Pilot Shares Amazing Inspirational Story About Flying The SR-71 Blackbird!

I have to say...I started watching this video in hopes of hearing a first hand account about what it was like to fly the worlds fasted jet.


To my surprise, I soon realized that this was a much deeper inspirational story, a man who came back from the dead and made the choice to experience life to the fullest from that day on. A man who talks about doing what you love, how nothing is guaranteed in life, and how to make the most of yours. This will make you question your own choices in life, and make better ones going forward. A blessing and a curse.



This is a highly motivational story, It actually catalyzed me to make a positive change in my life. The gist of it is this: If you do what you love in life, doors will open for you. There is no road-map, there is no set path. "God laughs when we make plans" LIFE IS TOO SHORT!



Here is Brian taking a selfie in the cockpit:


Here is what you see when flying the jet:


Cutaway diagram:


The staggered set up for the second cockpit:




Suited up and ready to go!


Please share your thoughts on this wonderful story.

Cheers!
OG

Brian Shul (born 1948), is a Vietnam-era USAF attack pilot and a retired major in the United States Air Force (USAF). He flew 212 combat missions and was shot down near the end of the war. He was so badly burned that he was given next to no chance to live. Surviving, he returned to full flight status, flying the SR-71 Blackbird. Major Brian Shul completed a 20 year career in the Air Force.

I was lucky enough to catch him at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Wasn't planned at all, got there right before he began speaking. I remember walking past him into the auditorium (without knowing who he was) and being immediately impressed. Also those burn scars... I think it was a quiet confidence that I rarely see.

His story is really quite inspiring, not to mention just plain old badass.

When I attended I was with two people that used to fly, one of which was an engineer that worked on rockets. I wasn't expecting it to hit him so hard, but when Somewhere Over The Rainbow played at the end he had tears streaming down his face. It was moving to see someone so moved. Song took on new meaning for me, it's actually quite beautiful.

I love the part where they ask for a ground speed check (or whatever it was called). Also that they would fly thing thing to mess with other countries leaders.

I remember the first time I saw that plane in real life. I had a little die cast model of one that I would play with, and always thought it was so cool. Seeing it in person is just awesome. Especially when you're a little boy that didn't think it was a real plane!

I really wanted to buy his book, but as I recall it was sort of insanely expensive ($300?). I don't mind splurging but it seemed a bit much.

Great thread OP.

Link

a reply to: Domo1

Thanks=)

OG

a reply to: OrionsGem

That's awesome! I just took my wife and son to the SAC museum today and they have a SR-71 there on giant support poles. It is an amazing machine, so big and domineering. You can't help but be in awe of it. I have about 20 other pictures that I am going to make a thread with hopefully tomorrow. Couldn't help but post this bad boy for you guys, it was seriously the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life.

Got ten more minutes to watch...
But I will quickly jump in and say..
Aviation is just a back drop.

You don't need to just like aviation.
It's about DRIVE.

More to the point. Mr. Shul got off his rear and decided to go for it all..
Don't pity or give up.
You get one shot. Make it count. He did.
Wow 1 of 93 pilots in all of u.s. military aviation at the time the Black Bird flew.
That's one lucky/determined SOB..
He earned it!


For those that can't watch. Brian Shul flew around 212 missions before he met a horrific accident. He suffered severe burns to his body. Was not given a chance to live. Dropped so much weight that if he lost just a wee bit more.. he would surely die. After watching life take place outside his hospital bed...
He made a choice!
The guy flew the baddest fastest bird on the planet after that!

Made me rethink a little

originally posted by: sputniksteve
a reply to: OrionsGem

That's awesome! I just took my wife and son to the SAC museum today and they have a SR-71 there on giant support poles. It is an amazing machine, so big and domineering. You can't help but be in awe of it. I have about 20 other pictures that I am going to make a thread with hopefully tomorrow. Couldn't help but post this bad boy for you guys, it was seriously the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life.

That's a great display..
The one I saw was at the Smithsonian/Dulles... pretty lame pic I got compared to yours

Edit: your versions nose section looks different... is that an A-12?
Still the best display I have seen..




