YouTuber and U.S Air Force veteran flew a spy plane built in secret 70,000ft to the edge of space
- A veteran was given the chance to fly in 70,000ft in a US spy plane
- The U-2 Dragon Lady flies to the edge of space
- But getting a chance to sit in the cockpit doesn’t come easy
Published on Feb 25, 2025 at 8:43 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Feb 25, 2025 at 9:31 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A U.S. Air Force veteran – and aerospace enthusiast – was given the chance to take a flight to the edge of space inside a secretive spy plane known as the U-2 Dragon Lady.
While it may sound a bit like the plot of a James Bond flick, it was actually a real experience for veteran and content creator Sam Eckholm.
He took a flight 21,300 meters (70,000 feet) above Earth – getting right to the edge of space.
Not only that, but the aircraft he was in at the time was a US-developed spy plane dating back more than 70 years.
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The ‘spy plane’ was built in secret by the US during the Cold War
Sam Eckholm regularly shares videos centered around aerospace and defense – such as this one revealing the secrets of a super-sized aircraft boneyard in Arizona.
In a recent video posted to his YouTube channel, he was given the incredible opportunity to take a 21,300 meter-high trip in the U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane.
The secretive aircraft was approved by the US Air Force back in 1954 and took its first flight the following year.
It had been specially designed to allow the US Government to spy on Russian nuclear development during the Cold War.
The planes are still in use today and decades after U-2 Dragon Lady’s inaugural flight, Eckholm was given the chance to take it to the skies.
There’s a lot of training to be done before getting into the plane
Before he hopped into the cockpit, Eckholm had to undertake hours of pre-flight training.
Not only that, but he also had to prove he had what it takes to don the special space suit that’s required kit for flying in the aircraft.
This meant he had to take part in a several-hour-long claustrophobia test, where he was made to wear the space suit and sat down in a quiet room to see how he got on.
Rather you than us, Sam.
Fortunately, he took the test – and the training – in his stride and he was finally ready to get up into the sky.
He and the U-2 Dragon Lady hit an altitude of around 21,300 meters and Eckholm was, understandably, blown away by the view.
Once back on terra firma, Eckholm was still reeling from the trip and struggled to find the words to describe it.
“If I had to sum up that experience I just had, I’m not sure you can really put it into words,” he said.
“Truly magnificent.”
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
