Quote:
Originally Posted by Llarry
Agreed that the SR-71 was one of the most amazing techincal achievements of the last hundred years of aviation. And yet, the cost was incredible. Every SR-71 mission involved many KC-135Q tankers with complicated fuel offloads etc. The SR-71 had recon capabilities beyond that of satellites in many cases but the extreme cost killed the program. Of course, recon satellites are also incredibly expensive.
On several occasions when I was stationed in Okinawa (1972-74) the SR-71 did a local training flight practicing takeoffs and landings and it would fly right over the little base I lived and worked. Amazing airplane!
|
When I was in Okinawa in the Navy we could hear them takeoff at night! And we were at White Beach (maybe it was the flyover?)!
When I was a new controller my sup told me I should practice typing in flight plans. I typed in Aspen71, an SR71 from HIF (Hill Air Force base) to various points around the country and back to HIF. It wasn't a few minutes before the pentagon was on the phone inquiring when the SR71 got to HIF, how long it's been there and why weren't they notified that the plane was there. I got schooled that I could use any callsign EXCEPT Aspen, which was reserved for SR71 flights. Oops...