This Is What It Feels Like To Fly In a U2 Spy Plane | FerrariChat

This Is What It Feels Like To Fly In a U2 Spy Plane

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by jk0001, Aug 10, 2009.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2005
    6,706
    Sun Coast
    Full Name:
    Jim
    http://gizmodo.com/5332048/this-is-what-it-feels-like-to-fly-in-a-u2-spy-plane

    The Lockheed U2 is an amazing plane, developed to spy enemy countries by the CIA and the United States Air Force. Flying at 70,000 feet, the U2 can fly day or night, rain or sun, photographing ground facilities on very short notice, something that satellites can't do. It was created in the 50s, flying for the first time in 1955, and despite some being shot down over the Soviet Union, Cuba, and China, the fleet is still in use today. In fact, the successful design outlasted the SR-71 and the secret A-12 CIA spy plane, and will keep flying till 2014 or even later
     
  2. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    Cool video.........I noticed that he didn't show any more altimeter photos after they were climbing thru 70,000 feet..........
     
  3. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    37,099
    Cowboy Capitol of the World
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall
    According to my old shooting buddy that was crew chief for a U2 SR's used to use a tape print out to record flight parameters. Over 70K and mach 3 or so those two parameters went blank but you could watch all the others continue to climb.
     
  4. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    I've seen a cockpit photo of an SR-71 altimeter indicating 80,500 feet while in flight........either in Brian Schul's book or somewhere else.
     
  5. bwassam

    bwassam Formula Junior

    Jan 3, 2005
    635
    North Bend, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Robert Wassam
    I recently visited the military museum in China. They had a U-2 on display that had be shot down somewhere over China. It was the most popular exhibit in the building. Next to it was a UAV that had also be shot down.
     
  6. bwassam

    bwassam Formula Junior

    Jan 3, 2005
    635
    North Bend, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Robert Wassam
    #6 bwassam, Sep 10, 2009
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2009
    I forgot the pics. I hope they come through. I never seem to know. :-D
     
  7. saleenfan

    saleenfan Formula Junior

    Mar 26, 2006
    595
    No Where
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    thats just a 10 minute segment from a1.5 hour show, they show the altimeter a few other times in the full length show.
     
  8. bwassam

    bwassam Formula Junior

    Jan 3, 2005
    635
    North Bend, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Robert Wassam
    I give up on the pics.
     
  9. bushwhacker

    bushwhacker In Memoriam

    May 25, 2006
    8,883
    Phoenix Az.
    Full Name:
    Dennis
    Wow!, missed that episode, thanks for sharing.
     
  10. 1ual777

    1ual777 F1 Rookie

    Mar 21, 2006
    2,948
    Orange County, CA
    i used to live in Mountain View, Ca next door to Moffit AFB and Ames Research Center. They have at least one U-2 based there but I never saw it in the 2 years I lived there. You could hear it though. It would fire up and taxi out and then be gone, We used to run outside when we heard it to just try and get a glimpse of it (got to be a game with us) but it was long gone, plus the angle of attack made it that much more difficult to see. The sound though, was extremely loud and remained long after the plane visually was gone.
     
  11. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    14,750
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
    This aught to be a hint of what the Blackbird is really capable of;

    "In 1967 a stripped down Mig-25 set a world record by achieving a speed of 1,852 MPH and another aircraft set the altitude record by soaring to 118,898 feet. "
    http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/mig25.html

    and it still leaves the Mig-25 behind
     
  12. saleenfan

    saleenfan Formula Junior

    Mar 26, 2006
    595
    No Where
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    here you go guys
    both videos feature the U2
    I have uploaded both videos enjoy!
    James May at the edge of space: A half hour film of James May's flight to the edge of our atmosphere in the famed U2 spy plane.
    https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...aY3loMld4dnc9PQ

    James May on the moon: This video canonicals the story of the apollo astronauts and the space program as a whole, James then takes a U2 ride to "get as close to space as he can"
    https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...aY3loMld4dnc9PQ
     
  13. 101010

    101010 Formula 3

    Jun 22, 2008
    1,853
    I just watched the youtube video of James May in a U2 at the edge of space... and I can't believe I'm actually choked up. what a magnificent jewel of a planet we live on. what a tremendous honor to be able to fly in such a special airplane to such a height.

    I love the part where his face itches but he couldn't scratch it due to the helmet... the Major suggests he not think about it... that doesn't work, so he instead suggests scratching it with his water tube. :D so real, I had to scratch my cheek a bit.
     
  14. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    I didn't realize until I watched an episode of Top Gear last week, but James May says he has a genuinely serious and real fear of heights.

    Heh........wonder if he's cured now ?
     
  15. BubblesQuah

    BubblesQuah F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 1, 2003
    13,232
    Charlotte
    #15 BubblesQuah, May 26, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    What are we seeing on the left side of this display - where it is currently indicating "104"? I thought that would be the speed in knots - or maybe it is? But then I'm assuming it is showing .707 mach at the bottom of that.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  16. Perfusion

    Perfusion F1 Rookie

    Oct 16, 2004
    4,151
    Marietta, GA
    Full Name:
    Aaron
    Absolutely fantastic video! The music was a perfect match, to boot.
     

Share This Page