James May (Top Gear UK) rides in a spy plane to the edge of space.

[Cry Havoc]

x6cZLfK4Zjk

He talks too much, but it's absolutely understandable.

Incredible.

How much would you pay to take a ride like this?

[BacktoBasics]

BadFuckingAss

[DarkReign]

God I wish it wasnt 10mins, but I am watching it as we speak.

[DarkReign]

A former employee of mine has a nephew who flies the U2 plane. I wouldnt have known that if she hadnt shown me his video he made as a submission to the Air Force's Marketing Contest.

The AF was looking for cool shit to show on their commercials, so this cat takes a camera into the follow car you see when the plane is landing. The sponsorship for that car changes hands quite a bit, but during the video he took, it was a very-suped-up Mustang.

Its pretty badass. She showed me a picture of a map that his parents (her sister) keep on their wall of all the missions he's flown in. Over 26 in 3 years at those altitudes.

He is only one of 26 certified U2 pilots in the world. Thats pretty amazing.

[DarkReign]

He talks too much, but it's absolutely understandable.

Couldnt have said it better. I'd probably be in tears when I landed.

[DarkReign]

Found the video. Guy driving the car is her nephew. I am uploading the video to Photobucket right now.

[DarkReign]

Fuck....rewatching the video, its a Camaro, not a 'Stang.

The U2 pilots cant see the ground from the cockpit so they need a follow car behind them to call out their distance between them and the ground. Also, the U2 plane is a very unbalanced aircraft from wing to wing. It easily tips if left unattended. So they have to put on training wheels under the wings when taxiing from hangar to airstrip.

Another thing is its cruise speed. I dont remember the terminology, so forgive me, but most conventional planes have a very wide "non-stall" velocity range. That is, go too slow, you stall. Go too fast, rip wings off or something similar.

The U2 has no such luxury. IIRC, its optimal operating velocity range is something like 20 knots. That is, slower than the low end, its wide wing span and weight-to-lift ratio has that fucker fall like a stone. Go faster than that at or low altitudes (iirc) and you'll tear the wings off. Its designed to fly as high as the previous video...specially designed for that purpose alone. Not cruising at 35k. Wind resistance with the thicker atmosphere is a real problem, but just as soon as you break atmosphere, it flies like a bird.

That plane is truly one of the modern marvels of aeronautic design.

[DarkReign]

http://s84.photobucket.com/albums/k19/darkreign24/?action=view&current=U2_Chase_Car_commercial_MOV_1Mbps_S.flv

The video.

[koriwhat]

freakin' amazing! i have always wished to go to space. thanks for sharing CH.

[Cry Havoc]

Fuck....rewatching the video, its a Camaro, not a 'Stang.

The U2 pilots cant see the ground from the cockpit so they need a follow car behind them to call out their distance between them and the ground. Also, the U2 plane is a very unbalanced aircraft from wing to wing. It easily tips if left unattended. So they have to put on training wheels under the wings when taxiing from hangar to airstrip.

Another thing is its cruise speed. I dont remember the terminology, so forgive me, but most conventional planes have a very wide "non-stall" velocity range. That is, go too slow, you stall. Go too fast, rip wings off or something similar.

The U2 has no such luxury. IIRC, its optimal operating velocity range is something like 20 knots. That is, slower than the low end, its wide wing span and weight-to-lift ratio has that fucker fall like a stone. Go faster than that at or low altitudes (iirc) and you'll tear the wings off. Its designed to fly as high as the previous video...specially designed for that purpose alone. Not cruising at 35k. Wind resistance with the thicker atmosphere is a real problem, but just as soon as you break atmosphere, it flies like a bird.

That plane is truly one of the modern marvels of aeronautic design.

Fantastic info. Thanks, DR.

[Slomo]

Top Gear rocks!

One of my favourite youtubes from their show:

WpcOQ7HaB98

[Cry Havoc]

Top Gear rocks!

One of my favourite youtubes from their show:

WpcOQ7HaB98

At first I was like, "why is everyone laughing?"

And then I read the tagline. :lmao

[DarkReign]

O.

M.

G.

I dont know whether thats funny or insensitive.

Fuck it, Im not Polish. I vote funny.

[Twisted_Dawg]

When was the U2 modified for an additional passenger???

http://www.dailyaviator.com/images/2007-09/u2.jpg

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/837/30038301.JPG

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/air-force-15.jpg

[dave]

When was the U2 modified for an additional passenger???



i think there were a couple that were made for 2 people

[Slomo]

i think there were a couple that were made for 2 people

IIRC those were for training.