Flying the SR-71 Blackbird - BC Thomas (Part 2)

[@MrMonkeyTrousers]

The podcast version, and a two hour walk got me to the end of this amazing interview. There are many channels where aviators are interviewed about their careers, but what makes 10 Percent True different, and makes it stand out, is the humanity. That could be BC Thomas talking about fuzzy pictures, 'Mog' Morgan opening up about PTSD, or finding out what Dave Southwood has done since the 'Test Pilot' series. I can't wait to hear part three!

[@10percenttrue]

Wow. Thank you.

[@brianhusted3909]

Excellent interview with BC Thomas. Brought back a few memories about being at Beale AFB. - Sensor Systems Specialist, Photo, SR-71 and U2, 1974-1977

[@Mr_London_247]

A great interview, BC is calm and understated - easy to see how he made the program

[@jettsetter7]

This guy has stories that are from legend. I love aviation. My grandfather in my profile picture was an F-4 driver.

[@vincentambrosino916]

Love it love the Black bird since 60,s

[@KernowekTim]

Your interviews are the best by a fair stretch, in my opinion. You possess great skills as an interviewer, combining relevance and exceptional timing. These vital qualities, combined with your excellent delivery, create a relaxed atmosphere in which information can be given-forth at a pace that the layman can easily equate with. I am so pleased to have found your channel, and subscribed to it. Thank you very much for your excellent work. Special machines, flown by Special human beings, working on 'the edge' of acute tolerance levels that only the elite of our species can succeed at as part of their work-loads: Amazing.

[@distortedreality4603]

I found this absolutely fascinating! I love all the technical details, great interview, B C is the kind of man I'd love to go for a beer with, I could listen to him all day

[@10percenttrue]

Agreed! You could sit and listen to him all day!

[@ronjon7942]

Nice work again. Love learning more of the Blackbird world. I hope this is the beginning of interviews with all the Blackbird personnel you can find, both in the air and on the ground.

[@KO-pk7df]

This has been the best and most interesting interview I have ever seen; this is helped by my complete love of the subject. I really love the wealth of piloting information from BC! I used to ask my dad (fighter pilot) this kind of stuff and get him on a roll. Example, when my dad flew the F-111, I would get him in the mood and he would relate to me some wonderful stories. Like when I asked him how high did he take the F-111, he described being over the North Sea, with the F-111 in the coffin corner then said at that altitude looking straight ahead was the darkness of space and below the horizon was blue sky. So many wonderful things these guys experienced.

[@10percenttrue]

Thanks, GB.

[@Ste2023]

I remember seeing Mr BC Thomas in England flying the blackbird...what a beautiful gorgeous plane . Mr Thomas was a true gentleman looked so amazing in his outfit , smart haircut , When America made great planes ... What happened?

[@briandenison2325]

Cold War ended? I think nowadays Satellites can preform that mission I would think?

[@iacobaccci]

This was great. Hope you are doing well BC!

[@jimmycummings8164]

Great job. Love the content. B C is such a soft spoken humble man. Keep up the good work.

[@2018paulrobbinx]

I loved this podcast, especially around ~1:20. As an Aerospace Engineering Student the technical knowledge base of this world class aviator was incredible! I actually met Col. Graham last week so it was really cool to hear his name in this episode. Man, the USAF really knew what they were doing when they choose SR drivers. They all just sound like they are off the highest caliber of human intellect and courage. I will always respect the guys that flew the SR. Their time in the Sled will forever immortalize them in the world of Aviation history.

[@laoadvtours3479]

Fantastic interviews...keep up the good work...

[@scoo73r]

This is great. I loved the explanation of an unstart. I was with you not understanding at first, but it all made sense once he brought it together. BC is just incredibly knowledgeable.

[@10percenttrue]

Thank you! BC has a knack for eventually being able to get complex stuff into my thick skull!

[@sedlo]

Fascinating interview! SR ops are so really intriguing! The fact that the Astro-Nav system is still partially classified is amazing to me... What a system!

[@10percenttrue]

Sim, I took the view that BC was just being cautious. The tech order for the NAS+14V2 was declassified in 2012. Will try to find a link to it and post it in the 10 True Facebook group.

[@onelamportwo]

Made it to the end and really enjoyed it, thanks. As a full on engineering end geek I find the tech level v good indeed. I listen to the podcast version when running and must have racked up nearly 30 miles on BC alone!

[@10percenttrue]

BC will be pleased! We’re going to do a livestream before Christmas, so I hope you’ll be able to join if you’re interested.

[@robo3915]

Another excellent interview!

