Pilot To Ground Control

In another famous SR-71 story, Los Angeles Center reported receiving a request for clearance to FL 60 (60,000 ft).

The incredulous controller, with some disdain in his voice, asked, "How do you plan to get up to 60,000 feet?

The pilot responded, "We don't plan to go up to it, we plan to go down to it."

He was cleared ...

Imagine the stories that could be told IF they could be told.

Their versions of, "There I was . . . ." would be entertaining at the very least.

NOW really allow imagination to kick into high gear and imagine what those flying the replacement vehicle must be doing . . .saying

Back during the Vietnam Episode when we were transiting to WestPac on the carriers we would pick up a briefing delegation in Hawaii and suffer through a week of endless Rules of Engagement, SAR, POW, Jane Fonda whereabouts, etc. In 1971 on our way over we had a SR-71 guy aboard to brief us on the intelligence they would be providing. When he finished his show one of our guys asked if they ever had SAMs fired at them over N. Vietnam. He replied, " yeah, you can pretty much follow our track by the missile contrails." This was inconceivable to all us A-7, A-6 and F-4 drivers who were relegated to flying down in the weeds, in air that you can actually breathe, and fighting SAMs as if it were another airplane. The SA-2 was a Mach 2.5 missile and our engagements were over in an average of 15 seconds after launch. So our guy asks him, "How do you evade them?" The SR-71 guy smiles and says "we just push the throttles forward a little!" Holy Sh_t!!

from the same author.... In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul writes:

"I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day
as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern California 13 miles high.
We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft as
we entered Los Angeles airspace. Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement across their scope".
"I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its groundspeed."
"90 knots," Center replied.
"Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same."
"120 knots," Center answered.
"We obviously weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day
as almost instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests groundspeed readout.' There was a slight pause, then the response, '525 knots on the ground, Dusty.' "
"Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a
situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison."
"Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"
There was a longer than normal pause . . .
"Aspen, I show 1,742 knots."
No further inquiries were heard on that frequency.

I still laugh every time I read that story.

1742. That's truly hauling ass!

or whatever else you got on board.

Another one reputed to be true is when Kelly Johnson was being interviewed and the SR71 came up, and the question was asked about the top speed and he said it was classified, so the interviewer asked what the official max speed was and Kelly said "Mach 3 plus". So the interviewer asked how much the "plus" was, and Kelly said "A whole shitload!".

Has anyone went out on the net to buy that book.

I don't guess I will buying them as gifts for people I think like aviation.

Does anyone know if it is available on "Books on Tape" or other available media?

We were lucky enough to be visiting Boeing field when Brian Schul was giving A presentation on the SR-71. We purchased a autographed copy of his book which has been tresured ever since. The pictures showing black sky above and blue sky below show A reality at 70,000 feet that you immediately understand, but never even thought of. Strongly recommoned read for anyone.

From Brian Shul and Walt Watcon Jr book The Untouchables," if you droped a medium sized bomb at mach 3, with no explosive device installed, it would hit from free-fall with the kinetic energy of 355 million foot pounds. It would penetrate 31 feet of reinforced concrete or 300 fet of earth"."... insects have splatered on the winshieldof SR-71 aircraft at 70,000 feet. The existence of insects at that altitude was not explained, and was not regarded as A flight hazard.' From Aviation week & Space Technology, Oct 1967.