Beale AFB resume U-2 flights

USAF Photo U.S. Air Force has resumed flight operations of the U-2 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft from the Beale Air Force base...

USAF Photo

U.S. Air Force has resumed flight operations of the U-2 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft from the Beale Air Force base in California on September 23.

The local flights were halted after a two seat TU-2S aircraft from the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron crashed while on a routine training flight on September 20, Tuesday near the Sutter Buttes mountain range.

One of the pilot Lt. Col. Steve S. Eadie, assigned to the 1st RS died after ejecting from the aircraft which crashed shortly after takeoff. The other pilot sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Local training flights were paused for 72 hours while the crash did not impacted USAF's global ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions.

The U-2 Dragon Lady entered service in 1955, 61 years before as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

The aircraft can fly at 70,000 feet, hence requiring the pilot to wear a astronaut type full-pressure suit.