Why does U-2 chase the landing car?
The U-2 lands on its tail wheels first because the rudder, which steers the plane while it’s in the air, stops working at low air speeds and on the ground. On top of that, the pilot has to balance the plane on its two sets of wheels.
Why is U-2 so hard to land?
The U-2 Dragon Lady may soar at altitudes above 70,000 feet, but when it’s near the ground it can be very difficult to manage. Because of the space suit, the U-2’s hull shape, and a dual-wheeled landing gear along the center of the aircraft, the pilot has great difficulty seeing the ground.
Why do U-2 pilots have to be married?
The pilots that flew the SR-71 had to be married because they were less likely to defect to the USSR. Single males are more likely to defect since there is nothing holding him back, especially if the co-pilot is also single male.
Did U-2 pilots get brain damage?
More important, before 2002, no cases severe enough to hinder U-2 operations were reported, but between 2002 and 2009, there were 16 confirmed severe cases, five of which were deemed life-threatening. Nine of the pilots who experienced serious DCS symptoms reported long-lasting or permanent brain damage.
Why do U-2’s have chase cars at takeoff?
It is to help the pilot land the aircraft (the chase cars are also used during takeoff). Because the U-2 was so specialized, it was amazingly difficult to fly. the lower the U-2 flew, the heavier its unassisted controls got, to the point where pilots literally had to brute-force…
Did you know that the Air Force uses Chase cars?
That I did. The Air Force began using chase cars early on in the U-2 program, all the way back to the days of the project’s 1950s Groom Lake (a.k.a. Area 51) testing. The first examples were reportedly Ford station wagons, typically showroom models with the biggest V-8 available.
What kind of car does the U-2 chase plane use?
The Mobil is another qualified U-2 pilot who is driving the chase car (we’ve used: Camaros, Pontiacs, Subarus, Mercedes, Audis… etc.). That car has to be able to accelerate from zero to close to 100 mph in a turn to come into position behind the airplane on the runway.
Do fast cars help U-2 spy planes take off?
Fast cars accompany the U-2 on the ground to ensure it gets off the ground safely. A Tesla Model S sedan has been spotted at RAF Fairford, a sprawling U.S. Air Force base in the United Kingdom, accompanying U-2 spy planes during takeoffs. The so-called “chase cars” monitor the airplane on the ground and assist the pilot during takeoff.