IDWIW: that kid is cute as heck. And playing with a plane.. seems typical of most boys and some girls at that age.. ( myself too ). Put a plane in their hands... and and we all imitated the sounds while making belief of it flying...
To be a child again...

a reply to: Bigburgh

I always liked practicing smooth touch and goes with my toy planes...(for some reason they were all large passenger airliner die casts)

OG

originally posted by: OrionsGem
a reply to: Bigburgh

I always liked practicing smooth touch and goes with my toy planes...(for some reason they were all large passenger airliner die casts)

OG

Lol..landings and take offs for me.. and if I put a little more thought into it...
If the TV was playing a view of clouds taped from an aircraft... I would hold the toy in front of the TV and watch my plan fly from a third person view....lol

Lol.. die cast were heavy.. no wonder your passengers were large in thought..
That's actually smart and creative on your part.

Like the video.. a child's mind is quite innocently inspiring ..

Ohhhh.. large Airliners as in 707..747 DC-10's.....

originally posted by: Bigburgh

originally posted by: OrionsGem
a reply to: Bigburgh

I always liked practicing smooth touch and goes with my toy planes...(for some reason they were all large passenger airliner die casts)

OG

Lol..landings and take offs for me.. and if I put a little more thought into it...
If the TV was playing a view of clouds taped from an aircraft... I would hold the toy in front of the TV and watch my plan fly from a third person view....lol

Lol.. die cast were heavy.. no wonder your passengers were large in thought..
That's actually smart and creative on your part.

Like the video.. a child's mind is quite innocently inspiring ..

Ohhhh.. large Airliners as in 707..747 DC-10's.....

Yes ones that are large in real life. ..lol

Thanks for posting this. My husband will LOVE it.

a reply to: OrionsGem

I had a few toy and model SR-71s, D-21 drones and once an A-12 model, but getting to see and touch it in real life is so much better. There is one in a museum down in Mobile, Al at the USS Alabama Battleship and USS Drum submarine memorial park. As well as several other birds but its been years since Ive been down there.

I`m hoping one day someone restores one to make a few airshow appearances, just for historical purpose there at least ought to be one still flight worthy even if the performance was cut down some. Those massive engines have got to make a unique sound that no other aircraft makes and you don't get the full effect hearing through speakers.

I was actually planning on resizing my favorite SR-71 pic for my new avatar.

Here is a few from my collection, some are artwork. I`ve had some of these for years and cannot remember were I got them from, if any of these belong to some of you guys here let me know and I`ll take them down and make a note in the image properties.
"On the Edge of Night"

a reply to: StratosFear

The first and only time I saw an SR-71 in person was on an aircraft carrier! The intrepid sea air and space museum in NYC!




Awesome!

a reply to: StratosFear

IIRC they all had the wings cut for transport, and all the tooling was destroyed a long time ago. Between what it would cost to restore, and what it would cost to operate, unless a government agency does it, the chances of it happening are beyond remote.

a reply to: OrionsGem

That is not an SR-71 on the USS INTREPID, its an A-12, single seat CIA bird.

originally posted by: ajsr71
a reply to: OrionsGem

That is not an SR-71 on the USS INTREPID, its an A-12, single seat CIA bird.

IS it really? How is it different from the sr71 (apart from seating arrangement)?

a reply to: OrionsGem

The A-12 was a single seat. It was lighter and had a slightly different flight envelope.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: OrionsGem

The A-12 was a single seat. It was lighter and had a slightly different flight envelope.

Do you do that in real life as well, or just on ATS?

OG

That plane is still THE definition of badassery!

This thread actually made me to do some more research about the SR-71 yesterday, I especially liked how they simple outran missiles. There are some cool pics on the net of it at 77,000ft, looking out the cockpit. This looks more like something from Battlestar Galactica or Star Wars than anything else.

originally posted by: NoRulesAllowed
That plane is still THE definition of badassery!

This thread actually made me to do some more research about the SR-71 yesterday, I especially liked how they simple outran missiles. There are some cool pics on the net of it at 77,000ft, looking out the cockpit. This looks more like something from Battlestar Galactica or Star Wars than anything else.

Totally bad ass I mean the front looks like a flying saucer=)

I wonder, could they have used an ICBM to shoot it down? Or would it outrun those as well? Will have to do some research..


OG

a reply to: OrionsGem

OK so in the future find your own damn answers since I apparently don't post up to your standards.