How To Open an SR-71 Blackbird Cockpit

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A Team Effort

It required two people to open an SR-71’s cockpit. The two-man team would need to stand on opposite sides of the cockpit and be armed with metal rods.

They would then put the rods inside the “Canopy Lift” and lift them up. The “Canopy Lifts” are basically hidden doors for rods to be inserted in to create leverage.

This process can sometimes be hard, depending on which side you were assigned to open. The left side had a deck that you could stand up on. As for the right side, a lift can be used to access it and find good footing. If no lifts are available, good luck trying to stand up with the slanted design and (sometimes) slippery frame.

Learn more about the SR-71 by watching the video below!