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apparently some air traffic controllers disagree with this story being possible: https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/fbt4rq/la_speed_check/fj6fxfe/ https:/

apparently some air traffic controllers disagree with this story being possible: https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/fbt4rq/la_speed_check/fj6fxfe/ https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/fbt4rq/la_speed_che...

tzs 5y ago
The dude on Reddit says: > They could hear ATC but not other aircraft, because civilian aircraft are on VHF frequencies, military on UHF, and anybody above 60,000 feet (like the SR-71's) were on a separate, center-wide UHF frequency so they wouldn't have to switch frequencies constantly. So the SR-71 and F-18 pilots couldn't have heard those other aircraft requesting groundspeed, or heard each other for that matter. The SR-71 had at least 5 radios, according to the flight manual [1]. • COMNAV-50 UHF. It had two of these, one in the front cockpit and one in the aft cockpit. • AN/ARC-186(V). This one covers the civilian aircraft frequencies (and a bit more such as the 2 meter ham band). • 618-T HF. This covered AM and SSB on 2-30 MHz in 1 KHz increments. • AN/ARC-190(V). Another HF radio, covering 2-30 MHz in 100 Hz increments. It was a spy plane. Listening in on other aircraft and ATC would help it carry out its mission, so of course it is going to have plenty of radios. [1] https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/manual/ https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/manual/
- ranger_danger 5y ago
  Yea there doesn't seem to be one generally believed consensus. The ATC guys may simply be wrong about not having access to VHF. It could be that it depends on the mission as to whether or not they would be using them. But they could also be right that an SR wouldn't be asking for speed checks or that ATC can't see their real speed in some way. I don't know.
  - GekkePrutser 5y ago
    He makes some other good points too though about not being able to see speeds that high and them being classified. It is a cool story though, kinda hope it's true but it does sound a bit too epic to be true.
    - irjustin 5y ago
      It's still believable, when the 71 started flying it's possible "speed classified" hadn't been introduced yet. To me the only thing that the doubter's story that hasn't been refuted well is the number being too specific.
irjustin 5y ago
If you read the comment thread, lots of people throw doubt on the doubter's story especially around the VHF band. What's sort of weird is the ATC says they were a controller in the 90's. Could things have changed between the when the story happened and this person was an ATC Controller? "Speed Classified" might have been different in the early days of the 71's program. Same with the flight ceilings. To me, the only thing that hasn't been refuted yet is the speed measurement. Specifically the part where it's a multiple of 1842 (or 1942 as was told in the story).

tzs 5y ago

The dude on Reddit says: > They could hear ATC but not other aircraft, because civilian aircraft are on VHF frequencies, military on UHF, and anybody above 60,000 feet (like the SR-71's) were on a separate, center-wide UHF frequency so they wouldn't have to switch frequencies constantly. So the SR-71 and F-18 pilots couldn't have heard those other aircraft requesting groundspeed, or heard each other for that matter. The SR-71 had at least 5 radios, according to the flight manual [1]. • COMNAV-50 UHF. It had two of these, one in the front cockpit and one in the aft cockpit. • AN/ARC-186(V). This one covers the civilian aircraft frequencies (and a bit more such as the 2 meter ham band). • 618-T HF. This covered AM and SSB on 2-30 MHz in 1 KHz increments. • AN/ARC-190(V). Another HF radio, covering 2-30 MHz in 100 Hz increments. It was a spy plane. Listening in on other aircraft and ATC would help it carry out its mission, so of course it is going to have plenty of radios. [1] https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/manual/ https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/manual/

ranger_danger 5y ago
Yea there doesn't seem to be one generally believed consensus. The ATC guys may simply be wrong about not having access to VHF. It could be that it depends on the mission as to whether or not they would be using them. But they could also be right that an SR wouldn't be asking for speed checks or that ATC can't see their real speed in some way. I don't know.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  He makes some other good points too though about not being able to see speeds that high and them being classified. It is a cool story though, kinda hope it's true but it does sound a bit too epic to be true.
  - irjustin 5y ago
    It's still believable, when the 71 started flying it's possible "speed classified" hadn't been introduced yet. To me the only thing that the doubter's story that hasn't been refuted well is the number being too specific.

irjustin 5y ago

If you read the comment thread, lots of people throw doubt on the doubter's story especially around the VHF band. What's sort of weird is the ATC says they were a controller in the 90's. Could things have changed between the when the story happened and this person was an ATC Controller? "Speed Classified" might have been different in the early days of the 71's program. Same with the flight ceilings. To me, the only thing that hasn't been refuted yet is the speed measurement. Specifically the part where it's a multiple of 1842 (or 1942 as was told in the story).