Created by Lockheed's brilliant designer Kelly Johnson, the SR-71 was one of the most legendary aircraft to emerge from the Skunk Works . Capable of Mach 3 flight, the SR-71 could survey 100,000 miles of the earth's surface from an altitude of 80,000 feet. The Blackbird holds the coast-to-coast speed record of 64 minutes flown at over 2100 m.p.h. It was also one of the first aircraft to be shaped in such a way as to have a very low radar signature. Originally created for the elite group of men who drove the sled , this Flight Operating Handbook provides a revealing look into the cockpit of one of history's great planes. Just recently declassified, this book contains all the basic pilot's instructions for the SR-71 and two-seat training model. This affordable facsimile has been reformatted, but care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text. Please note, some pages are still classified and have been omitted.