Page 4 - Aerotech News and Review 11-6-15

(DJOHVJDWKHULQ/DQFDVWHUIRUDQQXDOJDWKHULQJ
CZ-JOEB,$3FZOPMET
staff writer
Commemorating the 60th Anniver-
VDU\RIWKH¿UVWÀLJKWRIWKH8DQGWKH 71 Blackbird, March 6, 1990, to the
25th anniversary of the SR-71 Smithso-
nian Speed Run, legendary SR-71 and
U-2 pilots shared a few of their experi-
ences during the 27th Annual Gather-
ing of Eagles at the Hunter Pavilion,
Lancaster, Calif.
Hosted by the Flight Test Histori-
cal Foundation and Chairwoman Lisa
Gray, the annual gala raises funds to
support moving the museum to a new
location outside of the restricted area
of Edwards AFB.
“You certainly won’t read about
some of these experiences in the his-
tory books,” said Joe Sobczak, former
F-16 test pilot.
Eagle Honorees for 2015 include:
U-2 and SR-71 pilot, Lt. Col. Tony
Bevacqua
Lockheed U-2 Chief Test Pilot Lt.
Col. David Kerzie
Current Lockheed U-2 Chief Test
Pilot Col. Robert Rowe
U-2 pilot Col. Louis Setter
SR-71 test pilot Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding.
Members of the panel represented
the complete life span of the U-2 pro-
gram — one of the most unique and
longest lasting Intelligence, Surveil-
lance and Reconnaissance platforms
in the history of U.S. aviation.
).),3&5#(.-55R5&#*5(5&&5#(.-5
4 Aerotech News and Review
Ed Yeilding said he will never for-
get the beauty of his last flight with
Reconnaissance Systems Operator,
J.T. Vida, when they delivered a SR-
<HLOGLQJVKDUHGVWRULHVRIWKHEHDXW\RIÀ\LQJDERYHWKRXVDQGIHHWZRUNLQJZLWKWKHEULOOLDQW.HOO\-RKQVRQÀDPHRXWV
Smithsonian and broke four speed re-
cords.
After refueling over the Pacific
Ocean and hitting the after burners 200
miles out, the historic mission was on
course. “In the twilight, the sun was
just coming up across the west coast, it
was just bright enough to see the white
foam ocean breakers all along the Cali-
fornia coastline- it was beautiful, and
yet, it was still dark enough to see the
millions of lights of Los Angeles be-
low us,” shared Yeilding. To his left he
could see the lights of San Francisco,
to his right, the lights of San Diego and in 1989 to retire the SR-71 Blackbird
the darkness over Mexico and beyond.
Moments later, Palmdale heard their
sonic boom.
Traveling one mile per 1.7 seconds,
Yeilding said it didn’t take long to see
the Grand Canyon and the majestic
Colorado mountains. Passing 60 miles
south of Pike’s Peak, he saw the same
fruited planes that inspired Katha-
rine Bates to write one of his favorite
hymns, “America the Beautiful.”
“I thought of the thousands of farm-
ers that worked hard to feed our coun-
try and the brave pioneers that just
150 years earlier, would have taken
months to cross.” He wondered what
transportation would be like in another
www.aerotechnews.com ........ facebook.com/aerotechnewsandreview
Photograph by Harlis Brend
(DJOH+RQRUHHVIRU65DQG8SLORW/W&RO7RQ\%HYDFTXD/RFNKHHG8&KLHI7HVW3LORW/W&RO'DYLG
.HU]LHFXUUHQW/RFNKHHG8&KLHI7HVW3LORW&RO5REHUW5RZH&RO/RXLV6HWWHUDQG65WHVWSLORW/W&RO(G
XQVWDUWVDQGEHLQJDVHFUHW&,$SLORWGXULQJWKHWK$QQXDO*DWKHULQJRI(DJOHV
150 years. Enjoying the darkness above cord setting gentlemen enjoyed their every ounce of energy had to be saved.
them and the curvature of the earth sur- moment of fame. They were upgraded Pilots would often loose six to eight
rounded by a layer of blue, Yeilding to first class on a commercial flight pounds per mission due to dehydration.
and Vida took it all in. “JT and I made EDFNWR&DOLIRUQLD³EXWLWWRRN¿YHDQG 6HWWHUVDLGWKHUHZHUHQRÀ\LQJUXOHV
sure we enjoyed one last view of God’s a half hours!” laughed Yeilding. back in the early days.
creation.”
Sharing the early days of the secret “The FAA didn’t give a damn what
Feeling fortunate to serve with hun- CIA U-2 program, Louis Setter par- we did as long as it was above 60 thou-
dreds of other people who were dedi- WLFLSDWHGLQHDUO\ÀLJKWWHVWXQGHUWKH sand feet and we were always above 60
FDWHGWREXLOGLQJPDLQWDLQLQJDQGÀ\- legendary C. Kelly Johnson, who in- thousand feet.”
ing the SR-71, Yeilding was sad that vented over 40 aircraft. “Kelly was
despite spending millions of dollars an absolute dictator and that is exactly Flying over the Soviet Union and
upgrading the aircraft, Congress voted the way it should have been. He made FODVVL¿HGORFDWLRQVKHVDLG&,$SLORWV
every decision.” If Kelly wanted some- were the bravest he has ever known,
fleet. “From sea to shining sea, the thing done, it happened, nobody ques- collecting the best data SAC had ever
ÀLJKWWRRNPLQXWHVDQGVHFRQGV´ tioned him, explained Setter. VHHQ$PHULFDGHQLHGÀ\LQJRYHUWKH
Soviet Union, but when Francis Gary
After seeing the Blackbird with af- U-2 pilots weren’t allowed to walk Powers was shot down, a pilot that Sut-
terburners lit on the front page of the around the aircraft for a pre-check be- ter trained, America had to fess up.
Washington Post the next day, the re- FDXVHWKHÀLJKWVZHUHVRH[KDXVWLQJ
See EAGLES, Page 5
Accident Attorney
With over 20 years experience, Kistler Law Firm
specializes in personal injury cases. Our office
is based in Palmdale and serves the Antelope Valley.
/.)')#&5;5
,'#--5;5,)/.-5##&#.355R55)!5#.-
38780 Trade Center Drive « Palmdale, California 93551
661.206.6990 « www.kistlerlawfirm.com
November 6, 2015