Re: 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane

By
This is pretty cool footage of a U2 climbing out to 70,000 ft AGL and landing.  

(Sorry if you already know this) but the British guy is talking about things boiling - at those altitudes and with your body temp of 98.6F, your blood would boil if you lost even a little cabin pressure. 

As you can see this Kelly Johnson machine was nothing but a glider with a BIG engine (and very good cameras) - there has always been a story circulating among my aerospace friends that a U2 had an engine quit over Alaska (not sure where) and he was able to glide back to Sacramento, CA.   Do I believe it?  Maybe....  Pretty heavy glider, but then so is the Space Shuttle.

PS:  Can you believe this company went on to make the SR-71?

This video is a once in a lifetime experience of a British civilian getting a
flight at over 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane.  Please note at the take-off
the assist wheels on the outer edges of the wings which drop off upon
take-off.  The wings are so long that they need temporary support until
lift-off.  What is not shown is at the landing the plane actually slows to
a small enough speed that two guys are actually able to grab the wing tips
and put those assist wheels back on.

The civilian getting the ride is the host of the car show on BBC shown
through Europe .  The views are spectacular as the U-2 flies at altitudes
which constitute "SPACE."

It's worth investing 10 minutes of your time

Use your full screen and sound as this is a high-quality film clip, 10 minutes long.

http://www.wimp.com/breathtakingfootage/ --

Popular posts from this blog

Fwd: British Imperial Airways 1930's

By
Image
    Begin forwarded message: From: beck8@comcast.net Subject: British Imperial Airways 1930's Date: January 14, 2014 10:36:14 PM EST            British Imperial Airways 1930's Flying the airlines in the thirties was a lot more fun than it is now. It was more leisurely and had more class. Certain elitist and anti-British people have no time for these period "rich types". People like these, the risk takers (especially with their own money) were the backbone of the UK. They flew from the first airline operations across the Channel in 1919.   If people had serious money in the 1930s and traveled internationally, they may well have flown on one of these large (130 foot wingspan) Handley Page bi-plane aircraft, which were the mainstay of British Imperial Airways at the time. They carried 26 passengers in first class only, in three d
Read more

LSO's and landing T Sparks

By
A long winded discussions on the role the LSO plays in landing on the carrier. After 900+ they have saved my bacon more than once. All the best, Tim The Lords of Landing "Right for lineup...don't go low...a little power...." At sea, the last word belongs to... by Peter Garrison The A-6E Intruder bomber thunders past the USS Abraham Lincoln's starboard side and rolls into a nearly vertical left bank. Condensation flickers above its swept wings like white fire; its airspeed bleeds rapidly from 300 knots to 150 under the drag of the five-G turn. In the cockpit, the inflatable G-suit snaps tightly around Lieutenant Brian Kasperbauer's legs. His eyes dart from the dancing blur of black instruments to the horizon beyond. Parallel to the aircraft carrier, Kasperbauer rolls level. Check speed, dirty up with gear and flaps, double-check tailhook down. Twice he lifts himself slightly from his se
Read more

Lower than a Snake's Belly in a Wagon Rut

By
Image
MEN AND BOYS ALL HAVE THEIR TOYS.  These shots are fun.  Boys will be boys.  < poetry You may get a buzz out of this!   Great Pics with commentary FRANÇAIS ·           HOME ·           AIRCRAFT ·           VINTAGE NEWS ·           EVENTS ·           TOURS ·           RIDES ·           STORE On a particularly hot day, a Royal Australian Air Force English Electric A84 Canberra bomber drops to within 25 feet as thrill-seeking mechanics get ready for the visceral experience of 13,000 lbs of Rolls Royce Avon power full in the face. RAAF Photo By Dave O'Malley Along the sunny Gulf Coast of Mississippi runs a VLA route (low level, high-speed flying) frequented by American military fliers for decades.. Back in the early
Read more