The Sr-71 is by far the fastest jet to casually fly around the U.S. and what I mean by that, is that anything faster has probably been dropped off of another aircraft then has been powered by rockets. Radar does not lie, and I have not heard of or seen on radar another aircraft that was used in real time that can go the speeds of an SR71. Even if it was stealth, there are many rules that they would have to follow and the plane would be tracked by ATC or at least TMU in central flow. Yes the SR71 was impressive, and was a blast to work in the skys over the midwest, but was more fun to work with it when it refuels with a KC35 or KC10. When a normal jet flys it's radar updates look like this-////////// and when a SR71 flys it's radar hits look like this-/ / / / /.
BAMBOOSA,
Tell me more! The SR-71 is one of the few planes that I haven't got to work and probably never will unless they bring one out of the graveyard or NASA brings theres out to play.
Sounds like you are in ATC as well. Minneapolis Center or are you at the school house?
I have heard some crazy and funny stories about the SR-71. For instance; A buddy was working one in the stratoshpere somewhere and the pilot requested FL900 (90,000's for the rest of you). My buddie thought crap we don't have any aircraft at that high up and said roger approved. The pilot keys back up and says "Roger,
decending!"
He said just about everyone in the room just about died when they heard DECENDING!
I think it's funny that you guys keep calling the SR-71 a "
PRODUCTION" aircraft. They made what 12 of them and most are in different configurations. From the A-12 to the YF-12 then the SR-71 and then the cancelled M-21. So they had maybe 15 of these similar looking aircraft total at one time and probably less than half of that in existence now. They aren't as common as you guys make it sound.
I just wish they could of figured out a more efficient way to keep accelerating and increasing the speed. The real problem with all of these aircraft is having enough fuel. Right when they start to get warmed up, they run out of juice. That's why the X-15 was dropped from another plane and the SR-71 had to refuel immediately after taking off. With the design of the wings for those speeds, they created very little lift. Anything short of a rocket motor (X-15) or TWO J-58 engines (SR-71) they didn't have the power.
Even with the X-15 rocket motor, the SR-71 flew at record speeds with AFTERBURNER ONLY so it's about as close to a rocket as you can get without being one if you think about it.