There are many books with stories and tales of SR-71 Blackbird flights. The stories are amazing, and if you are looking for stories and history, then this isn’t the book you want. However, if you ever wondered what it was really like to fly the Blackbird, this is the book you have been searching for.
Colonel Richard Graham not only gives you the history of the Blackbird, but takes you through the planning, pre-flight, and every phase of flight in the Blackbird. Step-by-step, he covers the checklists, and the why behind each step. He covers in detail the why behind each step, what the pilot is looking for and doing, as well as what to do in an abnormal situation.
The level of detail cannot be overstated. Every gauge, dial, switch, and system in the plane are discussed, sometimes making it difficult to follow the terms, but stick with it. Mixed throughout are short stories but the meat of the book is the operation of the plane. Over and over I found myself in awe of the intricacies of a plane designed in the 1960’s that could fly at 85,000′ and more than three times the speed of sound.
Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission
