General

high over northern california with a view of most cities to the east of sacramento

To Make a Super Pano

Hey everyone.  Today is very special.  I’m pumped because today is essentially the last day of home schooling my kids for the year (hopefully….damn you coronavirus)   To celebrate, I thought today needed a little peppy 80’s montage music (first to name the movie gets…nothing but my respect)  put together with a quick run […]

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looking out the cockpit of a 737 at sunset overlooking Glen Canyon

What can you fly after the U-2?

For the most part, the U-2 will be the last Air Force aircraft a person will fly.  It is harder to go back out and fly something different once you are qualified in the U-2.  Part of that is the select nature of the job and how much goes into […]

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thunderstorm shot for a U-2 at 60,000 feet

What’s the Highest CB top you’ve gone over?

⛈️⛈️⚡☔ Today’s #askextremeross, @petercrew asks “What’s the highest CB (cumulonimbus cloud) top you’ve gone over?” So I’m not quite sure I remember, but I thought this picture was pretty cool. This was taken about 10 years ago on my earlier camera, the Nikon D90. Thunderstorms could get pretty high, especially […]

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Extreme Ross stares over the stars from a flag out past the wing of a U-2

Why are U-2s still in use if we have satellites?

Today I’m answering one of the most common airshow questions a U-2 pilot ever gets.  Several of you, including @vasiliybaraniuk asked: “Why are U2s still in use if we have satellites? Note: the following is entirely my opinion/viewpoint/soapbox/rant. The easy answers are something about multi-layered approaches to intelligence, from satellites to […]

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U-2 Northern Lights UFO

Have you ever seen any UFO’s or objects that made you thing “what was that”?

???️?️ Hello again. For today’s #askextremeross I’m tackling a subject several of you have asked me about. And that is, of course, UFOs. @chadholcomb88 asked “Since you’re one of very few pilots that have experienced flight at that altitude, have you seen any “UFO’s”, or objects that made you think […]

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U-2 looking forward over the nose toward a low sun and island

Do you have any solar radiation issues at that altitude?

For #askextremeross today, I’m answering @lo_muller who asked “Do you have solar radiation issues at that altitude?”   While rarely affecting missions, space radiation, and particularly solar radiation, are something that we have to pay attention to.  At the altitudes we’re at, 90% of the atmospheric mass is below us.  It’s still a […]

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u2-takeoff-blastoff

Do you have to modulate your climbs/descents in some form due to the extreme altitudes you get to(like a deep sea diver)??

Thanks to @murrayscaifephoto who asked Extreme Ross “Do you have to modulate your climbs/descents in some form due to the extreme altitudes you get to (like a deep sea diver) ?? Thanks” Good question.  There will be a whole separate story that will go into everything the U-2 pilot has to […]

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