The King of Speed: SR-71 Blackbird

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.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

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.

You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3.

Danny Deger

Danny Deger wrote:

You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3.

mixed mania gets lost at 0 knots.

In article ,
mumbled
You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3.

Does one get found quicker ?