<miso@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:5c35ec12-0fc4-46fb-9e7b-f85a03a55b72@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Feb 25, 5:39 pm, "John A. Weeks III" <j...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> In article <NLJwj.12566$J41.11...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>>
>> "M.Butzin" <mfbutzin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> > NASA still does supposedly but ya can't tell when or why or for who.
>>
>> The only SR-71 that NASA flies is the one that is mounted on a pylon
>> outside of the offices at NASA Dryden. The last SR-71 flew in
>> October 1999.
>>
>> -john-
>>
>> --
>> ======================================================================
>> John A. Weeks III 612-720-2854 j...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
>> ======================================================================
>
> Yes, at the Edwards Air show. Unfortunately, it only flew on Saturday
> and I was there on Sunday. :-( As you know, the SR-71 was prone to
> leaks. A fuel leak canceled the Sunday flight.
>
> MB was probably thinking of the ER-2, a white U2 used by NASA for
> atmospheric research.
SR-71's were built that way from the get go, the titanium heats up during
flight and seals the fuel tanks, they take off with just enough fuel to
get
them airborne and a KC 135 is near by to fill the tanks. The skin also has
a
series bumps built into to it for expansion and contraction. SR-71's still
fly under NASA's operation just as the U-2 does under the guise of
"weather
related exercises". The Air Force took them off their list of "active
aircraft", they never said they were chopping them up, but they "rent"
them
from NASA which "officially" takes pictures of Earth and Sky. So
officially
the Air Force relies on space based photos, but when "quick" shots are
needed NASA will plan a "mission".
MB
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