> On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:59:57 +1000, Snapper
> y7mail.com.invalid> wrote:
>

>>Stephen James wrote...
>>

>>> For sustained flight, the SR-71 Blackbird could cruise at 85,000+
>>> feet.
>>>
>>> That record was set many years ago (1976 AFAIK) and may have been
>>> eclipsed by now.
>>>
>>> Likewise the SR-71 Blackbird also held the absolute speed record of
>>> 1906 knots (2,193 mph, 3,530 km/h) at that time.

>>
>>Perhaps this is a good time to dredge up these gems...
>>
>>In his book,"Sled Driver" SR 71 Blackbird Brian Shul writes I'll always
>>remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (his
>>backseater) and I were screaming across Southern California, 13 miles
>>high.
>>
>>We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft, as
>>we entered Los Angeles airspace."
>>
>>"Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement
>>across their scope. I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its ground
>>speed. "90 knots" Center replied.
>>
>>Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same. "120 knots," Center
>>answered.
>>
>>"We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day.. as almost
>>instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, "Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests
>>groundspeed readout." "There was a slight pause, then the response, "525
>>knots on the ground, Dusty".
>>
>>"Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation
>>this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from
>>my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had
>>become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison.
>>
>>"Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?" There was a
>>longer than normal pause...."Aspen, I show 1,742 knots."
>>
>>"No further inquiries were heard on that frequency"
>>
>>And...
>>
>>In another famous SR-71 story, Los Angeles Center reported receiving a
>>request for clearance to FL 60 (60,000ft).
>>
>>The incredulous controller, with some disdain in his voice, asked, "How
>>do you plan to get up to 60,000 feet?
>>
>>The pilot (obviously a sled driver), responded, "We don't plan to go up
>>to it, we plan to go down to it."
>>
>>He was cleared...
>>
>>Oh, to save those wanting to search for the origins of this, below is the
>>header
>>from the original message that I saved these stories from.
>>
>>========================================================================
>> Newsgr: aus.aviation
>> Date: Sun, 09 Feb 2003 12:38:39 +1100
>> From: Aztec
>> Addr: richard@tequila-frenzy.com
>> Subj: Humourous Stories/Jokes...
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>
> The book is a great read, if you can get hold of a copy.
>
> Coop