The last flight of the legendary SR-71 Blackbird took to the skies on October 9, 1999, at Edwards Air Force Base, a sight that was considered historical by any standard in aviation circles. This iconic aircraft, which had no parallel in speed and altitude, did a pass flying northeast above runway 4L to mark the end of an era in reconnaissance aviation.
First entering service in January 1966, the SR-71 Blackbird was an engineering marvel, capable of exceeding Mach 3.3 and altitudes greater than 85,000 feet, thus offering unparalleled reconnaissance capabilities to the U.S. Air Force throughout the Cold War. The last flight was part of a scheduled demonstration for the Edwards Air Force Base open house-the highlight of any aviation aficionado’s calendar, anywhere in the world.
Retired Lt. Col. Tony Bevacqua-one of the few trained pilots to fly the SR-71-remembered its singular capabilities. “It always felt good flying the highest and fastest aircraft in the world,” he said. During his service, Bevacqua flew operational missions over Vietnam and compiled 738 flight hours with the Blackbird.
The SR-71’s operational history is filled with its resilience and performance. Although fired over 1,000 times, none of the 32 operational SR-71s were ever lost to enemy fire because of its superior speed and altitude in flight, which made it nearly invulnerable against enemy missiles.
However, the high cost of operation led to the aircraft retiring on January 26, 1990. The SR-71 was briefly reactivated between 1995 and 1998 but finally retired on March 6, 1998. The last flight on October 9, 1999, was a poignant moment for all those who had been a part of its storied history.
The SR-71 holds a few speed records, among them such feats as transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds on 6 March 1990. Skippers of the record-setting flight were Lt. Cols. Ed Yielding and Joseph Vida, who became spokespersons for the extraordinary capabilities of the aircraft.
The final flight at Edwards AFB was flown by NASA Research Pilot Rogers E. Smith and Flight Test Engineer Robert R. Meyer, Jr. A follow-on flight planned for the next day was terminated due to a fuel leak. The aircraft, NASA 844, was retired and put on static display at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.
The SR-71 Blackbird has been and continues to be, a symbol of excellence, even a demonstration of innovation in aviation. Its great contribution to reconnaissance and record-setting performances has marked military aviation history. Now that it rests in museums, the Blackbird still commands wonder and admiration for what it was able to achieve.