Hear Ed Yeilding, Lt Col (ret) talk about his time as an SR-71 pilot and his record-breaking flight as described below. Born 1949 in Florence AL, Ed became an Eagle Scout, earned an electrical engineering degree from Auburn University, 1972, and entered the Air Force through ROTC. He was an Air Force pilot for 23 years with assignments in the RF-4, F-4E, SR-71, and C‑20. With the SR-71, 1983-1990, Ed had 785 flight hours, flew 93 overseas reconnaissance missions and was an instructor, check pilot, and developmental test pilot. In 1990, Ed and RSO JT Vida set an official coast-to-coast aircraft speed record, 67 min 54 sec, Mach 3.3 cruise, 2,190 mph, 83,000 ft, and three city-to-city records, as they delivered an SR-71 to the Smithsonian, where it is displayed at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Its speed records still stand. After military retirement, Ed flew the DC‑9, DC-10, and 747-400 with Northwest/Delta Airlines. Ed resides again in his hometown, Florence, AL.