Sled Driver: Flying the World's Fastest Jet

by Brian Shul

No aircraft ever captured the curiosity & fascination of the public like the SR-71 Blackbird. Nicknamed "The Sled" by those few who flew it, the aircraft was shrouded in secrecy from its inception. Entering the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1966, the SR-71 was the fastest, highest flying jet aircraft in the world. Now for the first time, a Blackbird pilot shares his unique experience of what it was like to fly this legend of aviation history. Through the words & photographs of retired Major Brian Shul, we enter the world of the "Sled Driver." Major Shul gives us insight on all phases of flying, including the humbling experience of simulator training, the physiological stresses of wearing a space suit for long hours, & the intensity & magic of flying 80,000 feet above the Earth's surface at 2000 miles per hour. "Sled Driver" takes the reader through riveting accounts of the rigors of initial training, the gamut of emotions experienced while flying over hostile territory, & the sheer joy of displaying the jet at some of the world's largest airshows. Illustrated with rare photographs, seen here for the first time, "Sled Driver" captures the mystique & magnificence of this most unique of all aircraft.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Aviation, Military Fiction, Biography, Engineering, Science

151 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1991

Reviews

[Kev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Brian at Edwards AFB Open House airshow in October, 1999. As we were chatting Chuck Yeager was cruising 30,000 ft. over our heads in an F4 Phantom doing a supersonic flyby.

How is cool is that?

Most of the photos are Brain's & they're beautiful. This is the definitive photo album of the SR71. Brian takes us through his career & his choice to step up to the challenge to become a member of a very select few whose intelligence, training & talent are brought to bear in piloting the fastest -- at that time -- most tempramental thoroughbred aircraft in the world.

If you can't tell, I admire him a great deal.

He has taught me what the result of courage, humility, boisterousness & focused concentration can produce. Read it.

[Nick Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Limited printing by the author so most books sell for upwards of $300. Found a .pdf copy online after some digging, and it was well worth my time.

Excellent "you are there" photography, with well-written supporting text. SR-71's (or "Sleds" as the author calls them) sound like a hell of a lot of fun to fly, and as privileged an experience as being an astronaut. Not far off, actually.

[Kamas Kirian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photography is wonderful. Seeing the plane in flight, and the views available to the pilot, is like nothing else. The story of what it's like to fly this magnificent jet is also compelling. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the SR-71.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets five stars just for the incredible discipline and skill necessary to fly this airplane. Out of print, so far as I know? Find a copy, if you have any interest in aviation. Major Shul, hats off and a sincere salute to you, from a far less talented, less accomplished airman.

[Bee☕ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing the SR-71 Blackbird at an airshow in the 80s, this plane has fascinated me. First hand experience told by pilot Brian Shul is a riveting account of training and flying this marvel. There are many photos as well. Short but well worth the read.

[Kevin Goodrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was introduced to the Habu when I was stationed on Okinawa in the early 80s. I loved watching the big bird land with the bright
scarlet parachute behind. The pilots were legendary.

This was an enjoyable view inside the cockpit that made you wish you could have been there.

[Richard Mcdermott]

Unbelievable read. Some of the photos taken by the author from a claustrophobically cramped cockpit - through 4 inches of armored glass, capable of withstanding the friction heat from travelling at faster than 2,000 mph at 80,000+ feet altitiude - are astounding. Only 32 of these engineering marvels were built and only 152 pilots ever drove the Sled. One of them, an SR71-B is housed in the air museum in Kalamazoo. You can walk up to it and touch it. I read the book once, then read it again the next day. Hard to find this book. It is out of print. I found it in "good condition" on Amazon and purchaed it for $245.00 (price printed on the flysheet from 1990 was $40.00.)

[Apa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love letter for the world's fastest, highest-flying and most mysterious spy plane. This is not a technical manual or a history book, instead we get to to know what it felt like to see the stars flying at 80 000 ft. The photographs are unique, there are no other shots of the SR-71 program like these.

[Karla Goodhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives an awesome description of what it is like to fly the world's fastest air-breathing jet - the SR-71 Blackbird. It is well written and the pictures are amazing.

