LLESA Author Series | 'Sled Driver: Flying the World's Fastest Jet' by Brian Shul

This talk was presented at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on Nov. 15, 2016.

In this talk at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Vietnam-era attack pilot and retired Air Force major Brian Shul, author of "Sled Driver: Flying the World's Fastest Jet," reveals fascinating details of piloting the SR-71. Using his rare aviation slides and stories as a vehicle, he tells a broader inspired story of hope, overcoming obstacles and daring to dream.

Shul graduated from East Carolina University in 1970 with a degree in history and anthropology. After graduation, for the next 20 years he served as an Air Force fighter pilot. During the Vietnam War, he flew 212 close air support missions. During one of these missions, Shul was shot down near the Cambodian border and was unable to eject, so he was forced to fly his plane into the jungle. He was severely burned in the crash. Shul was rescued by Special Forces and endured one year in military hospitals where he underwent 15 surgical procedures and was told he would never fly again.

After much physical therapy, Shul miraculously returned to active duty flying. He flew the A-7D, was an instructor in the A-10 and went on to teach at the Air Force's Top Gun School. He culminated his Air Force career by flying our nation's top secret spy plane, the SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest aircraft ever built. He flew covert missions in the Blackbird for four years and was the pilot who provided President Reagan with detailed photos of Libyan terrorist camps in 1986. During that time, he became the only SR-71 pilot in history to fly three missions in three consecutive days.

Retiring from the Air Force in 1990, Shul pursued his writing and photography interests. He was the first pilot to write a book about flying the Blackbird, which is completely illustrated with his own photography. The book won Aviation Book of the Year honors and is today the single most popular book on that plane worldwide. He is also the only man to fly extensively with both the Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds as a photojournalist.

[FlintMcgee]

I have recently received news of the passing of Major Brian Shul, and it deeply saddens my heart to see one of, if not a legendary, aviators leave this floating ball of dirt we call home. My deepest condolences to the family. Rest in peace, Mr. Shul.

[nsaadverse]

Brian has been our next-door neighbor for years. While he was moving in my R.N. wife told me she met him and they talked for a long while. She said his name was Brian and he looked like he had been badly burned. She was impressed with his enthusiasm and friendliness. I already knew who Brian Shul was, but she didn't know his last name. A few hours later I met him and when he introduced himself I told him I knew who he was. I was amazed that he was now my neighbor, since I already had a friend who flew both the U-2 and the SR-71 and the coincidence was uncanny.
Brian was such a great guy and the world will be a poorer place without his wit, wisdom and affirmation of life. We were absolutely stunned to hear of his death in Reno. He was always coming or going from a speaking engagement (he volunteered and spoke to our grand-nephew's aviation charter school when he found out about it. The kids were spellbound) or going somewhere to enjoy his love of nature photography. Endless energy.
Saying we miss Brian is an understatement. He is irreplaceable, an American icon.

[Jaden]

My favorite SR 71 quote is: Through the valley of death I shall fear no evil, for I am at 80, 000 feet and climbing.

[CharlieeDownes]

I've just heard the news that Brian Shul has passed away so I'm gonna watch this all the way through again.. for the 10th time. Thank you for your service, sacrifice and great stories Sir

[percy]

Four days ago I was certified dead man walking. Today I'm told I'll be cancer free in less than a year. I've been paddled back to life six times so far. This stud is telling the truth. Giving up for me is not an option. People just have no idea what you are capable of. I'm going around the sun still. I'm 70 years young. It's just a matter of attitude. I'll keep you posted in a year.

[peterlovett]

This man is a truely gifted speaker. His timing is impeccable in delivering a punch line with a straight face. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[jplumbob]

I found this after hearing of Brian’s passing. I did not think i would watch the entire video but i did. What an amazing man. RIP Sir.

[rpnqevx]

This is my FAVORITE video of ALL. Rest in Peace, Brian Shul. This is the third time watching this video all the way through. I am now deeply saddened by the loss of this great man.

