One need not worry about a flameout after takeoff in a U-2. The bicycle landing gear creates little drag and has no limiting airspeed, so there was no rush to tuck away the wheels. We passed through 30,000 feet five minutes after liftoff and climb rate steadily decreased until above 70,000 feet, when further climb occurred only as the result of fuel burn. On final approach Dragon Lady is still drifting toward the upper limits of the atmosphere at 100 to 200 fpm and will continue to do so until it is time to descend. It spends little of its life at a given altitude.
Descent begins by retarding the throttle to idle and lowering the landing gear.
This raises both ailerons 7.5 degrees above their normal neutral point and deflects the wing flaps 6.5 degrees upward. This helps to unload the wings and protect the airframe during possible turbulence in the lower atmosphere. Every pound saved resulted in a 10-foot increase in ceiling. With everything possible hanging and extended, the U-2 shows little desire to go down. It will take 40 minutes to descend to traffic pattern altitude but we needed only half that time climbing to altitude.