[Ian . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for (military) plane fans. Who doesn't remember the Blackbird from playing cards, movies or cartoons? The whole book is written from the perspective of the jet pilot who flew the plane over many years and created a true bond with this beauty. Nice detailed descriptions of the joys and challenges the pilots had when flying the world's fastest aircraft that has ever been built (to date).

Another really interesting aspect was the relation with the co-pilot who controlled all the navigation and sensor equipment, defensive systems etc. The pilot and the co-pilot (referred as Reconnaissance Systems Officer or RSO) formed a true team. As the pilot put it: "During four years of sharing a myriad of emotions with the jet and each other, we formed a bond of mutual respect and friendship that will last the rest of our lives. Walt used to say that we lasted longer together than most marriages".

Haven't seen a Blackbird with my own eyes, but I'm happy that I've seen Lockheed A-12 on board of the aircraft carrier Intrepid. A-12 was a single-seat reconnaissance aircraft which led to the twin-seat YF-12 prototype interceptor aircraft. The latter was the basis for SR-71 or Blackbird. All three are historic jets but of course the Blackbird with its Mach 3+ max speed triumphs them all.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal quick read about the SR-71 Balckbird. The love and admiration that the author had for this aircraft had was fantastic. Jealous of the men and women who have broken the speed of sound.

[Ardon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opening sequence of Top Gun Maverick reminded me of The Right Stuff, specifically of the attempts of test pilots to push the limits of manned aircraft beyond accepted boundaries.

The Darkstar aircraft was designed for the film by Lockheed Martin, the same people who made the SR-71 Blackbird, which is still the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft ever produced. This rather spectacular aircraft is the subject of Shul’s book.

He does a great job of communicating at the right level to lay readers, clearly explaining the complexities involved in flying this groundbreaking aircraft. It all flows very well, with (now) declassified pictures sprinkled throughout the book to help give his words some additional shape. You really get a sense of the sheer skill and practice needed to operate an aircraft like this – it certainly imbued me with an even greater level of respect for the initial test pilots who were brave enough to try flying the SR-71 in the prototype stage.

For anyone into aviation, this book is a must read. It was also quite fun reading this on a plane at 36,000 feet, looking up and imagining a SR-71 cruising at double that altitude, whizzing by at nearly quadruple our speed.

[Joseph Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blackbird is a beautifully moving piece of technology. I like to think of myself as a technology person, but really that just means computers. The SR-71 first flew in 1964, so it doesn't have much impressive in the way of computers.

But in 1976 it flew faster than anyone has before in a jet. And since 1976, no one has taken a jet faster than a Blackbird has. This machine, which was conceived in the 1950s, is still without a rival.

It flew fast & high because it was a spy evading its enemies. It was only retired when faster & higher spies were taken online: satellites.

There's something romantic about flying on top of the world, faster than anyone else. This book brings out that romance. Brain Shul loves this plane, and he teaches you to love it too--if you need to learn.

And I love his pictures. He did some in-flight photography that's amazing. This photography wasn't part of his job, it was for fun. In one photo, he's on top of the world (in the Arctic Circle) and you can literally see night and day at the same time.

[Zoljargal Gantumur · Rating 5 out of 5]

2-дхоо уншив. Сөнөөгч онгоц нээх сонирхдоггүй ч SR-71 бол яалтчгүй хайр юм аа.

Гайхалтай зургууд болон хүн төрлөхтөний түүхэн дахь хамгийн гайхалтай инженерийн бүтээлийн нэгт зүй ёсоор тооцогдох онгоцны тухай унших нь сэтгэл хөдлөм байлаа. :)

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firsthand account of what it was like to pilot the world's most jaw-dropping astonishing ahead of its time aircraft. My copy is autographed, so it's a veritable treasure.

[Kristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book of all time

[Remo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breve relato plagado de fotos chulas sobre la experiencia de pilotar un Mirlo (Al SR-71 lo llamaban el Blackbird pero sobre todo lo llamaban The Lady in Black). Hay alguna anécdota muy interesante pero se nota que el piloto se ha dejado muchas cosas en el tintero. Rescato una anécdota del libro y otra que no es del libro pero que es del autor del libro:

Qué se siente al ser el avión más rápido del vecindario:

There were a lot of things we couldn't do in an SR-71, but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun would not be the first word I would use to describe flying this plane. Intense, maybe. Even cerebral. But there was one day in our Sled experience when we would have to say that it was pure fun to be the fastest guys out there, at least for a moment.

