Home blackbird archive sr71 flight manual section i. The official us air force sr71a flight manualdeclassified goodall, james c. This is the reprinted facsimile edition of the manual issued to crew members of the us air forces sleek sr71, now available with photos and annotations by former blackbird pilot richard graham. This is a reproduction of the actual declassified flight manual for the sr 71. When a document becomes declassified, it also becomespublic domain. Here is an abbreviated version geared to what is available and possible in flightgear. Available now is a reprint of the original flight manuals for both the sr71 and the yf12a. Home blackbird archive sr71 flight manual section vi. Dave that sr 71 manual has actually been available for quite a while some years ago, i filed a few pages of it as prior art in an information disclosure statement with the uspto on some patent applications directed to supersonic compressors used for compressing various gases in industrial use. Sr71a system schematics and wiring diagrams from the newly released declassified flight manual. The official pilot s handbook declassified and expanded with commentary.
This is the reprinted facsimile edition of the manual issued to crew members of the us ai. For the first time, its many secrets are revealed and it includes everything else pilots and ground crew need to know to fire up the sr71 and fly a mission at the speed of heat. I am in the process of building a fullsized replica of an sr71 blackbird and i need all of the information i can get. Still the holder of numerous speed records, flying the sr71a required far more concentration on aircraft systems and performance than for most operational aircraft. Nasa dryden flight research center sr71 aircraft fig. Sr71 flight manual, the official pilots handbook, declassified and expanded with commentary. The air force had retired the blackbirds in 1990, but. That sr 71 manual has actually been available for quite a while some years ago, i filed a few pages of it as prior art in an information disclosure statement with the uspto on some patent applications directed to supersonic compressors used for compressing various gases in industrial use. This operating handbook is 1,052 pages and includes all systems except for the advanced synthetic aperture radar system. It was an afterburning turbojet with a unique compressor bleed to the afterburner which gave increased thrust at high speeds. Reddit has thousands of vibrant communities with people that share your interests. Still the holder of numerous speed records, flying the sr71a required far more concentration on aircraft systems and performance than for.
In 1997 and 1998 the sr71 carried the linear aerospike sr71 or lasre experiment. The sr71 flight manual is available on line and the online copy has the same content as the book but there the comparison ends. An online aircraft museum page rendered on 16 march 2021 at 16. An online aircraft museum page rendered on 16 march. Get a constantly updating feed of breaking news, fun stories, pics, memes, and videos just for you. The were downgraded from secret and declassified in 1990 under the senior crown program. Some pages on the sensor equipment were not declassified and have been removed. The lockheed sr71 blackbird was a longrange, mach 3 reconnaissance aircraft developed by lockheeds topsecret skunk works. No is asserted for the content that is presented on this web site from the sr71 flight manual. The sr71 manual is over two inches thick and contains a wealth of information about the characteristics and limitations of the aircraft. These manuals are also called the pilots flight manual or the 1.
For the first time ever, the sr71 flight manual has been made available online. When a document becomes declassified, it also becomes public domain. The usaf sr71 flight manual was of course once classified as secret, but with the aircraft now retired for 17 years the book has been largely declassified and has now been published for public consumption by voyageur press, part of the quarto publishing group. However, i do ask that you cite sr71 online as your source if you plan to u. After going down a bit of the rabbit hole, i see that the sr71s first flight was in 1964.
The lasre test apparatus was a halfspan scale model of a lifting body with eight thrust cells of a linear aerospike engine, mounted on the back of an sr71 aircraft during flight at high speeds and altitudes. Aug 03, 2007 my dads friend was a pilot in the air force and he flew the sr71 and he still has the manual of how to fly it and suprisingly it is only about 15 pages then when my friend took me up in his bosses little cessna he showed me the manual and it is over 1,000 pages. The official pilots handbook declassified and expanded with commentary by richard h. This flight manual was originally classified secret, but has been declassified. Air force reactivation of the sr71 for reconnaissance missions. Sr71a flight manual please register or sign in if you want to access the full document. About us we believe everything in the internet must be free. There are 1,052 pages less those sensor pages that is still considered classified information. This is a reproduction of the actual declassified flight manual for the sr71. I usually need such info adjacent to, or inside the. The manual was declassified several years ago and has now been made free to the. Volume 1 of the nasa sr71 researchers handbook executive summary. Sr71 in flight showing the shockwave diamonds produced by the exhaust lockheed martin stealth was also the reason for the planes distinct chines that sit like knife edges on either side of the. Posting this here hoping that someone with more knowledge can enlighten me about this.
