rockinthesuburbs
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There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that many people aren't aware of to keep one of the world's most incredible flying machines safe when landing. A chase car, usually a Camaro or Pontiac G8, is used during the landing sequence to help guide the pilot in.
The U-2 was designed with a bicycle style landing gear in an effort to save weight and allow the aircraft to reach high altitudes. A pilot or two will drive behind the aircraft as it's landing and help guide the pilot flying the aircraft in safely to prevent damage.
Dash-cam view of the plane coming in for landing.
"I get knocked down!"
As the aircraft slows down, it falls to one side where skid plates are mounted on the wing and it finally comes to a complete stop.
Once the aircraft has stopped, a small ground-crew will install removable wheels on the wingtips called "pogos." The pogos allow the aircraft to taxi into their final destination before powering down after recovery.
Pogos
The crew pulls one side of the wing down in order to install the pogos and balance the aircraft.
The pogos fall off during take-off
Similar to a space-suit, the pilot wears a pressurized flight suit designed for operation in a near-space environment. The pilot gets fully geared-up before leaving the building to go out to the jet.
A view of the Earth at 70,000 feet- take that Flat-Earther's!
behrditz
I remember when mythbusters went up in one. They showed everything but the "how it stops when landing" and it bothered me. Now I know!
manonthecorner
I've been in a chase car for the U-2 at Beal AF base! It's amazing to watch them land and balance until almost a dead stop.
NachoManRandySalsa
Might be a stupid question but do you still experience turbulence that high up?
OmenRider
Not sure if it's possible at that height, but I have seen forecasted light turbs up at around 55K
babayagaboogyman
Looks like Farva in car Ramrod.
TheWhiteBarry
Haha yes. I'm seeing the sequel in a few hours. Can't wait!
joebuck123
That's a TR-1. I lived with them at Beale AFB long ago. Nice post, well done.
smittywjmj
TR-1 was renamed U-2S a while ago.
joebuck123
Or vice versa.
SpaceTurd69
wait. are these still operational?
StarscreamsNullRay
Thank you for making this.
MillenniumFalcon
Yes, thank you, and please make another.
ComradeZoidberg
The aerodynamics of these are such that they are difficult to land. They just don’t want to come down.
CKOD
Ground effect, when youre within ~1 wingspan or so of the ground, the amount of lift increases. U2 has a 100+ foot wingspan.
StormWingDelta
lol it just wants to fly forever. :)
PacificKnight
I just finished Tom Wolfe's "the Right Stuff" this morning!
BitchButcher
#6 I hope they call him to get away from the end of the wing due to technical safety concerns ... because that's not how leverage works.
AgonistAnt
mythbusters had an entire episode about this.
Schnickschnak
I like planes
CrystalToucher
SukhoiSuperjet
I thought the best way to catch the U-2 was by using a SA-2.
AcroCat32
James May did a documentary on this.
somethingsomethingwittyhere
At cruising altitude, the U2's mach tuck velocity is within 5kt of the stall speed. That area of the flight envelope is called coffin corner
Noevilgifs
Still think the blackbird is better
NateDogg119
*was... sadly.
GalaxyExpress999
It could outrun a missile, no joke. So cool. But it was also obscenely expensive to run and maintain. So off it went.
PancakeFaker
Kinda true. In theory, missiles could catch it, however by the time one was fired the SR-71 was out of range.
ElSascuatch
Neat
twfeline
Hard to land, because of ground effect.
sketchymeats
Now thats how to get high on 4/20
datma
There are a lot of ways that are good
ihavethelowground
70,000 high
sketchymeats
That's a lot of highs
ShamanShacker
Too many highs
BARRIIICADEtv
Not if you are that pilot!. he can handle that many high. OG.
tacticalewok
That and I'm smoking while reading this!
scoobasteveo
Great post!!! Riding in the chase car was an incredible experience for me back in 2005.
RingSting
James May went up in one, the video is worth a watch... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-COlil4tos
Nullspeak
flat earthers would whine about it being a hologram and that they're still on the ground
heebiejeepie
Good stuff. SR 71 gets all the glory.
toofrunktoduck
Huh. I had it in my mind that it had a car appear other side to "land" the wings on. No idea where I got that idea from.
slinkiisu
Thunderbirds episode 1?
ChloeRed
That's a very thunderbirds idea.. ;) https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/81c5779452443.560cea443ef7a.jpg
jetah
Hollywood!
Sugarblade
I had the same thought.
NirvanaNik
Why do they only use fish eye lenses while in space? ;)
btraqnasty
I know you are being sarcastic but it is annoying when people show photos with fisheye lenses to disprove flat earthers.