It occurred when Walt and I were flying our final training sortie. We needed 100 hours in the jet to complete our training and attain Mission Ready status. Somewhere over Colorado we had passed the century mark. We had made the turn in Arizona and the jet was performing flawlessly. My gauges were wired in the front seat and we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves, not only because we would soon be flying real missions but because we had gained a great deal of confidence in the plane in the past ten months. Ripping across the barren deserts 80,000 feet below us, I could already see the coast of California from the Arizona border. I was, finally, after many humbling months of simulators and study, ahead of the jet.

I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for Walter in the back seat. There he was, with no really good view of the incredible sights before us, tasked with monitoring four different radios. This was good practice for him for when we began flying real missions, when a priority transmission from headquarters could be vital. It had been difficult, too, for me to relinquish control of the radios, as during my entire flying career I had controlled my own transmissions. But it was part of the division of duties in this plane and I had adjusted to it. I still insisted on talking on the radio while we were on the ground, however. Walt was so good at many things, but he couldn't match my expertise at sounding smooth on the radios, a skill that had been honed sharply with years in fighter squadrons where the slightest radio miscue was grounds for beheading. He understood that and allowed me that luxury.

Just to get a sense of what Walt had to contend with, I pulled the radio toggle switches and monitored the frequencies along with him. The predominant radio chatter was from Los Angeles Center, far below us, controlling daily traffic in their sector. While they had us on their scope (albeit briefly), we were in uncontrolled airspace and normally would not talk to them unless we needed to descend into their airspace.

We listened as the shaky voice of a lone Cessna pilot asked Center for a readout of his ground speed. Center replied: "November Charlie 175, I'm showing you at ninety knots on the ground."

Now the thing to understand about Center controllers, was that whether they were talking to a rookie pilot in a Cessna, or to Air Force One, they always spoke in the exact same, calm, deep, professional, tone that made one feel important. I referred to it as the " Houston Center voice." I have always felt that after years of seeing documentaries on this country's space program and listening to the calm and distinct voice of the Houston controllers, that all other controllers since then wanted to sound like that, and that they basically did. And it didn't matter what sector of the country we would be flying in, it always seemed like the same guy was talking. Over the years that tone of voice had become somewhat of a comforting sound to pilots everywhere. Conversely, over the years, pilots always wanted to ensure that, when transmitting, they sounded like Chuck Yeager, or at least like John Wayne. Better to die than sound bad on the radios.

Just moments after the Cessna's inquiry, a Twin Beech piped up on frequency, in a rather superior tone, asking for his ground speed. "I have you at one hundred and twenty-five knots of ground speed." Boy, I thought, the Beechcraft really must think he is dazzling his Cessna brethren. Then out of the blue, a navy F-18 pilot out of NAS Lemoore came up on frequency. You knew right away it was a Navy jock because he sounded very cool on the radios. "Center, Dusty 52 ground speed check". Before Center could reply, I'm thinking to myself, hey, Dusty 52 has a ground speed indicator in that million-dollar cockpit, so why is he asking Center for a readout? Then I got it, ol' Dusty here is making sure that every bug smasher from Mount Whitney to the Mojave knows what true speed is. He's the fastest dude in the valley today, and he just wants everyone to know how much fun he is having in his new Hornet. And the reply, always with that same, calm, voice, with more distinct alliteration than emotion: "Dusty 52, Center, we have you at 620 on the ground."

And I thought to myself, is this a ripe situation, or what? As my hand instinctively reached for the mic button, I had to remind myself that Walt was in control of the radios. Still, I thought, it must be done - in mere seconds we'll be out of the sector and the opportunity will be lost. That Hornet must die, and die now. I thought about all of our Sim training and how important it was that we developed well as a crew and knew that to jump in on the radios now would destroy the integrity of all that we had worked toward becoming. I was torn.

Somewhere, 13 miles above Arizona, there was a pilot screaming inside his space helmet. Then, I heard it. The click of the mic button from the back seat. That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: "Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check?" There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. "Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground."