There were a lot of things we couldnt do in an sr71, but the things we could do are documented above. The usaf flight manual for the sr71a and sr71b, publication sr71a1 dated 31789, approx 910 pages. Lockheed sr71 an sr71 in flight the lockheed sr71 type a, unofficially known as the blackbird, is a longrange, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the lockheed yf12a and a12 aircraft by lockheeds skunk works also responsible for the u2 and many other advanced aircraft. This massive volume, the sr71 flight manual, is a facsimile reprint of the official flight manual issued to sr71 crew members augmented with anecdotes and and descriptions of flight procedures from former sr71 pilot col. It has held the record for fastest airbreathing manned aircraft0 since 1976.
For the first time, the sr71 flight manual is available online. This immense manual pulls back the curtain on the worlds fastest jetpowered aircraft. Divided into seven sections, the book covers in minute detail everything from the sr71 trainer to. The official us air force sr71a flight manualdeclassified paperback march 1, 1992 by james c. This is the reprinted facsimile edition of the manual issued to crew members of the us air forces sleek sr71, now available with photos and. Flight manual there is an actual sr71 flight manual available online if you want to know the full operating procedures of the aircraft not all operations are supported by the model though. Sr71 flight manual, the official pilots handbook, declassified and. Reader can get many real examples that can be great knowledge. Lockheed sr71b 617956 nasa 831 flight log compiled by peter w. The sr 71 manual is over two inches thick and contains a wealth of information about the characteristics and limitations of the aircraft. Only the first ten pages on 742 are available for nonregistered users. This title contains flight manuals for the fabulous mach 3 lockheed sr71 blackbird.
The sole section that remains classified is the section on the asars1 synthetic apeture radar, which i believe is still being used by the u2 aircraft. There is an actual sr71 flight manual available online if you want to know the full operating procedures of the aircraft not all operations are supported by the model though. Sr71 flight manual by richard graham 9780760351741. Download aircraft manual lockheed sr71a1 flight manual. More than a thousand pages of detailed material is featured, giving aviation enthusiasts an exhaustive look at the famous aircrafts. A short introduction by a former sr 71 pilot recounting his and other pilots experiences with the aircraft begins the book.
This is the reprinted facsimile edition of the manual issued to crew members of the us air forces. So this tool was designed for free download documents from the internet. Blackbird sr71 flight manual 2010 385 points by hazzamanic 8 months ago hide. The manual was declassified severalyears ago and has now been made free to the public. Read download lockheed sr 71 blackbird manual pdf pdf download.
Because of the wide speed range of the aircraft the engine needed two modes of operation to take it from. The flight manual has been scanned from a good quality. Graham is very smart in delivering message through the book. This edition of the sr71a1 was last revised in july of 1989 and is thus the most current available copy of the flight manual.
Included in s excellent blackbird archive is a scanned copy of the actual dash1 flight manual for the famous sr71a reconnaissance plane. The manual was declassified several years ago and has now been made free to the public. I see that the sr71 flight manual was made public as a pdf, but it has proven impossible to find. A short introduction by a former sr71 pilot recounting his and other pilots experiences with the aircraft begins the book. Reddit gives you the best of the internet in one place.
Jul 12, 2017 a copy of the sr71a1 declassified flight manual for the lockheed sr71a blackbird aircraft, dated 31 july 1989. Its printed nicely on glossy paper with some clear photos. Possible, we recommend purchasing an actual sr71 flight manual and. Alternatively, find out whats trending across all of reddit on rpopular. One of the first aircraft designed to have a low radar this is the reprinted facsimile edition of the manual issued to crew members of the us air forces sleek sr71, now available with photos and annotations by former. Jan 12, 2021 flight manual declassified and expanded for the lockheed sr71a blackbird aircraft, dated 31 july 1989. Merlin september 2002 nasa crews flew four lockheed sr71 airplanes between july 1991 and october1999. Website is currently getting the internet hug of death, but someone managed to scan the almost entirety of the sr71 flight manual. Divided into seven sections, the book covers in minute detail everything from the sr71 trainer to normal and emergency operation procedures, navigation and sensor equipment, operating limitations, flight characteristics of the blackbird, and all. The official pilots handbook, declassified and annotated by richard h. The official pilots handbook declassified and expanded with commentary. Includes explanations and anecdotes that help demystify the jargon in each of the manual s seven fascinating sections.
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