Editing Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (section)

===Records===
[[File:View from the SR-71 Blackbird.jpg|thumb|right|View from the cockpit at {{convert|83000|ft|m}} over the Atlantic Ocean<ref name="untouchables114">Shul and Watson 1993, pp. 113–114.</ref>]]

The SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying air-breathing operational manned aircraft throughout its career and it still holds that record. On 28 July 1976, SR-71 serial number {{USAF serial|61|7962}}, piloted by then Captain Robert Helt, broke the world record: an "absolute altitude record" of {{convert|85069|ft|m|sigfig=5}}.<ref name=FAI_records>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100729111021/http://records.fai.org/general_aviation/aircraft.asp?id=779 "Records: Sub-class: C-1 (Landplanes) Group 3: turbo-jet."] ''records.fai.org''. Retrieved: 30 June 2011.</ref><ref name="landis_jenkins_p77-8">{{harvp|Landis|Jenkins|2004|pp=77-78}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/spd_run001.html|title=SR-71 World Record Speed and Altitude Flights|website=Wvi.com}}</ref><ref name="voodoo-world.cz">{{cite web|url=http://www.voodoo-world.cz/sr71/timeline.html|title=A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline of Events|website=Voodoo-world.cz}}</ref> Several aircraft have exceeded this altitude in [[zoom climb]]s, but not in sustained flight.<ref name=FAI_records/> That same day SR-71 serial number {{USAF serial|61|7958}} set an [[Flight airspeed record|absolute speed record]] of {{convert|1905.81|kn|mph km/h|sigfig=5}}, approximately Mach&nbsp;3.3.<ref name=FAI_records/><ref name="voodoo-world.cz"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 October 2017 |title=Eldon W. Joersz (USA) (8879) |url=https://www.fai.org/record/8879 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=www.fai.org |language=en}}</ref> SR-71 pilot [[Brian Shul]] states in his book ''The Untouchables'' that he flew in excess of Mach&nbsp;3.5 on [[1986 United States bombing of Libya|15 April 1986 over Libya]] to evade a missile.<ref name="Shul M3.5" />

The SR-71 also holds the "speed over a recognized course" record for flying from New York to London—distance {{convert|3461.53|mi|km}}, {{convert|1806.964|mph|km/h}}, and an elapsed time of 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds—set on 1 September 1974, while flown by USAF pilot James V. Sullivan and Noel F. Widdifield, reconnaissance systems officer (RSO).<ref name="Blackbird Records">[http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/records.php "Blackbird Records."] ''sr-71.org''. Retrieved: 18 October 2009.</ref> This equates to an average speed of about Mach&nbsp;2.72, including deceleration for in-flight refueling. Peak speeds during this flight were likely closer to the declassified top speed of over Mach&nbsp;3.2. For comparison, the best commercial [[Concorde]] flight time was 2 hours 52 minutes and the [[Boeing 747]] averages 6 hours 15 minutes.

On 26 April 1971, 61–7968, flown by majors Thomas B. Estes and Dewain C. Vick, flew over {{convert|15000|mi|km}} in 10 hours and 30 minutes. This flight was awarded the 1971 [[Mackay Trophy]] for the "most meritorious flight of the year" and the 1972 [[Harmon Trophy]] for "most outstanding international achievement in the art/science of aeronautics".<ref>[http://www.vam.smv.org/pdfs/VAMHistoricAircraft.pdf "1966 Lockheed SR-71."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728032420/http://www.vam.smv.org/pdfs/VAMHistoricAircraft.pdf |date=28 July 2011 }} ''vam.smv.org''. Retrieved: 14 February 2011.</ref>

[[File:Pilot-RSO last flight SR-71.jpg|thumb|Pilot Lt. Col. Ed {{not a typo|Yeilding}} and RSO Lt. Col. Joe Vida on 6 March 1990, the last SR-71 Senior Crown flight|alt=The "Last Flight" of a SR-71. In background SR-71 S/N {{USAF serial|61|7972}}. Foreground pilot Lt. Col. Raymond E. "Ed" {{not a typo|Yeilding}} and RSO Lt. Col. Joseph T. "JT" Vida, 6 March 1990.]]

When the SR-71 was retired in 1990, one Blackbird was flown from its birthplace at USAF [[Plant 42]] in [[Palmdale, California]], to go on exhibit at what is now the [[Smithsonian Institution]]'s [[Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center]] in [[Chantilly, Virginia]]. On 6 March 1990, Lt. Col. Raymond E. {{not a typo|Yeilding}} and Lt. Col. Joseph T. Vida piloted SR-71 S/N {{USAF serial|61|7972}} on its final Senior Crown flight and set four new speed records in the process:
*Los Angeles, California, to Washington, D.C., distance {{convert|2299.7|mi|km|abbr=on}}, average speed {{convert|2144.8|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, and an elapsed time of 64 minutes 20 seconds.<ref name="Blackbird Records"/><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/07/us/spy-plane-sets-speed-record-then-retires.html "Spy Plane Sets Speed Record, Then Retires."] ''The New York Times'', 7 March 1990.</ref>
*[[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] to [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]], distance {{convert|2404|mi|km|abbr=on}}, average speed {{convert|2124.5|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, and an elapsed time of 67 minutes 54 seconds.
*Kansas City, Missouri, to Washington, D.C., distance {{convert|942|mi|km|abbr=on}}, average speed {{convert|2176|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, and an elapsed time of 25 minutes 59 seconds.
*St. Louis, Missouri, to Cincinnati, Ohio, distance {{convert|311.4|mi|km|abbr=on}}, average speed {{convert|2189.9|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, and an elapsed time of 8 minutes 32 seconds.

These four speed records were accepted by the [[National Aeronautic Association]] (NAA), the recognized body for aviation records in the United States.<ref>National Aeronautic Association</ref> Additionally, ''Air & Space/Smithsonian'' reported that the USAF clocked the SR-71 at one point in its flight reaching {{convert|2242.48|mph|km/h}}.<ref>Marshall, Elliot, The Blackbird's Wake, Air & Space, October/November 1990, p. 31.</ref> After the Los Angeles–Washington flight, on 6 March 1990, Senator [[John Glenn]] addressed the [[United States Senate]], chastising the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] for not using the SR-71 to its full potential:

{{Blockquote|Mr. President, the termination of the SR-71 was a grave mistake and could place our nation at a serious disadvantage in the event of a future crisis. Yesterday's historic transcontinental flight was a sad memorial to our short-sighted policy in strategic aerial reconnaissance.<ref name="harvp|Graham|1996">{{harvp|Graham|1996}}</ref>}}