what is the sr-71 capable of?

Answer 1

The SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft throughout its career. From an altitude of 80,000 ft (24 km) it could survey 100,000 square miles per hour (72 square kilometers per second) of the Earth's surface. On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 broke the world record for its class: an absolute speed record of 2,193.1669 mph (3,529.56 km/h), and a US "absolute altitude record" of 85,068.997 feet (25,929 m). Several planes exceeded this altitude in zoom climbs but not in sustained flight. When the SR-71 was retired in 1990, one was flown from its birthplace at United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California to go on exhibit at what is now the Smithsonian Institution's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (an annex of the National Air & Space Museum) in Chantilly, Virginia. The Blackbird, piloted by Colonel Ed Yielding and Lt. Col. J.T. Vida, set a coast-to-coast speed record at an average 2,124 mph (3,418 km/h). The entire trip was reported as 68 minutes and 17 seconds. Three additional records were set within segments of the flight, including a new absolute top speed of 2,242 mph measured between the radar gates set up in St. Louis and Cincinnati. These were accepted by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the recognized body for aviation records in the United States. [4],[5] An enthusiast site devoted to the Blackbird lists a record time of 64 minutes. [6] The SR-71 also holds the record for flying from New York to London: 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds, set on September 1, 1974. This is only Mach 2.68, well below the declassified figure of 3.0+.[7] (For comparison, commercial Concorde flights took around 3 hours 20 minutes, and the Boeing 747 averages 6 hours.)

Any discussion of the SR-71's records and performance is limited to declassified information. Actual performance figures will remain the subject of speculation until additional information is released.

Answer 2

A few things about the SR-71 cameras. Remember, this was 60s technology. The SR-71 could see the dimples on a golf ball from 80,000 feet. It could map the ENTIRE United States in two passes. Someone in here said it was designed as an interceptor. Thats not true. It's original concept was to replace the aging U-2. As it turned out the U-2 outlasted the SR-71

Answer 3

Based on the answers here, some illumination into aerobatic maneuvers is in order. Then on to the SR-71. Rolls, can be done safely by almost any aircraft, especially if they are done as a barrel roll. In a roll maneuver, the aircraft is pitched up initially then full lateral control used with no pitch force. This results in a roll during which the nose falls. The amount the nose falls depends on the speed of the aircraft and the roll rate. This is a one g maneuver. In barrel rolls the aircraft is simultaneously rolled while being pitched up, the rolling and pitching result in a corkscrew flight path, as if you were flying around the outside of a barrel lying on its side. No more than 2 g is needed. Loops however, must be commenced with enough energy and pitch g force to ensure going through inverted flight above stall speed. Most loops use a four g pitch up initially to optimum angle of attack through inverted flight and back to eventually four g in the pullout back to level flight. The SR-71 probably did some rolls during flight test and on test flights to determine if its roll authority and rate met engineering specifications. Loops in this aircraft were out of the question. One SR-71 broke in half just doing a shallow turn. The SR-71 blackbird's shape was a result of its high speed mission. That's classified.

Answer 4

The only OFFICIAL answer is Mach 3 plus at over 80,000 feet.

I have reviewd the flight tapes and can assure you that when the aircraft exceeded Mach 3 the printout said Airspeed= Mach 3 plus. When altitude exceeded 80K feet it said Altitude= 80,000 plus. Funny the gages in the cockpit went higher but nothing was recorded.

We in maintenance were not allowed to know the real speed or altitude, even when it might make a difference in diagnosing a critical flight control or environmental sytem problem.

She sure was a beauty to behold and I just hope I live long enough for it all to get declassified.

Retired USAF

Answer 5

Can't prove this but the scuttlebutt at the time re: the NY to London Speed Record was; it took off at Mathis but did not refuel until it passed over New York. It then went sub-sonic, refueled, accelerrated and continued it's flight to clock over Losndon and then landed at Paris for the Airshow.

Most of the stastistics were classified in 1976. I was with MAC at Travis and aviators were a small community. That source doesn't necessarily give it credibility.

Answer 6

The Sr 71, known as the Blackbird is capable of flying 200,000 feet and doing mack 9 pluss. It is powered by pulse ram jet engines.

Answer 7

The SR71 was able to roll on the ground, and then, when the engines were turned up, it could actually FLY...

Not only could it fly but it could go REALLY fast and carried cameras so that it could big it up to all its mates and prove that it flew high and was 'ard.

On a more serious note, I think it was designed as an interceptor but never took that role and became recce instead....

Oh er.... excuse me Mr. Airforce Colonel yeeehawww Jester's dead man.... I don't know whether three-and-a-bit is "many times" the word "three" would have sufficed.

Answer 8

It didn't have to be refueled 3 times before hitting cruising speed. Who makes this crap up?

It refueled sometime after it left the ground because of the fuel expended for takeoff, and several times times during flight, depnding on duration.

Look these numbers up in wikipedia, it's pretty accurate.

Answer 9

ok, WIKIPEDIA SUCKS!!!!
-out of service: YES
-TOP Speed:Many times faster than the speed of sound
-Max Altitude: Sub-Space. the pilots had to wear something similar to space suits
-YES it did have to refuel but not 3 times before cruise altitude. The reason it refueled (note my spelling there, not fule) was because of the gaps that DID get sealed when the aircraft flew due to friction flying through the air. Because of these gaps the aircraft took on a minimum amount of fuel to get up to altitude where it met up with a tanker fueled and went on about its business of flying very high and spying on people. to learn about this airplane I suggest you go to your local library and crack open a book.

Answer 10

Mach 3.2 at 85,000 feet is the published data. The bird is no longer in service