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Our Original Reviews Copyrighted
© 1995-99 Area 51 Research Center
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Photo-book
80 Pages, Softbound Book
Squadron/Signal Publications, 1995
Added to Catalog: 2/14/97
The criteria established for pilot selection for the men who would fly the A-12 was strict. Obviously the pilots chosen would have to be the cream of the crop. This was due to the overall performance of the A-12 and to the fact that the men had to be cleared to fly highly classified intelligence missions. The pilots had to be between 25 and 40 years old, qualified in the latest high performance aircraft, emotionally stable and highly motivated.
Air Force files were screened for possible candidates and a list of sixteen potential nominees interviewed. The CIA had to go over each and every one's background with a fine toothed comb, followed by a complete head to toe physical. Those that remained were approached to take on employment with the CIA as contract pilots.
When it was all over and done with, eleven pilots passed all the hurdles and were assigned to the 1129th SAS, located at the secret test facility at Groom Lake, or Area 51, in south central Nevada.
When the Groom Lake facility was chosen, it was deficient of most human amenities. The base had inadequate POL storage and the former U-2 runway was woefully deficient in both length and strenth. But it did have one thing that no other base had, total isolation. The security was excellent or could be made so, and a moderate construction program could provide sufficient facilities for the OXCART/CYGNUS program.
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