| Taxi |
| The
crew chief walked smartly about 150 feet out in front of the
aircraft and stood at "parade rest" waiting for a
flash of the taxi light. During these final minutes the mobile
crew had been watching tower for the flashing green "cleared
to taxi" light signal. When it was received, the mobile
car started onto the taxiway to lead the SR-71 out. A quick
flash of the taxi light signaled the crew chief for his assistants
to remove the chocks. With "taxi" hand signals from
the crew chief, the pilot added a small amount of power and
gracefully taxied out of the hanger. |
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During
taxi the only check was to test the brakes on the individual hydraulic
systems. Sometime during taxi, the RSO switched the ANS into the
"ASTRO INERTIAL " mode, enabling it to achieve star tracking
whiled taxiing out. At the departure end of the runway, the crew
chief jumped out of his van and walked into position on the taxiway
to help line the aircraft up for the BEFORE TAKEOFF checks. He then
gave the signal for "chocks installed". The pilot and
RSO then coordinated the navigation system for departure and ran
the engine run. During the engine run at full military power, engine
gauges were checked for their proper values and all engine systems
were checked. After the engine run, the crew rechecked the flight
controls, oxygen system and that Baylor bars were down and locked.
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What
is the ANS?
|
The
Astro-Intertial Navigation System (ANS) was a star tracking
navigation system. ANS was highly accurate, reliable and didn't
depend on inputs from other sources subject to electronic jamming.
ANS would track two different stars to determine precisely where
the SR-71 was over ground. By comparing the position to the
stars to their known location, and with the exact time of day,
the ANS could compute the aircraft's exact position. Things
may change here on earth from century to century, but the same
stars guided both Christopher Columbus and Habus. |
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| After
the crew chiefs assistants removed the chocks, the pilot gave the
final "thumbs up". The crew chief responded back with a
salute and walked back to the maintenance truck to wait for takeoff.
As soon as the Tower Officer saw through his binoculars that the crew
was ready and the runway was free, he asked tower personnel to give
the steady green "cleared for takeoff" light. Mobile led
the aircraft onto the runway and continued down the full length looking
for anything that could possibly damage the tires or engines. |
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Return to Sortie
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| ©
Copyright
Richard Graham |
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