Sled Driver

Mach 3 if the autopilot failed, as long as the stability augmentation systems were
functioning. This required a concentrated effort and happened to us one day over
Europe. I ended up hand-flying the airplane through the second half of the mission
and I was able to hold it steady enough for the sensors to function effectively.
By the time I came to the program, the SR-71 had been fitted with a triple
computer system that helped manage flight systems. This system was a valuable
addition to the aircraft, but the computers did not fly the jet for me. Technicians told
us the computers were highly reliable and the possibility of all three failing
simultaneously was zero. I think the guys who issued that statement were brilliant
engineers, but they never flew jets. Several months later, a crew was returning from
Central America at high Mach and nearly had to eject. All three computers,
amazingly enough, had failed simultaneously, and the aircraft was almost
uncontrollable. It pitched up and the pilot was barely able to level it. It pitched up a
second time, and he miraculously wrestled the jet to a semblance of controlled
flight. He informed his RSO that if there were one more oscillation, he wouldn't be
able to control it, and they would have to eject. At that moment, all three computers
reset, and they were able to continue flying and landed safely. The RSO had a serious
discussion with the computer specialists after that sortie.
THE SUIT
Flying in the space suit wasn't as uncomfortable as it looked. They were efficient in
design and superbly maintained by PSD, so we rarely had any problems with them.
A main valve controlled the amount of airflow to the suit. It was located on the front
of the space suit and controlled the amount of air circulating through the space suit.
Running airflow up to high was normally not done, because it inflated the suit
slightly, taking up room in the cockpit. The suit torso contained flotation devices
that increased the bulk of the space suit. After long hours of flight, I would increase
the airflow to feel cool air gush across my body. Two separate rheostats controlled
suit temperature, and heat to the face plate. The Suit Heat rheostat controlled the
temperature of the air circulating in the suit. The Face Heat rheostat was used when
the face plate on the helmet fogged up. It increased the flow of warm air across the
face plate causing vapor to dissipate.
I had the added problem of wearing glasses. The stems were shortened, and the
glasses were fixed to a small T-bar at the top of the helmet, held securely with Velcro.
Occasionally the lenses fogged up, and I alleviated this problem by increasing airflow
through the suit. Other than this, the glasses were never a problem. I never realized