A Day in Life of a US U2 Spy Plane Pilot

Welcome back to The Daily Aviation for a feature on the workhorse US spy plane, the U2 Dragon Lady and the numerous procedures required to keep her operational 24/7 and 365 days per year.
Footage Credit: U.S. Air Force / U.S. Air National Guard / U.S. Marine Corps ,Derivative Work by The Daily Aviation
Voice, text and video editing belong to The Daily Aviation, any use of these content without permission is forbidden.
Don't forget to subscribe us on Facebook or Twitter.
/ dailyaviationarchive
/ dailymda
You have a question or you would like to send us footage. Send us a message.

[@barcrrt850]

These guys have guts. Please be careful up there.

[@seoulin3227]

GREAT AMERICA!!! THANK'S!!! 고맙습니다!!!

[@trob0914]

The U-2, the SR-71, the WW2 P-38, the F104 Starfighter, credit the genius of Clarence " Kelly" Johnson!!🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@adventure_48]

Imagine sitting in that suit for 12 hrs and not being able to itch your nose

[@denistate3697]

Thank you for the video it's à big pleasure again thanks

[@peter-radiantpipes2800]

My grandfather got to fly in the 2 seater U-2. It must have been late60’s-70’s. He taught at CalTech and owned a large meteorology company. I didn’t learn about it until his funeral despite us being insanely close. He’s of the generation where you didn’t chat about that stuff I guess. I’m assuming it was atmospheric testing with NASA. They were originally based out of Pasadena. Pretty awesome and really not that surprising. One of those guys that just did it all. Far from me.

[@user-xc7rx3qq5r]

کشک

[@civlyzed]

My father knew Francis Gary Powers and thus, the U-2 was his favorite plane. RIP Dad.

[@tbrooksmichigan]

I know Gary Powers’s son and saw his dad fly the u2

[@bolajiaremo6478]

Crazy stuff! Thumbs up 👍

[@user-rn9pq8tz1n]

真棒！你们都是英雄 !

[@davidperez9442]

Asombra todo el respaldo tecnico y de especialistas detras de estos pilotos para hacer su trabajo y que sin duda son muy importantes ,tener todo bien hecho para evitar fallas o contratiempos ,mis respetos Señores de la Fuerza Aérea !!!! 🙋🤔✌👌👍👏✈👏✈👍✈👌✈✌✈🤔✈🙋✈😎

[@scallopohare9431]

And ladies.

[@marlimoura6723]

Excellent video!👏👏👏🇺🇸🗽

[@jeromewagschal9485]

Fascinating...But knowing myself it would be hard for me not to be able to scratch my nose through that pressurized helmet...

[@fashionexpart1992]

Amazing 😮

[@seoulin3227]

GOOD!!! BEAUTIFUL!!! THANK'S!!! 고맙습니다!!!

[@AliAli-nf8zh]

ابداع❤

[@popopangel2276]

Very very impressive content Sir

[@ericvonp]

Saw one flying in SK in 90’s

[@DavidEVogel]

I dont recognize this facility. Beale AFB, CA or an overseas operating location?

[@claritamerlos3769]

Strong mans with power the spirit of América. Congratulation blues angels

[@user-ku3bu8sg8h]

جميل.رائع🖒

[@arnoldsherrill2585]

You have to be extremely experienced just to be considered for the transition course to qualify for flying this aircraft

[@vincent7520]

No shit !😮 Really ?… 😎😎😎

[@coastroad_7886]

⭐️

[@user-eb4zj8jx6e]

1950년대 만든 정찰기라던데 .. 아주 훌륭한 듯 .. 지금까지도 사용하는거 보면 ..ㅎㅎㅎ

[@drisselhamri647]

I like the video very much?!

[@ricky4001cs]

Acid reflux is probably a no-go in that space suit....

[@johngarduno]

god blesssssssssssssssssssssss........... our hi fliers.................................

[@faiqibrahim9715]

Beware of the MiG-25 while you are up there.

[@raulfreire4855]

Film photos reproduce with better accuracy the final photo’s.

