The King of Speed: SR-71 Blackbird

Paul Elliot wrote:
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. [..]

One of my jobs in the distant past, was to help task where an SR-71
went each day. We used it for purposes that are still not yet released
to the public. I used to wonder if the pilots got bored if we sent
them to the same place. I can see now, probably not ;-)

Kev

Kev writes:

One of my jobs in the distant past, was to help task where an SR-71
went each day. We used it for purposes that are still not yet released
to the public. I used to wonder if the pilots got bored if we sent
them to the same place. I can see now, probably not ;-)

At their altitude, they could barely see anything below, anyway. My
guess is that they simply enjoyed the flying experience and really
didn't care if they were going to the same place or not.

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Mxsmanic wrote:
Kev writes:

One of my jobs in the distant past, was to help task where an SR-71
went each day. We used it for purposes that are still not yet released
to the public. I used to wonder if the pilots got bored if we sent
them to the same place. I can see now, probably not ;-)

At their altitude, they could barely see anything below, anyway. My
guess is that they simply enjoyed the flying experience and really
didn't care if they were going to the same place or not.

That's like saying the astronauts in the ISS or shuttle are too high to
see anything :-)

Remember, it was often used for photos, which means they flew on severe
clear days for that task.

And before the star-sensing navigation in the SR-71, they used a huge
visual drift sight to make sure they were on track. It was a periscope
centered at the top of the instrument panel, that showed the ground.

Kev

Kev writes:

That's like saying the astronauts in the ISS or shuttle are too high to
see anything :-)

They aren't too high to see anything, but a lot of the planet looks
the same as you go higher and higher, and often there are clouds as
well.

Remember, it was often used for photos, which means they flew on severe
clear days for that task.

If they could. But cameras see things a lot better than people do.

And before the star-sensing navigation in the SR-71, they used a huge
visual drift sight to make sure they were on track. It was a periscope
centered at the top of the instrument panel, that showed the ground.

I didn't know that the SR-71s had ever flown without their ANS stuff,
although I recall reading about the periscope.

Anyway, my point was that SR-71 pilots probably flew the aircraft just
for the sake of flying the aircraft, and not for the view.

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Mxsmanic wrote:

Anyway, my point was that SR-71 pilots probably flew the aircraft just
for the sake of flying the aircraft, and not for the view.


And usual you would be wrong. Read any book on the subject.

Newps writes:

And usual you would be wrong. Read any book on the subject.

I already have read several, and Brian Shul in particular is pretty
clear.

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