At 09:15 AM 10/3/03 -0600, you wrote:
This will be my last post on this subject, but let me say I have really enjoyed it, as far as off-topic threads go. One of the planes that we (at NOAA) have had the good fortune to fly our instruments on is the NASA ER-2 (essentially a U2 "R" model with less sophisticated electronics). The ground crews that look after these planes at Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards AFB in CA) were, a few years ago but no longer, Lockheed Martin contractors. A number of the ground crew members had previously served on SR-71 ground crews. It is absolutely true that the SR-71 leaked like a sieve until it was airborne. It would refuel in air immediately after takeoff, which is common for a number of modern aircraft as well. One of the ground crew told me that he had seen pictures taken by the pilots in flight of the nose section glowing red when the plane was at full speed.
The compound used to relight the engines at altitude in an emergency on the ER-2 (and U2) is hydrazine. A safety briefing is necessary every time you visit Dryden to work, and being aware of the alarm that sounds in the event of a hydrazine leak is one of the things they caution you about. It's a nasty agent. I wouldn't be surprised if it is hydrazine used on the SR-71 as well.
Peter
I drink to make other people interesting.
-- George Jean Nathan
