Shawn wrote:
Thanks for forwarding that Bob.
This is impressive:
"One need not worry about a flameout after takeoff in a
U-2. There either is enough runway to land straight ahead
or enough altitude (only 1,000 feet is needed) to circle
the airport for a dead-stick approach and landing."

Gary Emerson wrote:

Pretty much the same scenario with winch launching even off a relatively
short runway. By the time you're so high that you can't land ahead it's
a piece of cake to turn downwind make a short pattern and land back on
the runway into the wind. Pretty much eliminates the risk found during
aero tow where you're too far down the runway to land ahead, but not
high enough to 'safely' make a 180. Then you're forced to land ahead,
off airport which in many places is not a pretty picture.

But the U2 gets to take the engine along with it. :-)
I suspect a 12,000 ft runway helps.

Shawn