This awesome video shows several U-2 crash landings (proving how difficult landing a Dragon Lady may be)

June 14, 2013 Aviation Safety / Air Crashes, Military Aviation

David Cenciotti

The U-2 Dragon Lady is probably one the most difficult plane to land in the world.

That’s why, U-2 spyplanes need chase automobiles to supervise take offs, landings (and touch and gos).

Such sport cars are driven by highly trained pilot who act as ground-based wingmen for pilots flying aircraft whose size is such that the pilot’s view is obstructed by the airframe or part of it, and there’s a significant risk of hitting any ground obstacle with a wingtip.

Both manned and unmanned planes rely on chase cars, 20 of those are located across the globe.

Anyway, watch the video, showing several crash landings or overruns!

H/T to Tony Lovelock for the heads-up

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.