Test Flying the SR-71 Blackbird - Episode 65

About this episode

Retired Test Pilot Rogers E. Smith shares his experiences flying the SR-71 Blackbird and discusses his extensive aviation career.

Retired Test Pilot Rogers E. Smith recalls flying the final SR-71 Blackbird flight and how a fuel leak grounded the aircraft forever. In this episode, we discuss his Canadian and American military careers, flying experimental aircraft for NASA, and piloting a MiG-25 at 80,000 feet in Russia. From first to fourth-generation fighters, Rogers has flown nearly every U.S. jet and then some, all without ever attending a formal test pilot school. This one is going to be cool! Resources: Rogers' Website Rogers Smith's Bio (Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame) Rogers' SR-71 Career Synopsis (NASA) SR-71 Fact Sheet (National Museum of the US Air Force) Bell X-22 (Wikipedia) X-29 Advanced Technology Demonstrator Aircraft (NASA) Chapters: (00:00) - Intro (01:20) - Aviation Beginnings (02:47) - Flying the F-86 (04:32) - From First to Fourth Generation Fighters (05:06) - How Jet Capabilities Evolved (08:58) - Becoming a Test Pilot (09:56) - Favorite Airplane (11:04) - The Bell X-22 (12:34) - The Grumman X-29 (15:16) - Joining NASA (18:37) - Flying at 85,000 Feet (22:16) - The Cockpit View (23:40) - SR-71 Research and Testing (27:44) - The Last Blackbird Flight (29:40) - The Russian‑American Flight…

People in this episode

Guest: Rogers E. Smith

Topics covered

• test flying
• SR-71 Blackbird
• aviation history
• military careers
• experimental aircraft
• NASA
• jet fighters

Keywords

• SR-71 Blackbird
• Rogers E. Smith
• test pilot
• NASA
• MiG-25
• aviation history
• military aviation
• experimental aircraft
• jet fighters

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA, Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, National Museum of the US Air Force

Products: MiG-25, SR-71 Blackbird, F-86, Bell X-22, X-29 Advanced Technology Demonstrator Aircraft

Places: Russia

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