Nothing to do with Rec flying but watching this beast land is amazing!

[Guest Brett Campany]

I love the U-2 Spyplane but did you ever think about some of the training these guys go through?

 

And I thought my first landing was bad!!

 

Enjoy!

 

(Oh and apologies for the music, she's not my video)

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

When I worked in California I maintained an RV-4 for a bloke who was a U2 pilot. He liked to do aerobatics in the RV-4 on his time off.

 

Told me they gave him U2s because he had a lot of glider experience at the Air Force Academy. It's just a big jet powered glider after all.

 

I asked him one day where he went in the U2. He replied:" I can't tell you that, but I can say we have been keeping a pretty close eye on North Korea !"................

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

When I worked in California I maintained an RV-4 for a bloke who was a U2 pilot. He liked to do aerobatics in the RV-4 on his time off.Told me they gave him U2s because he had a lot of glider experience at the Air Force Academy. It's just a big jet powered glider after all.

 

I asked him one day where he went in the U2. He replied:" I can't tell you that, but I can say we have been keeping a pretty close eye on North Korea !"................

Very nice, like they say, it's not what you know!! I bet he's got some great stories to tell!

 

 

[BLA82]

I don't feel so bad now:thumb_up:

 

 

[BLA82]

Can anyone tell me why the chase these aircraft when they are landing?

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Can anyone tell me why the chase these aircraft when they are landing?

can you imagine walking back from where the planes finally ends up? Especially in those suits!

 

 

[BLA82]

Can't they Taxi back, unless they crash of course. I originally thought the were gliding in but on one of the landings he powers up so obviously they are still running

 

 

[tvaner]

Can anyone tell me why the chase these aircraft when they are landing?

BLA82,

 

For a number of years back in the 60's a little known fact is that some U2's were based in Australia at East Sale.

 

Due to their great wing span they have ejectable wheels near the leading edge of the wings. When they take off they eject these wheels. If you look closely in this clip you can see one of these being ejected.

 

When landing they require these wheels to be locked in place on each side before they slow down and a wing or wings hit the ground. This is usually done by ground crew hanging out of a vehicle at each side of the aircraft. Not a job for the faint hearted. If this couldn't be achieved before the aircraft slowed down too much they would have to do a go around.

 

They are a spectacular aircraft to see in action and I believe there are still a few flying. Another brilliant aircraft from Kelly Johnson and his skunk works.

 

I'm sure this is one glider Tony H. would have liked to get his hands on.

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

 

[BLA82]

Thanks for that, That has definately answered my question

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

The person in the car is a qualified U2 pilot and his/her job is to talk the pilot down to a wings level landing.

 

http://www.blackbirds.net/u2/u-2mission.html

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes the wing tip wheels and the pilot talking them through the landings are spot on. They used to launch out of Moffit NAS south of San Francisco. They declare a temporary 5 nm "no go zone" for about ten minutes while they depart. Only need 5nm radius as they pretty much climb straight up !. I recall my friend told me they pretty much spend most of the mission at altitude, switched off or at idle, once they hit the jetstream. Believe they started out as a highly modified Shweitzer glider ?.................

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

And how's this for another challenge of flying this beast: Because it operates at such high altitudes - ~70,000 feet the U2 has a very small margin between the stall and mach buffet - something like 5-10 knots. If you fly only 5-10 knots slower you get stall buffet and if you fly only 5-10 knots faster you get mach buffet - you are approaching mach 1 and you get peri-sonic buffet.

 

It's called Coffin Corner. Imagine what it would be like to maintain airspeed within say 5 knots for up to 9 hours. Of course they have autopilots to do it for them.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[tvaner]

Thanks for the corrections and additions to the info guys. It was a long time ago.

 

That article was sure an interesting read Mike. I recall also reading something about earlier models having a margin of about 9kts which was reduced to somewhere near 5kts in later models.

 

These videos demonstrate pretty well what happens during take-off and landing.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlipEP6MdRg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlipEP6MdRg[/COLO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would you believe they even had one call in at Airventure 2007? It would be great to see one at Avalon.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Maybe that's why my pilot mate was skinny, probabily sweated it all off after 9 hours in coffin corner........................