James May from Top Gear rides in a U-2 spy plane

[Admin]

 

• In this BBC2 special James May from Top Gear U.K. is taken on an emotional ride to the edge of space in a U-2 spyplane. I took this version from Patricks Aviation, and the original version was apparently made by YT username 'bryUK'.
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

 

• Watch Now!
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

[Guest Qwerty]

The rotten mongrel......he's also been in up a Harrier and a Typhoon. What do I have to do to get up in one of these. I have flown a Jet Provost but nothing like what he's been in.

 

envy envy envy

 

Qwerty

 

 

[Tomo]

Wow! that is very cool!:thumb_up:

 

And yes... how do those chaps get to do that sort of stuff?!!???

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

Awesome what a lucky man!

 

 

[Admin]

Did you notice that as they were climbing through 70,000ft they were doing 100 knots

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

It is worth watching on the big screen, or at least high quality full screen. It has been on one of the Foxtel channels, but "James May at the edge of space" will find it in the usual places. "James May on the moon", created on the same trip, is well worth watching too.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Did you notice that as they were climbing through 70,000ft they were doing 100 knots

Indicated, of course! :)

The air up there is so thin, even going at a rather fast TAS, there are about 10kt above stall speed or thereabouts.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

And yes... how do those chaps get to do that sort of stuff?!!??

It is called a media ride and aircraft manufacturers, airforces and folks like NASA love to do them because they need the public liking them to get the funding they need. But you have to ask. BBC producers simply phoned the NASA media department and asked.

The catch is, you have to have a good proposal. Being a pilot, host of probably the most popular auto show in the world and promossing to make not one, but TWO hour-length shows with the BBC's production values and it likely airing all over the world is a pretty good proposal...

 

It doesn't surprise me James May gets them before many others!

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

It also worth searching for the 3 part series on youtube - shows all the training etc involved before he gets to go

 

 

[Guest wagtail747]

for $200,000 you can get a seat on Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galtic. Book your place in space.

 

http://www.virgingalactic.com/booking/

 

 

[Mikey_A]

I'll do it one day, even if it has to be in my dreams!