I think it was the forty-two knots that I liked the best, so accurate and proud was Center to deliver that information without hesitation, and you just knew he was smiling. But the precise point at which I knew that Walt and I were going to be really good friends for a long time was when he keyed the mic once again to say, in his most fighter-pilot-like voice: "Ah, Center, much thanks, we're showing closer to nineteen hundred on the money."

For a moment Walter was a god. And we finally heard a little crack in the armor of the Houston Center voice, when L.A.came back with, "Roger that Aspen, Your equipment is probably more accurate than ours. You boys have a good one."

It all had lasted for just moments, but in that short, memorable sprint across the southwest, the Navy had been flamed, all mortal airplanes on freq were forced to bow before the King of Speed, and more importantly, Walter and I had crossed the threshold of being a crew. A fine day's work. We never heard another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast.

For just one day, it truly was fun being the fastest guys out there.

Y mi favorita, sobre la mínima velocidad a la que voló el autor:

As a former SR-71 pilot, and a professional keynote speaker, the question I'm most often asked is "How fast would that SR-71 fly?" I can be assured of hearing that question several times at any event I attend. It's an interesting question, given the aircraft's proclivity for speed, but there really isn't one number to give, as the jet would always give you a little more speed if you wanted it to. It was common to see 35 miles a minute. Because we flew a programmed Mach number on most missions, and never wanted to harm the plane in any way, we never let it run out to any limits of temperature or speed. Thus, each SR-71 pilot had his own individual "high" speed that he saw at some point on some mission. I saw mine over Libya when Khadafy fired two missiles my way, and max power was in order. Let's just say that the plane truly loved speed and effortlessly took us to Mach numbers we hadn't previously seen.

So it was with great surprise, when at the end of one of my presentations, someone asked, "What was the slowest you ever flew in the Blackbird?" This was a first. After giving it some thought, I was reminded of a story that I had never shared before, and relayed the following.

I was flying the SR-71 out of RAF Mildenhall, England, with my back-seater, Walt Watson; we were returning from a mission over Europe and the Iron Curtain when we received a radio transmission from home base. As we scooted across Denmark in three minutes, we learned that a small RAF base in the English countryside had requested an SR-71 flypast. The air cadet commander there was a former Blackbird pilot, and thought it would be a motivating moment for the young lads to see the mighty SR-71 perform a low approach. No problem, we were happy to do it. After a quick aerial refueling over the North Sea, we proceeded to find the small airfield.

Walter had a myriad of sophisticated navigation equipment in the back seat, and began to vector me toward the field. Descending to subsonic speeds, we found ourselves over a densely wooded area in a slight haze. Like most former WWII British airfields, the one we were looking for had a small tower and little surrounding infrastructure. Walter told me we were close and that I should be able to see the field, but I saw nothing. Nothing but trees as far as I could see in the haze. We got a little lower, and I pulled the throttles back from the 325 knots we were at. With the gear up, anything under 275 was just uncomfortable. Walt said we were practically over the field—yet, there was nothing in my windscreen. I banked the jet and started a gentle circling maneuver in hopes of picking up anything that looked like a field.

Meanwhile, below, the cadet commander had taken the cadets up on the catwalk of the tower in order to get a prime view of the flypast. It was a quiet, still day with no wind and partial gray overcast. Walter continued to give me indications that the field should be below us, but in the overcast and haze, I couldn't see it. The longer we continued to peer out the window and circle, the slower we got. With our power back, the awaiting cadets heard nothing. I must have had good instructors in my flying career, as something told me I better cross-check the gauges. As I noticed the airspeed indicator slide below 160 knots, my heart stopped and my adrenalin-filled left hand pushed two throttles full forward. At this point, we weren't really flying, but were falling in a slight bank. Just at the moment that both afterburners lit with a thunderous roar of flame (and what a joyous feeling that was), the aircraft fell into full view of the shocked observers on the tower. Shattering the still quiet of that morning, they now had 107 feet of fire-breathing titanium in their face as the plane leveled and accelerated, in full burner, on the tower side of the infield, closer than expected, maintaining what could only be described as some sort of ultimate knife-edge pass.

