He knows he's a little cocky. But he said surviving the cockpit of the SR-71 Blackbird -- the U.S. Air Force spy plane he flew for more than a decade in the late 1970s and through the 1980s -- gave him license to be that self-assured.

The planes -- rare, complex and highly technical -- were built from handcrafted components rather than assembled in factories from mass-produced parts. As a result, each plane had its own quirks, whimsies and ways. Each one flew just a little different, he said.

Shul described the once-top-secret plane as a marvel in technical achievement and American engineering, adding that's there's nothing like it flying today.

He uses his photos to punctuate a show he puts on called "Blackbird Spy Pilots," which describes his adventures as a pilot and explains why the plane is so unique.

Marysville is the home of the plane, and in 2003, Shul, who already had spent more than a decade on the lecture circuit speaking for the Air Force, decided to put on a show there devoted just to the Blackbird, commemorating the centennial of flight.

The show was a huge a success, so he put it on the two following years. This summer, he's expanding the presentation and taking it on the road to Redding, where he'll do one show with his co-pilot Watson at the Cascade Theatre.

"The show has taken on a life of its own," he said. "I have the most unique show, the most unique slides." Shul retired from the Air Force in 1990. His stint as a Blackbird pilot was little more than a footnote in his early shows and presentations. He was more famous for being a combat veteran and burn survivor.

However, now that the focus of the show is the Blackbird, Shul has been able to add more of his photos, tell more stories and add more entertainment.

Watson added another SR-71 rarity to Shul's presentation. He was the only black pilot to fly in the Blackbird program. Shul said they were a unique pair to fly together -- Shul, the famous burn victim, and Watson, the only black man.

The Redding show will go from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20, and proceeds from the show go to support the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Haven Humane Society and New Directions to Hope.

Instead, it's a celebration of the human spirit, the country's history and the marvel of the SR-71 Blackbird. "It's a tribute to the airplane," he said.

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