[WiliiamNoTell]

Rest in peace Brian. May you climb to heaven like the plane you flew🎉

[luciferianjesuslover]

There were a lot of things we couldn’t do in an SR-71, but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun would not be the first word I would use to describe flying this plane. Intense, maybe. Even cerebral. But there was one day in our Sled experience when we would have to say that it was pure fun to be the fastest guys out there, at least for a moment. It occurred when Walt and I were flying our final training sortie. We needed 100 hours in the jet to complete our training and attain Mission Ready status. Somewhere over Colorado we had passed the century mark. We had made the turn in Arizona and the jet was performing flawlessly. My gauges were wired in the front seat and we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves, not only because we would soon be flying real missions but because we had gained a great deal of confidence in the plane in the past ten months. Ripping across the barren deserts 80, 000 feet below us, I could already see the coast of California from the Arizona border. I was, finally, after many humbling months of simulators and study, ahead of the jet. I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for Walter in the back seat. There he was, with no really good view of the incredible sights before us, tasked with monitoring four different radios. This was good practice for him for when we began flying real missions, when a priority transmission from headquarters could be vital. It had been difficult, too, for me to relinquish control of the radios, as during my entire flying career I had controlled my own transmissions. But it was part of the division of duties in this plane and I had adjusted to it. I still insisted on talking on the radio while we were on the ground, however. Walt was so good at many things, but he couldn’t match my expertise at sounding smooth on the radios, a skill that had been honed sharply with years in fighter squadrons where the slightest radio miscue was grounds for beheading. He understood that and allowed me that luxury. Just to get a sense of what Walt had to contend with, I pulled the radio toggle switches and monitored the frequencies along with him. The predominant radio chatter was from Los Angeles Center, far below us, controlling daily traffic in their sector. While they had us on their scope (albeit briefly), we were in uncontrolled airspace and normally would not talk to them unless we needed to descend into their airspace. We listened as the shaky voice of a lone Cessna pilot asked Center for a readout of his ground speed. Center replied: November Charlie 175, I’m showing you at ninety knots on the ground. Now the thing to understand about Center controllers, was that whether they were talking to a rookie pilot in a Cessna, or to Air Force One, they always spoke in the exact same, calm, deep, professional, tone that made one feel important. I referred to it as the “ HoustonCentervoice.” I have always felt that after years of seeing documentaries on this country’s space program and listening to the calm and distinct voice of the Houstoncontrollers, that all other controllers since then wanted to sound like that… and that they basically did. And it didn’t matter what sector of the country we would be flying in, it always seemed like the same guy was talking. Over the years that tone of voice had become somewhat of a comforting sound to pilots everywhere. Conversely, over the years, pilots always wanted to ensure that, when transmitting, they sounded like Chuck Yeager, or at least like John Wayne. Better to die than sound bad on the radios. Just moments after the Cessna’s inquiry, a Twin Beech piped up on frequency, in a rather superior tone, asking for his groundspeed. Twin Beach, I have you at one hundred and twenty-five knots of ground speed. Boy, I thought, the Beechcraft really must think he is dazzling his Cessna brethren. Then out of the blue, a navy F-18 pilot out of NAS Lemoore came up on frequency. You knew right away it was a Navy jock because he sounded very cool on the radios. Center, Dusty 52 ground speed check Before Center could reply, I’m thinking to myself, hey, Dusty 52 has a ground speed indicator in that million-dollar cockpit, so why is he asking Center for a readout? Then I got it, ol’ Dusty here is making sure that every bug smasher from Mount Whitney to the Mojave knows what true speed is. He’s the fastest dude in the valley today, and he just wants everyone to know how much fun he is having in his new Hornet. And the reply, always with that same, calm, voice, with more distinct alliteration than emotion: Dusty 52, Center, we have you at 620 on the ground. And I thought to myself, is this a ripe situation, or what? As my hand instinctively reached for the mic button, I had to remind myself that Walt was in control of the radios. Still, I thought, it must be done – in mere seconds we’ll be out of the sector and the opportunity will be lost. That Hornet must die, and die now. I thought about all of our Sim training and how important it was that we developed well as a crew and knew that to jump in on the radios now would destroy the integrity of all that we had worked toward becoming. I was torn. Somewhere, 13 miles above Arizona, there was a pilot screaming inside his space helmet. Then, I heard it. The click of the mic button from the back seat. That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check? There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground. I think it was the forty-two knots that I liked the best, so accurate and proud was Center to deliver that information without hesitation, and you just knew he was smiling. But the precise point at which I knew that Walt and I were going to be really good friends for a long time was when he keyed the mic once again to say, in his most fighter-pilot-like voice: Ah, Center, much thanks, We’re showing closer to nineteen hundred on the money. For a moment Walter was a god. And we finally heard a little crack in the armor of the HoustonCentervoice, when L.A.came back with: Roger that Aspen, Your equipment is probably more accurate than ours. You boys have a good one. It all had lasted for just moments, but in that short, memorable sprint across the southwest, the Navy had been flamed, all mortal airplanes on freq were forced to bow before the King of Speed, and more importantly, Walter and I had crossed the threshold of being a crew. A fine day’s work. We never heard another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast. For just one day, it truly was fun being the fastest guys out there

