Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission [Hardcover]

Richard H. Graham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2008

For anyone who has ever wondered what its like to fly the SR-71 on a secret Mach 3 reconnaissance mission, this book has the answer. Flying the SR-71 Blackbird takes readers along on an operational mission that only a few Air Force pilots have ever experienced.

The Lockheed SR-71, unofficially known as the Blackbird, was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed by Lockheed Skunk Works. The aircraft flew so fast and high that not one was ever shot down, even by a missile. SR-71 pilot and instructor Colonel Richard Graham offers a rare cockpit perspective on how regular Air Force pilots and navigators transformed themselves into SR-71 Blackbird crews, turning their unique aviation talents to account in an unprecedented way.

Arguably the worlds foremost expert on piloting the Blackbird, Graham details, as no one else could, what an SR-71 mission entails, from donning a pressure suit to returning to base.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Pacific Flyer, August 2008
"For anyone who has ever wondered what it's like to fly the SR-71 on a secret Mach 3 reconnaissance mission, Flying the SR-71 Blackbird has the answer. Retired SR-71 pilot and squadron leader Graham takes readers along on an operational mission that only a few Air Force pilots have ever experienced...Graham offers a rare cockpit perspective on how regular Air Force pilots and navigators transformed themselves into SR-71 Blackbird cres, turning their unique avation talents to account in an unprecedented way. Arguably the world's foremost expert on piloting the Blackbird, Graham details, as no one else could, what an SR-71 mission entails, from donning a pressure suit to returning to base...Flying the SR-71 Blackbird is the ultimate play-by-play journey into what is involved in an operational mission of one of aviation history's most prized, and top secret, aircraft."

Book Description

Flying the SR-71 Blackbird takes readers along on an operational mission that only a few Air Force pilots have ever experienced. The Lockheed SR-71, unofficially known as the Blackbird, was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed by Lockheed Skunk Works. The aircraft flew so fast and high that not one was ever shot down. SR-71 pilot and instructor Colonel Richard Graham offers a rare cockpit perspective on what an SR-71 mission entails, from donning a pressure suit to returning to base.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Zenith Press; 1st edition (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760332398
• ISBN-13: 978-0760332399
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mach 3 Aviation Nerd Heaven, July 2, 2008

By 

Dave English (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission (Hardcover)

This is a great book! It's exactly what the title says it is -- a pilot's inside the cockpit explanation of flying the SR-71, in expansive detail. The author is perfectly qualified for the task as a former SR-71 pilot, instructor pilot, chief stan/eval and commander of the 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron. There are 80 pages of original SR-71 checklists, there are detailed cockpit pictures, and there is explanation of every switch you'd see in a complete mission. Make no mistake, this is not a pretty picture book, this is for true pilot nerds who want to do what is now impossible -- climb inside the Blackbird and take it flying at Mach 3.2 and FL 780.

The foreword correctly states the book, "provides the missing link among the many Blackbird volumes that have been written over the past quarter century. While many nuts-and-bolts references have been written covering the aircraft's development, flight test, and operational history in minute detail, none, until now, have addressed the subject of flying the mission from the perspective of the pilot." It includes illuminating discussions about abnormal and emergency procedures, as well as some sidebars with tales of specific flights. It also includes a few pages of color pictures. The SR-71 was a stunning thrill-ride, and also a hughly complex techno-social system. Graham has written a quality tribute to the aeroplane and the thousands of people that made the system work.

Buy the big picture books by Brian Shul for glossy photographs and fluid descriptions of the feel of flying the SR-71. Buy the various history books for the development story and technical details. But for the this-switch-does-that (and why) (and when) detail of actually flying faster than a bullet, you need to buy this book. If this sort of thing is your cup of tea, you may also enjoy 'The Concorde Stick & Rudder Book' by Mike Riley for details on flying another big plane really really fast. I hope this review helps you.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three out of Three, September 6, 2008

By 

John Freedman (Decatur, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission (Hardcover)

Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission
HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO FLY AN SR-71? Well there are two things you need, one is this book, the other, well an operating aircraft. That I can't help you with, but I can suggest you should get this book!

Rich Graham was an instructor pilot on the SR-71, and his infinite knowledge of operating the Blackbird is laid out in the step by step procedures of flying the aircraft. Each check list item is described and laid out to explain it in terms you can understand.

This is Col Graham's third book, and 'Flying the Blackbird' like the others is a must for the Blackbird fan. This book is unique in that it tells you the complex cockpit procedures of this marvel of aviation. No other book or writer could give you the insight that Col. Rich Graham does.

A must.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing technical book about Mach 3 flying., October 31, 2008

By 

removeb4flight (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission (Hardcover)

The previous reviews are right on the mark, so I won't restate what they said. This book has a tremendous amount of detail on the physics of flight, engine parameters, navigation challenges, and steps taken to do an actual mission. It is not for casual readers, although there are short sections boxed in the text that relate to humorous or unusual incidents, that all readers would enjoy. I am still amazed that engineers working for Kelly Johnson built this aircraft with slide rules, paper tables, and drawings made by draftsmen, not computers. They achieved Mach 3+ flight using "steam gauges" and pilot skill. Contrast that with the Stealth fighter which flys because a computer moves the control surfaces in response to pilot input. I have seen the SR-71 fly at Beale and this book adds a great insight into its design and operation. I highly recommend it.