Quickly reaching the field boundary, we proceeded back to Mildenhall without incident. We didn't say a word for those next 14 minutes. After landing, our commander greeted us, and we were both certain he was reaching for our wings. Instead, he heartily shook our hands and said the commander had told him it was the greatest SR-71 flypast he had ever seen, especially how we had surprised them with such a precise maneuver that could only be described as breathtaking. He said that some of the cadet's hats were blown off and the sight of the planform of the plane in full afterburner dropping right in front of them was unbelievable. Walt and I both understood the concept of "breathtaking" very well that morning, and sheepishly replied that they were just excited to see our low approach.

As we retired to the equipment room to change from space suits to flight suits, we just sat there—we hadn't spoken a word since "the pass." Finally, Walter looked at me and said, "One hundred fifty-six knots. What did you see?" Trying to find my voice, I stammered, "One hundred fifty-two." We sat in silence for a moment. Then Walt said, "Don't ever do that to me again!" And I never did.

A year later, Walter and I were having lunch in the Mildenhall Officer's Club, and overheard an officer talking to some cadets about an SR-71 flypast that he had seen one day. Of course, by now the story included kids falling off the tower and screaming as the heat of the jet singed their eyebrows. Noticing our HABU patches, as we stood there with lunch trays in our hands, he asked us to verify to the cadets that such a thing had occurred. Walt just shook his head and said, "It was probably just a routine low approach; they're pretty impressive in that plane." Impressive indeed.

Un libro entretenido pero que no cuenta lo suficiente, a mi parecer.

[Blake Brashear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book. The background and story of the author is incredible and really ads to the background of the book. Brian Shul had the right stuff. I just hope I might be able to hear him speak in person some day. The author does an amazing job of providing detail of the aircraft, systems, performance capabilities, idiosyncrasies, etc... Nothing like having an "un-start" and having the SR-71 violently yaw enough to slam your pressure suit helmet into the side of the cockpit. As a pilot I appreciate the level of technical detail. The technical background helps convey the difficulty of the mission and the way the author describes those stories seems like it comes from a Tom Clancy novel. Wonderful story telling and the best, most well known story of all about the SR-71 comes from this author and book. Asking for a ground-speed readout from Center when you're doing 2000 kt just to prove you're the fasting thing flying that day is amazing (Search youtube for a video of Brian Shul telling the story to an audience). As if the stories and writing weren't enough, the imagery in this book is worth the steep cost these books command alone. The photos Brian took while flying and of the aircraft are excellent. Truly an artist.

As a pilot, this might be one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of owning. I was able to pick up a copy and it will stay with me forever. Unfortunately this book is out of print, but if you're able to borrow or find a copy you will not be disappointed.

[Amol Marwaha · Rating 4 out of 5]

In terms of writing, this book is no better or worse than whatever else is out there. However in terms of what it's like to fly an SR-71, admittedly the rarest of the rare of aviation behemoths, this book exceeds expectations and leaves the reader with a sense of contentment. The author invites the reader to take a close look at the spirit of the machine that once flew shrouded in mystery high over the Iron Curtain. The delightfully detailed accounts of sorties both mundane and exceptional, and the holistic manner in which the author covers the myriad quirks and characteristics of this legendary aircraft make this book a must read for aviation enthusiasts everywhere. Now, if only someone wrote a similar tome about the MiG 25 Foxbat.

[Spad53 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what an aviation book should be like, I'm comparing to the last aviation book I readWings Over the Waves: The Biography and Letters of Lieut. Com. Roy Baker-Falkner Dso Dsc RN, which waffled on about everything but aviation. This one stuck to the point,
except for some poetic descriptions, which were actually rather nice, and very well written. I wouldn't have minded a bit more about his earlier experiences. It also contains gorgeous photography by the author, and two of the best aviation anecdotes I've ever read.
Highly recommended.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't my type of book, but my boys are big fans of the SR-71 Blackbird so I tracked down this highly-recommended book. It's out of print and ridiculously expensive from private sellers, but we got lucky and found a copy through the library system here in Small Town, IL. My son read this and "thought it was very cool." Last weekend our family visited Wright Patterson Air Force Base and spent an afternoon at the United States Air Force Museum which houses an SR-71 Blackbird. Side note: the museum is fabulous! Free admission and four huge hangars full of flight history. Worth the four-hour drive.

