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To: PIF

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.


In another famous SR-71 story, Los Angeles Center reported receiving a
request for clearance to FL 600 (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 (obviously a sled driver), responded,
“We don’t plan to go up to it, we plan to go down to it.”
He was cleared.


16 posted on 12/23/2015 6:09:56 AM PST by artichokegrower
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To: artichokegrower

Yeah I remember both of those amazing and wonderful stories - sad that there is nothing even close to that these days ...

What I found interesting was the 1000 missiles launched at it stat. I knew about the SA-2 Libya launch story, but the others?


17 posted on 12/23/2015 6:13:55 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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