[@jarik766]

Это просто ОХРЕНЕННО!!! 👍👍👍👏🙌😮😮😮

[@spe342]

강대국의 힘이 느껴지네.

[@amk1632]

우주왕복선 레벨이었군 ㅎ

[@user-gl3xw4fw2b]

자막좀 한글로 넣어 주세요

[@Willburys]

He looks as a Astronaut!

[@ronjones-6977]

The air pressure at cruising altitude for the U2 is around 4 percent of what it is at sea level. So you'd die just as quickly as being in space.

[@misterbig9025]

Do U-2 pilots do pre flight checks?

[@raulfreire4855]

Per flight checks are always necessary before takeoff.

[@Dountman]

Nah, they just hop in and go. Zero maintenance either.

[@DavidEVogel]

Yes but no aircraft walk-a-round.

[@lucianocattaneo7146]

@@DavidEVogel not true.

[@DavidEVogel]

@@lucianocattaneo7146 Tired of your childish two word comments with no factual support. Goodbye forever.

[@juanpereira6782]

¿CUANDO PONGO GASOLINA A MI COCHE,TIENE QUE ESTAR APAGADO EL MOTOR Y LOS SISTEMAS ELECTRICOS APAGADOS Y LOS HELICOPTEROS REPOSTAN ENCENDIDOS ?

[@AntonioCesarRibeiro-qr7eh]

Esses motores são a energia nuclear, uma tecnologia que já estamos desenvolvendo no Brasil

[@shahoapple4398]

I love you❤️❤️❤️❤️👌👌👌👌

[@davecody4326]

My late dad said he went up in U2 with no parachute to conserve weight

[@andr_sh]

He is closer to ISS than Earth

[@TheSamfdsh]

Expendable media glamour

[@anthonycbudd]

4:37 Did you notice that this is a completely different aircraft?

[@lightendarkness]

There's different version of U-2 which is U-2A, and U-2S which is the one you're pointing out. U-2S is the newest version

[@mouhcinebazar6432]

👍👍👍👍

[@user-yo2rz6ih7p]

Didn't u2 retire?

[@BlueEyes13]

Great performance in development, maintenance and in operation. I just wish it was exclusively for defence, rescue or humanitarian action (let me dream).

[@DavidEVogel]

I just wish it was exclusively for defence, rescue or humanitarian action And what mission did you NOT cover?

[@BlueEyes13]

@@DavidEVogel I would like to avoid planning a war of aggression or missions that are predominantly directed against civilians. However, I am aware that not everything is black or white and that the boundaries are blurred. Besides, everyone has their own truth.

[@CN-dv9nj]

You don't realize that USA has agreed and signed a policy of defensive responses only. USA has never 'fired the first shot". I don't know if you are USA citizen or not but I'd bet most Americans don't realize this. USAF motto is War is the hobby and peace is the profession. Meaning everyday is perfectly practiced combat missions and the prayer is that peace prevails but if we are attacked being ready to defend intending to win is protection for citizens.

[@CN-dv9nj]

USA has a policy of defense and humanitarian use only. We don't fire the first shot ever. Never have we fired the first shot. So your dream is already true.

[@BayouBoy2443]

We still use U2's?

[@DOI_ARTS]

Of course its still undetectable on space.

[@raulfreire4855]

Due to cost benefit.

[@mahadehasankhan8536]

Hi. Every one. My. US. Defence.

[@xiangplays]

I’ve seen this video 10,000 times now different people posting it🤦‍♂️

[@user-pe9bz9ti5j]

역시 천조국...스케일이 다르구만...

[@MohamedAli-ry7ib]

U2

[@DOI_ARTS]

Fun fact: U2 is still using film negatives for their photos

[@FOH3663]

With phenomenal resolution... When the format has so much capture area, incredible resolution can result. 1800's Civil War photography possesses stunning resolution even in large prints.

[@mizuno291]

Ok, so what if he sneezes in that helmet?