I picked up Sled Driver today to flip through it before returning it to the library. I ended up reading the whole thing and found it to be surprisingly enjoyable. It is written by one of the few men who piloted the aircraft. I liked his unique perspective and loved learning some of the inside scoop on this amazing jet.

[Branimir · Rating 4 out of 5]

"On March 6, 1990, the SR-71 officially left the Air Force inventory with a final flight that would take the airplane to the National Air and Space Museum. Flying from Palmdale, California, to Washington D.C., the SR-71 left active duty with all the pride, performance, and dignity that marked every aspect of its 25 years of service. The SR-71 was retired with all of its speed and altitude records still unchallenged. En route to the museum, the jet set four new continental speed records. Total flight time from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. was 64 minutes. On its final day the Sled had averaged 2145 miles per hour."

[Gary Dhillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Shul's descriptions of what it was like to fly the world's fastest jet really capture the imagination. His way with words lets one imagine how it must've been to soar high above the clouds. The most vivid scene is when he describes them flying by starlight and witnessing the greatness of the Milky Way. It just appears in your mind.
There is the excerpt that everyone knows, when him and his navigator bond and beat the Navy in the game of speed. If interested in this book, definitely check it out to get a feel for his writing style. That story isn't as fleshed out in this book, but there are many great moments like it.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers insight into what it was like to fly the worlds fastest and most alluring plane (SR-71 “The Blackbird”). There are some great stories and images in here from the Author’s time flying the SR-71. I found a copy of this online. Its a shame you can’t really get your hands on a physical copy of the book with the fantastic pictures as it appears to have been a limited print now going for about £300 secondhand. 😬 They should definitely look at publishing another run of this book at an affordable price!

[Mike Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent if short, the author's love and passion for this magnificent aircraft is on display in every single anecdote and photograph. I was unable to find a copy of this anywhere for less than $300-400 but I was finally able to find a pdf on Reddit. It's sad that this is out of print but perhaps there's not that much demand for this among people under the age of 35 now, they may not even be aware that such a plane as the SR-71 existed.

[Brennan Letkeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and beautiful. I'll admit, I teared up just a bit.

If you've heard of this book it's probably because you've read a few of the stories already the various times they get posted around the internet. It's unfortunate, perhaps, but those are the stories that get reposted because they're the best in the book. Still, the rest is well worth it and a few of the notes and things I had never known before or learned anywhere else.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sled Driver is an amazing read! I was lucky enough to be handed down a copy that belonged to my grandfather as the book was printed in very limited quantities and is extremely difficult to find; although you can find pdf versions online.

The SR-71 is a technical marvel that was well ahead of its time; most of its altitude and speed records remain unbroken in the 20 years since its retirement. This book is a collection of stories, from the funny to the awe inspiring, from the small group of men who were privileged enough to fly her. It is well worth getting your hands on a physical copy of the book, especially the Centennial of Flight Limited Edition, if possible as the photographs in print are stunning. I have always been fond of the Blackbird but came away from this one with a whole new appreciation of what it and the crews who flew her were capable of.

Anyone who is remotely interested in aviation or the pursuit of pushing the limits of what is possible will enjoy this book.

[Shane Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent non-technical presentation of a great piece of Americana. Stunning glossy photos capture the feel of the speed machine. Good detail of the engines, fuels and control thereof that have made this record beating plane. There are interesting revelations upon how the planes - each one individually - invoke feelings within the flyers.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, quick read about one pilot's experience with an amazing airplane. It's an old book and really hard to find, but I got a PDF of it through Scribd and was able to read it that way. The PDF included the color photos from the book, which are excellent. Well worth the time to read!

If you want to read it, let me know and I'll send you the PDF.

[Jak Krumholtz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this behind the scenes look of flying the SR-71 Blackbird.

Note on biases: I grew up next to an Air Force base, my mom sold Pratt & Whitney engines, as a child I may have met the pilot/author at an air show described in the book, my uncle was a test-pilot for the SR-71 and I have a (tiny) piece of one a foot away from me on my desk.