Everything seemed to unfold in slow motion. I learned later the time from event onset to catastrophic departure from controlled flight was only 2–3 seconds. Still trying to communicate with Jim, I blacked out, succumbing to extremely high g-forces.
Then the SR-71 … literally … disintegrated around us.
From that point, I was just along for the ride. And my next recollection was a hazy thought that I was having a bad dream. Maybe I'll wake up and get out of this mess, I mused. Gradually regaining consciousness, realized this was no dream; it had really happened. That also was disturbing, because … I COULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED … what had just happened.
I must be dead. Since I didn't feel bad—just a detached sense of euphoria—I decided being dead wasn't so bad after all. As full awareness took hold, I realized I was not dead. But somehow I had separated from the airplane.
Via Hacker News [1], “Subject: Test Pilot Bill Weaver: Mach 3.18 Break Up of an SR- 71 Black Bird [2]”
And this is for Gregory [3], who likes this aviation stuff.
The story is incredible—Bill Weaver was flying at mach 3 when the SR-71 he was flying literally disintigrated around him and he survived with only minor scratches.
[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=133282
[2] http://www.916-starfighter.de/SR-