Lockheed U-2 SPY PLANE ("Dragon Lady") Take-Offs, Landings & Extreme ULTRA-HIGH ALTITUDE Footage!

Lockheed U-2 Spy Plane ("Dragon Lady")! Take-Offs, Landings & Extreme Ultra-High Altitude cockpit footage! (70,000 feet!)

We believe that this video contains some of the very best, most varied and remarkable U-2 footage ever filmed -- including super rare cockpit vision from multiple angles.

The U2 is such a unique and highly specified aircraft; with its giant over-sized wings highly susceptible to influence from crosswinds; and at lower altitudes, it can be especially challenging to fly due to much higher air density and no power-assisted steering. The pilot's field of vision is also severely restricted by their helmet, "spacesuit" and cockpit design.

Support vehicles or "chase cars" are therefore needed as a back-up to provide an additional set of eyes and in turn relay distances and offer advice.

The final 10 feet is the most critical of all. U-2 pilots will attempt to hover the plane at 2 feet above the runway, before stalling the plane and dropping it as gently as possible onto the runway (stalling at 6 feet, for instance, could result in significant damage to the plane and or its extremely expensive sensor equipment). And the landing gear itself is idiosyncratic and prone to problems -- the chase car can come in handy there too.

U-2 "Dragon Lady" specifications:

Height 16.7 ft

Wingspan 103 ft

Maximum weight 40,000 lb

Cruise speed 475 mph
Payload 5000 lb

Cruising altitude 70,000 ft

Range 7000 mi

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