| Drag Chute | |
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| The SR-71 utilized a drag chute system to aid in stopping the aircraft on a landing rollout. The drag chute compartment was located on top of the fuselage, between the rudders. When the pilot pulled the drag chute T-handle on the instrument panel, the drag chute compartment doors sprung open, and a series of chutes went into action. The first chute to be ejected was called the "pilot chute" (42 inch diameter). When it hit the air stream, its job was to pull out a slightly larger chute called the "extraction chute" (10 foot diameter) which produced aerodynamic lift. When the extraction chute hit the air stream, it pulled out the safety pin holding the main chute. With the safety pin removed, the main chute ( 40 feet diameter) was free to deploy and decelerate the 60,000 pound (plus fuel) SR-71. | |
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When the main drag chute deployed, it gave a firm tug on the aircraft. To avoid possible damage to the rudders and main chute, the pilot pushed the drag chute handle in, jettisoning the main chute on the runway before reaching 55 knots on the landing rollout. All three chutes fell onto the runway and had to be retrieved before other aircraft could land. Obviously, if stopping was marginal, we always had the option of retaining the main chute until safely stopped. |
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| © Copyright Richard Graham | |
