Simviation Forums

Great shots!

I don't want to sound like a moron, and I do know quite a bit about aviation, but I guess I'm not too savvy when it comes to the U2, can you explain the mustang's role in driving next to it, I know you said it drops it outriggers but I'm not sure what that is...what exactly does the mustang do as it is driving next to the U2 on landing?

I don't want to sound like a moron, and I do know quite a bit about aviation, but I guess I'm not too savvy when it comes to the U2, can you explain the mustang's role in driving next to it, I know you said it drops it outriggers but I'm not sure what that is...what exactly does the mustang do as it is driving next to the U2 on landing?

Culminating Event

After sitting almost motionless at the edge of the atmosphere for 9 hours, the real challenge begins.  Almost all of the drag devices of the aircraft are deployed at altitude (to include the gear) for the descent.  The U-2, with its long wings and inline bicycle type gear is extremely difficult to land.  It has very poor crosswind performance and must land from a full aerodynamic stall at approximately 2' in the air, with no drift and no crab (yaw).  The mobile waits near the end of the runway, listening for the first communications from the pilot.  After a radio check in, the two are mated, similar to a formation flight, but with one member in a car.  As the aircraft arrives on final and nears the runway, the mobile begins the high speed chase.  At 10' a countdown begins until landing.  In addition to altitude, the mobile may give corrections such as "left or right rudder" to correct crab.  A typical sequence would be "10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..2..2..2...." ending with the landing.  The landing looks benign from the outside, but is actually very violent in the cockpit.  As the aircraft slows, the wings lose lift and eventually one wing falls to the runway on a titanium wingtip skid.  A "pogo crew" reinstalls the pogo wheels and the taxi begins to the ramp.  Due to the difficult taxi, the sortie truly doesn't end until the engine is shut down and the pilot has two feet firmly on the ground.