Shady Lady

Rick Bishop, a former U-2 pilot, takes the reader deep into the Black World of 'air breathing' (non-satellite) reconnaissance, with a revealing and detailed account of the trials and challenges of flying a machine widely acknowledged as 'the most dangerous aircraft in the world, ' as well as revealing the personalities and adventures of some of the elite cadre of hand-selected pilots who have the right stuff to tame the Dragon Lady.

From the grueling two-week interview process, through early training flights to many exploits flying top-secret missions around the world, and his eventual rise to Commander, the author sheds new light on a world that is largely unknown outside the tight fraternity of U-2 pilots and support personnel.

This personal insight by a former Commander of the only operational U-2 squadron in the USA provides a unique account of the pressures and dangers involved in flying this remarkable and iconic intelligence-gathering machine.