From the Archives: Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Using Drag Chute During Landing
With a touchdown speed of approximately 155 knots (178 miles per hour) and a design landing weight of 68,000 pounds, the SR-71 had significant energy to dissipate upon landing. To assist with this, a massive drag chute was deployed after touchdown.
Topics Related To: AVIATION HISTORY
Northrop HL-10 Lifting Body Aircraft
To help study the science of spacecraft reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, NASA flew and evaluated various lifting-body aircraft.
Air-to-Air Artistry: The Story Behind an Iconic Aviation Photo
In the 1970s, Paul Bowen broke the air-to-air photography formula to capture the Cessna Citation over the California coast. This is how he did it.
Rent-a-Plane: The Hertz Experiment That Vanished Into Thin Air
In the late 1950s, Hertz rented planes to anyone with a pilot’s license. Four years later, the program vanished. Here’s why.