[@user-vi4fo2vc1j]

13:20😲

[@alinbdswop3032]

A U-2 was shot down over the Soviet Union

[@deebostan9939]

Opération tonnerres

[@abase6755]

鼻が痒くなったり鼻水が垂れてきたらどうするんだろう

[@essaidchibane6612]

Why U2 pilot' suit is defferent than MIG 31 Pilot' suit!?

[@CN-dv9nj]

Yes it says so in the video captions

[@CN-dv9nj]

Because of altitude the U2 reaches, there is no oxygen and he would die.

[@essaidchibane6612]

@@CN-dv9nj Service ceiling of MiG 31 is way higher than U2.

[@mouradbeghdadi9092]

USAF the best of the best

[@user-pk5zt4cc2e]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 ты не видел русских

[@misterbig9025]

Why can't they replace U-2 with drones?

[@CN-dv9nj]

Ha really? If you can't figure that out you must be a troll.

[@csmchan638]

Thank you America for keeping an eye on the most unruly nation on earth. please add China to the list.

[@scallopohare9431]

Well, if they still fly out of South Korea, I would guess they get some footage over China.

[@zephyr261026]

Don’t know how other countries could compete with US ?

[@Singh.7777]

It is spacecraft plane and pilot looks like a astronaut.

[@Michiganian8]

I remember the song from U2 ~ beautiful day. And I didn’t know their was a correlation.

[@scallopohare9431]

Video does not equal seeing her take off.

[@donbenoit2072]

Why is the us spying?

[@heywoodjablowme8120]

Never seen U2 And I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

[@yasseenamireh9816]

هذه الطائرات تقتل ملايين من الابرياء 😢

[@abdirahmanmohamedyousef3105]

تساعد في قتلهم بس هي مو طائرة قنابل

[@olegdudnik3757]

SR-71 ?

[@johnflorio3576]

U-2.

[@fredericoclemente324]

Voo suborbital

[@mouhcinebazar6432]

💪💪💪🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪💪💪

[@jgyukang8808]

뭐야 ? U2 기 조종사들이 우리 강아지 들같구나 하하 ! 미안 조크

[@ihave1trillionwon216]

천조국 개쩐다 진짜

[@mistertwister6782]

рф срут в коробки? у меня кот даже на улицу проситься

[@gandolin66]

U2 macht gute Musik.

[@user-cq5su8yf1k]

Не хвалитеся идучи на рать. Хвалитесь - идучи с рать...

[@jarik766]

Два,хотел бы я служить в US AIR FORCE... Да старый уже и живу в расеюшке...💤💤💩👹👹👹😢😢😢😢

[@elikohn3231]

Firsttt

[@misterbig9025]

What happens when the pilot had to remove an annoying booger during a 12 hour flight?

[@DavidEVogel]

You must be 13 years old to comment here. That’s the rules.

[@gym771]

هل تعرفون الجمهوريه الأسلاميه الايرانيه والحرس الثوري😉😉

[@NKBobcat]

5:47 - show this video to the "flat earther" nuts to put their argument to rest.

[@slowneutron6163]

Trying to figure out what this thing can do that autonomous plans cannot do. Not sure why we are still risking lives when technology can do the job for us. I know, I know, I must be missing something.........actually no, I'm right.

[@DavidEVogel]

Maybe the Department of the Air Force knows something that you do not.

[@mateo...]

Who makes these videos? There's always at least one grammatical error.

[@jurgstreuli3093]

That's awful. Like preparing for an execution. It is clear that the pilot also wears diapers.

[@DavidEVogel]

It is clear that the pilot also wears diapers. Not true.

[@lucianocattaneo7146]

not true

[@DavidEVogel]

@@lucianocattaneo7146 I am an Aerospace Physiologist who worked with U-2 and SR-71 crewmembers for 12 years. Never saw diapers. Urine Evacuation Device (UED) yes but diapers never.

[@lucianocattaneo7146]

@@DavidEVogel same haha also a physio guy who worked in PSD for years.. just wanted to clarify to that person about the diapers.They wear a UCD instead

[@rino30428]

I need a xanax just knowing This is happening

[@user-hd7jg3cl2k]

윤석열은 퇴진하라

[@vovavinni9656]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍👍👍✊✊✊👌👌👌🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️