[Boatanchors] KWM 1 History Question

[mikea]

On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 06:19:48PM -0400, rbethman wrote:
> Okay,  I'll "bite".  The helmet isn't all transparent.  Where were the 
> mirror(s)?
> 
> What was the pilot supposed to control?
> 
> This isn't a C-172.  It flies on the edge of stalling or coming apart at 
> operational altitudes.
> 
> One used his VHF system to declare an emergency into the Azores.  He 
> landed some l-o-n-g period after the engine failed.
> 
> The gloves of the suit aren't real flexible, but flipping switches to 
> turn on and off the intel gathering equip at the appropriate times in a 
> flight profile keeps them pretty darn busy.
> 
> Answers any one?

No, but I'm glad you posted that story. My uncle Fred told me about
being in the tower at Tyndall AFB some time after Castro took over Cuba,
and hearing a U-2 declare an emergency due to flameout. The controller
working that sector asked if he should have the crash boats go out, and
if so, to what location.

No, the U-2 driver said, he'd be able to land just fine; he was
declaring an emergency only because procedure required him to do so on a
flameout.

I hadn't thought about that for at least 20 years; I'm glad to have it
back on the surface.

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin