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From: raveling@vaxb.isi.edu (Paul Raveling)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: SR71 to be retired October 1st, rumors regarding SR-71
Message-ID: <7782@venera.isi.edu>
Date: 15 Mar 89 15:55:13 GMT
References: <524@gonzo.UUCP> <1475@petsd.UUCP> <13987@elroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> <976@nbife.NBI.COM> <1993NU052179@NDSUVM1>
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Reply-To: raveling@isi.edu (Paul Raveling)
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In article <1993NU052179@NDSUVM1> NU052179@NDSUVM1.BITNET writes:
>ron@nbife.NBI.COM (Ron Schweikert) writes:
>>There were many other rumors.  Heard any good ones you'd like me to comment
>>on?
>
>
>You'll like this one.  I heard that the skin of the aircraft was designed
>to allow for the expansion caused by fricion heating.  Therefor the gap
>left between each panel was such that fuel would leak out while the
>"Bird" was on the ground.  The plane had to be fueled and gotten into
>the air and up to speed to heat the skin and close the leaks!  WOW!
>     I would have ignored this one if I hadn't heard it from more than
>one "knowledgable" source.  It sounds a bit dangerous ;-)

	1st part's true -- The only SR-71's I've seen on the ground
	had drip pans under them to collect the fuel.

	However, it's not dangerous.  The fuel is JP-7, which has
	such a high flash point that it nearly requires an Act of God
	to ignite it.  The SR-71 ignites it by injecting triethyl
	borane (TEB) into the combustion chambers, both for starting
	engines and for igniting afterburners.


----------------
Paul Raveling
Raveling@isi.edu