The sled driver, Brian Shul, passed away

[markd]

by a brain with a slide rule.

The latter requires the former.....sorely missing component nowadays.

 

[Sasquatch Hunter]

That is America! Great story on the history and all the engineering technology behind the two great spy planes. SR71 and U2... If we only knew the all the covert missions!

 

[num70]

Such a tiny handful of men have lived like that and seen 75.
RIP for sure.
(But maybe "congratulations" too.)

 

[drahthaarducker]

RiP

 

[GUNNERX2]

One of my company's customer had been a SR71 pilot, sort of. Back in the 80s he was a Col. in the Air Force and was contemplating leaving and joining the commercial airline industry. As an incentive to stay, they offered him a front seat in a SR71. He flew a half dozen missions or so just to see what he would be getting into if he stayed. The lure of big bucks with private industry was stronger and he jumped ship. He ended up with Eastern Airlines and we all know how that worked out. Needing a steady income stream, he developed self install internet kits for most of the major communication companies,. We printed instruction books an packaging while other components were shipped to us and another company saw to the assembly. His timing was spot on and he made huge bank.

 

[JP]

Fantastic read, thank you and RIP to that man.
I saw the SR71 take its maiden flight out at Beale, it was incredible.
One second the jet comes screaming by and the next second the announce everyone to look up at the afterburners, it was awesome, and then,,,,,,it was gone. Incredible to think people were actually in that "bullet".
Bring her back out of commission and fly her balls to the wall over China, as a nutchek.

HELL YEAH!