Up close and personal with a U-2

The opening sequence of this is so very cool. Mr. Maven spent a couple weeks flight instructing several years ago over at Beale AFB in northern California, and watched the U-2 do this crazy landing manuever with the very, very fast cars. They need the cars - with their drivers - to give them additional information as they come in to land, since visibility from a U-2 stinks.

Having known a few U-2 pilots over the years, they’re a bit of a crazy lot. Fun, but a little different. They’re usually quite small, since the cockpit of a U-2 is extremely small and cramped - especially for hours on end during missions. One guy I knew was a bit tall for the mission, and told me how he’d have to push his back up into the plexiglas canopy really hard to relieve the cramps in his back muscles.

It’s simply amazing that there is still a mission for these very old aircraft, which are essentially a relic from the early Cold War.

Get ready for a ride: