U-2 Ride

[johnastovall]

Fasten your seat belt for a fantastic ride.
This video is a once in a lifetime experience of a British civilian, James May, getting
a flight at over 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane. Please note at the take-off
the assist wheels on the outer edges of the wings which drop off upon
take-off. The wings are so long that they need temporary support until
lift-off. What is not shown is at the landing the plane actually slows to a
small enough speed that two guys are actually able to grab the wing tips and
put those assist wheels back on.
The civilian getting the ride is the host of the car show Top Gear on BBC (James May)
shown through Europe at 9:00 pm Sunday night in Belgium . The views are
spectacular as the U-2 flies at altitudes which constitute "SPACE."
Use your full screen and sound as this is a high-quality film clip, 10
minutes long.

U-2 Ride Video

 

[stephengilbert]

Another great link from John.

Thank you, Steve

 

[iiiNelson]

Very cool... Thanks for sharing.

 

[GrahamWelland]

Thanks for posting. I think I'd have an epiphany after that too. Very humbling experience I'm sure and what a view!

I used to see these fly very occasionally from the neighbouring RAF base to my house near Alconbury back in the UK. Not very elegant at all at low altitude and somehow you expect high altitude planes to look more like the SR-71 than a big glider.