. You can bet this series got passed around the ATC network albeit in tape format of the day.
ASPEN story: On 11/5/74 I was working the ONL high sector at MSP ARTCC. I had a flight plan on ASPEN 39 coming from DEN Center into my airspace. The DEN controller called to tell me that ASPEN had exited air refueling (AR 105 as I recall) and had started to climb but was experiencing mechanical problems and was now descending. I had several jets in my airspace so I asked DEN for current altitude. ASPENs mode C indicated he was level at FL350. He was going to be a problem for 2 westbound jets at FL350. I issued headings to get them out of the path of the ASPEN and did they ever turn on a dime. No questions asked, one radar update they were going west and the next they were heading north. I have always wondered how many G's they pulled in that turn. And, the ASPEN got his problem solved and was soon above FL600 and making a three state turn back to the west.
No need for a "squawk ident!" when a controller observes on an old scan converter display slashes 1.5 inches apart while other jets are printing at half inch. Came over Quilnik Island (Labrador) one night SW bound towards the US. About 30 minutes on the screen...