SR-71 pilot Brian Shul passed away over the weekend, aged 75. He is famous for his book Sled Driver, where he recounts his experiences in the jet.
Epic bit of writing that I have read many times, and just had to read again here because of its awesomeness.
Got to watch his presentation at an Air Traffic Controller conference, great speaker/story teller. Had a chance to talk with him later that evening and get him to sign his book. Very witty and down to earth. Hoped I’d run across him again someday to talk. RIP Aviator.
RIP, Sir... Many thanks for the brave service to our country. His book looks quite popular, must be out of print as a used copy on Amazon is $1400.00, would love to read but.......
No personal experiences, but seems like a truly awesome person... Amazing he lived as long as he did with what he went through, let alone make a life of accomplishments few could dream of out of it.
I had a great Uncle whom was a aerospace engineer and draftsman whom was subcontracted some design work on that plane. Pilots a/c system if I recall correctly. In 1981 he drove us either to Edwards or Pt.Magu in Calif and we parked & Sat with a few other of his friends /coworkers and watched a nighttime take off of the SR71... It was pretty awesome. Orange Thunder is all I can remember... A moment not forgotten . I miss that man, learned so much from him. He had a way of teaching things that came so easily. Sadly lost him to a love lost & suicide..but some of his design work is still in use to this day over 50 years later. The absolute smartest, most likeable man I've ever known. Takes a special kind of person to be a civilian in Los Alamos, and be taken under the wing of scientists and engineers...that's who he was, and men like him are who designed that aircraft over 60 years ago.
His experience with the crash, and recovery, would have put everyone but a VERY determined man off of their plans.
The Semi's and box trucks, littered the ditches (showing off their under carriages) the last time we went (May 2019) across.