StormWingDelta
Those windows and lenses aren't fisheye, also there's several thousand years of science and research to show the Earth is round.
btraqnasty
They might not qualify as "fisheye" but its a wide angle and is distorting the the view. Using bad data is dumb when there is good data.
btraqnasty
We have thousand of years of science that proves that the earth is round we dont need shitty photos
pieter42
Why did I not know about this thing's existence before today? Thanks OP
lcusn013
It’s a Spy plane.
GalaxyExpress999
It being a spy plane, I think if you weren't aware of its existence it did a great job.
WhiskeyBounty
It's been around since the 50s
mwoodman
So all this time you thought that an Irish band was spying on people.
RingSting
James May went up in one of these, he was blown away by the experience.
HotBananaBread
Who?
lifeisbetterthanideserve
James May
MrDirtyEars
I'm still not clear on what the function on the chase car is.
billybobthorton1
Those cops want to get to the donuts the pilots brought from over seas before any other cops.
Loquatsandwildhoney
Omg yes. We have a single freighter that flys in weekdays, sometimes it's donuts, sometimes MvDonalds etc. 1 1/2 HR flight. Rare but happens
HsuDoNihm
"I see you comin' in... yer wobbly a shit mate, lean to the right a bit... there ya go."
MuddyScroll360
As humorous as this response is, as far as I know this is completely accurate.
ArchCypher
And what's more, it can be genuinely critical to a safe landing.
jacobh1995
Coolest job in the world, duh.
friggenjeebus
It chases the plane
ApplesdaKitty
V8, runway. sticky tires.
RingSting
6ft ... 5ft ... 4ft ... 3ft ... 2ft ... ... touch down.
TheSubWoofer
Thanks. I thought I was the only one.
imjustalurkerdontmindme
Maybe if you had cleaned your ears...
lcusn013
Back in the 70’s they had two El Camino’s that chased and removed and mounted wheels under the wingtips during takeoffs and landings.
behrditz
The pilot cant actually see the ground during landing so the chase car helps them the last few yards so they dont hit hard.
usernamesarereallystupid
‘Pilot can’t actually see the ground...’. Isn’t that something that should have been discussed during the planning stage of the aircraft?
CaptainMiffles
yeah you would've thought they'd at least put a mirror in there or something
iburnstuff
1950's cutting edge engineering. The goal was to go high and far. Any solution that adds weight would cut into those two goals.
Warmblood
It's surprisingly common. Don't forget, the Spirit of Saint Louis doesn't even have a forward windshield.
usernamesarereallystupid
Per Wikipedia: to see forward, he’d yaw the plane so he could see through the side windows. Simple, yet effective.
RomeoEightJuliet
Huh. I never would have guessed. TIL.
fistermatic5000
During the planning stage they decided to have a chase car guide them in.
rockinthesuburbs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJwSHU7qtSY&t=25s This explains it pretty good- pilot in chase car talks with pilot in jet to land safely
flyelectro8888
Video at 70 000 foot is fake, because the plane would hit the sun.
StormWingDelta
Don't know if a joke or just delusional but I'd love to banish people like yourself to another planet. >.>
HsuDoNihm
A flat one!
flyelectro8888
:^) At least there i won't risk falling of the edge. (i am joking)
SchrodingerMil
Plane not stable, no want wing to hit ground at fast
EXNihiloNihilFit
"When me president, they see" - MALONE, Kevin.
Katateochi
concise +1
Blze001
Poetry
TheWhiteBarry
Found the engineer
SchrodingerMil
To go with anyone who understands my plight. “#8 Suuuuupppeeer Ops. Crew steps lines 1 and 2”
SchrodingerMil
Nope, Crew Cheif. We’re the ones who put the pogos on
TheWhiteBarry
Respect. +1
rockinthesuburbs
Yeah- hello from a former F-16 Screw Chief!
SchrodingerMil
I’m 15s... Fucking lawn darts. Haha, hello fellow flight line fuck
hmmmmmeh
They just recently did this on Top Gear
bigblindguy
No. They filmed this plane landing but Mac Leblanc was not involved in landing it any fucking way.
figmentalmonkey
"The million dollar plane will today be aided in its landing by Joey from Friends." "They couldn't have got Ross?"
Radix865
Adam also got to ride in one in the Mythbusters season 15.
Courier87
They did, with the Dodge Demon
hmmmmmeh
My favorite part about it was how he just couldn’t get it around the corner - because it’s a shitty American car.
NotAHugeSpider
That wouldn't have been the first time a Top Gear presenter had trouble getting a car around a corner. Or going in a straight line.
NotAHugeSpider
Rox2
It's not fucking meant to go around a corner you dunce, it was built as a drag car from the start.
hmmmmmeh
Lol I know, any idiot can go straight though. But I don’t want to get into this she old discussion
hmmmmmeh
Age old*