[jordanleng]

Rest in Peace. An aviation legend, Aim High.

[Verleuvl]

I was a B-52 crew chief stationed at Mather AFB, A TAC base with a SAC wing. I remember going to Beale AFB and seeing an SR-71 and standing in awe as it leaked fuel, waiting to taxi out. As much as I was impressed and awed by this aircraft, this man and his indomitable spirit, impress me more!

[pfeiffew]

RIP, Major, I remember him in 78 at Davis Monthan, sharp, sharp stick, always glad to have him fly my bird back then, a true pilot, a full, rich career, shows what determination and hard work can accomplish 👍🇺🇸

[phearlesspharaoh]

When he talks about the Army sending 9 people from the burn unit in Sam Houston to Okinawa to save him and when they went out to buy him every packet of cherry Kool-aid because it was all he could eat; just tore me up….empathy and compassion are powerful things. ✝️

[edwinbest]

As an old Cessna pilot (175 knots over the ground). I recognize how truly special Brian is. But what makes him so special is not speed, it’s his determination to overcome and catch his dreams. God bless brother!

[MaggotSr.]

R.I.P Major Brian Shul. You gave so much for this country that we all owe you a debt. You are a true legend, a true American Hero and you will not be forgotten sir!

[clfoster]

In the mid 1980s, l don't recall the exact year, my Father and I were traveling on I-5 between Sacramento and Orland, CA. We looked up and an SR-71 had just come out of Beale. The pilot just lit it up and the chase planes looked like they were parked. It was one of the most amazing things we had ever seen. My Father was a Pearl Harbor survivor (USN 1939 to 1946). I am a Vietnam Veteran, so we had both seen a few things. We were astonished.
We spoke of the encounter often, at BBQs and such until his passing in 89.
Whether it was you or another Pilot, thank you for giving an old man such a grand memory.
God Speed Sir,
CL

[robbies]

Who else is here because of the collecting cars podcast?
Brilliant guy, lived a full life

[johngraham]

I was a small part of the rehab team at Brook Army Med center when then Captain Shul was recovering. I remember thinking of how fortunate he was to be alive. I’ve wondered over the many years since what became of him. I’m so glad I stumbled upon his presentation. For some of us it’s hard to imagine the future life of a burn victim and all they must learn to overcome. Cheers Brian! You have become the moral to the human spirit and I’m glad to have known you. Whoooa!!

[nrv]

I was at Edwards AFB Oct 1999 for the last flight of the SR-71 in public. They demo’d Mach 3 with an overflight. You could not see the airplane until they started jettisoning fuel in dashes across the sky. Holy crap… witnessing Mach 3 gave me shivers how fast that really is! Our nation owes Kelly Johnson and his team a debt of gratitude for incredible engineering and manufacturing.