[@-theflea-4561]

Great interview. I appreciate hearing some of the technical issues, didn’t understand what was happening, but it gives some insight into just how much you need to know to do the job.

[@cgmp5764]

Great interview. Still a unique iconic futuristic looking aircraft.

[@alexanderlawson1649]

Can you imagine the collosal commitment of resources, that a programme like that required? Not just at the design , development and production phases but throughout the lifetime of the "product". Thousands of engineers, technicians, manufacturing and maintenance personnel, dedicated to a project, costing, billions of Dollars, so that a handfull of pilots and their political masters, could live their dream. The life of any aircraft is ephemoral, many are born and die within a human lifetime. Imagine if the energy, the creative dynamism of the people who produced and serviced this weapon of war, had instead harnessed their energies to the plough and not the gun.

[@miminewman9495]

Excuse me?! There were no guns on the SR-71. It was a “reconnaissance” machine, not a fighter jet.

[@triumphsteve]

I was visiting Greenham Common with my Commanding Officer in 1983 when BC flew in for an air show there, some of the women who were protesting there painted his SR71 with flowers and peace signs, There was a picture floating around the internet but I can't find it. When he left after the air show he went vertical over the tents with full afterburner blowing them into the trees and across into the nearby fields. i think he got his own back there...

[@10percenttrue]

I can't remember whether we covered that in the interview, or whether he discussed it with me off-camera, but BC knew exactly what he was doing.

[@Aussie1276]

@@10percenttrue From what I know of BC (which isn't all that much), that sounds like classic BC response

[@scottmanning8739]

Great interview. Looking forward to parts 3 and 4.

[@10percenttrue]

Thanks, Scott. You're not "Zing" Manning, are you?

[@scottmanning8739]

@@10percenttrue Nope. Never been called that.

[@mohammedines6182]

C'est un avion magnifique..mais y'a beaucoup de choses à revoir et à refaire y compris sa colossale consommation de full .

[@blackbird960]

I have the same tie BC is wearing

[@boburwell9921]

Whether you’re boots on the ground or in a black jet at the edge of space there is no half truths in reconnaissance.

[@robertmccray228]

The SR-71 is a very interesting aircraft it's also the fastest and I love to hear stories about the pilots and the men who worked on those planes Kelly Johnson passed away a few years ago he was a great man he was a great visionary and I think Ben rich is now the head of Lockheed skunk works I think he also worked on the 117 nighthawk stealth fighter program very great men and I'm glad they work for the United States government

[@10percenttrue]

Sadly, Ben Rich is no longer with us (died 1995, iirc), but you're right that he was the 'father of stealth' (which is a little generous, but a title that stuck!) and brought the F-117 into existence.

[@TheMunt2000]

Maybe answered. Only 10 mins in. But I’d like to know the correlation of the expenditure on the project and the rewards it gained. That will be forever classified perhaps. But it had to have some effect of it survived for so long in secret and then public

[@10percenttrue]

No problems, Final interview with BC is next week, so will ask!

[@CamperCameraGo]

Dean Gaffney? lol. Looking forward to part 3.

[@10percenttrue]

Lol. I know. I wanted to put a picture of him (and Wellard) on screen, but thought it would go over the heads of most viewers. Glad you caught the gaff, though!

[@CamperCameraGo]

10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit Wellard! That was a Harrier callsign back in the day wasn’t it?

[@ricardokowalski1579]

Good content Feed the algo

[@bjornroman3710]

Made it to the end

[@10percenttrue]

We have a winner!

[@bjornroman3710]

@@10percenttrue I love long form content. Keep it up! I'm going though college rn amd have my PPL I hope to become a test pilot one day

[@dks13827]

The back seater who drowned after ejection was not a regular and well trained crewman.

[@azisandwich]

Permission to buzzing the tower?

[@jettsetter7]

“It’s not a spy plane” 😁 With the upmost respect to you sir, I feel it is most certainly a spy plane. * in regards to our enemy countries at least*

[@10percenttrue]

Tough to argue with that!

[@briandenison2325]

It’s kind of like the argument of one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.

[@carolyncraft4203]

I think B C is my uncle. Haven't seen him in 40+ years???

[@carolyncraft4203]

Or my cousin 2x removed father?¿?

[@صابرالهدار-غ5ك]

القاذفه الأمريكية الطير الاسود والسوفيتيه النار السوداء

[@CrownOfGoldCompleatSacrifice_2]

Arlington ave

[@jonmcfarmer6954]

1:30 You already put me to sleep. Your voice lacks excitement but it is great to listen to if you cant sleep. 👍

[@ابومحمد-خ6ف1ع]

72009===77000/77000