New Glider Altitude Record

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  • New Glider Altitude Record

    The Perlan 2, an experimental glider, has set a world record for high-altitude flight. It reached 76,100 feet over the El Calafate region in Argentina.
    Bacon is the answer. I forgot the question.

  • #2
    And I thought I did a good one with 32,000...

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Ray Tackett View Post
      76,100 feet
      Hi Ray,
      Yup, been watch’n this endeavor for awhile. Shoot’n for 90K . . . boggles the mind.
      The concept of being at these kinds of altitudes, sans pressure suit, is beyond scary.
      Don’t’cha know, at the true airspeeds they need to fly, they got’a be flirt’n with control surface flutter with attendant loss of the vehicle.

      Regards,
      Tom Charlton (who’d need to be proffered a huge pile of cash to do what they’re doing)
      "The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Ralph Jones View Post
        And I thought I did a good one with 32,000...
        Hi Ralph,
        I’ve flown aerial mapping flights at 25K in an unpressurized Cessna 411 long ago. Even with a diluter demand system scared the bejesus out’a me<g>. I guy can catch a case of stupid then dead real quick up there<ng>.

        Regards,
        Tom Charlton
        "The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Tom Charlton View Post
          Hi Ralph,
          I’ve flown aerial mapping flights at 25K in an unpressurized Cessna 411 long ago. Even with a diluter demand system scared the bejesus out’a me<g>. I guy can catch a case of stupid then dead real quick up there<ng>.

          Regards,
          Tom Charlton
          One of my Army buddies talks about high altitude mapping using a Mohawk.
          I Earned my Spurs in Vietnam
          48th AHC 1971-72

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Tom Charlton View Post
            Hi Ralph,
            I’ve flown aerial mapping flights at 25K in an unpressurized Cessna 411 long ago. Even with a diluter demand system scared the bejesus out’a me<g>. I guy can catch a case of stupid then dead real quick up there<ng>.

            Regards,
            Tom Charlton
            I read about the previous record and this one. The glider is actually pressurized.

            And they did a tow up to 40K. So, while very high, not so much altitude gain.

            My best was 18,000 in WV in a Grob 102.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Terry Carraway View Post
              My best was.
              Wow, just readin' here and am jsut amazed, we had a Schwiezer (spellling?) 1-23 at Lubbock/Hobbs and thought I was lucky to be able to fly it a few times.

              best, randy

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Randy Sohn View Post
                Schwiezer (spellling?) 1-23
                Schweizer. German fiberglass squeezed them out of the glider market a while back and they're a helicopter company now, though there are a lot of their products still flying. Their 2-32 had a wide back seat that could hold two people, and most of that fleet got bought up by a tourist-ride chain.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Terry Carraway View Post
                  The glider is actually pressurized.
                  * The cabin will be pressurized to 8.5 psi (14,500 feet). Pure oxygen rebreather system.

                  Ya’but Terry, Won’t be pressurized when high speed aileron flutter rips the wing off. At altitude they’re flying a high % of mach.

                  * At 90,000 ft air density is less than 2% of what it is at sea level.
                  * TAS at 90,000 is 350 knots.
                  * M1 is about 585 kt. So flying at about mach 0.6.
                  * Wing span of 84 feet.
                  * I'm sure they've done the engineering but . . . mighty fast for a long, experimental, slender wing.

                  http://perlanproject.org/

                  And they did a tow up to 40K. So, while very high, not so much altitude gain.
                  No question they could use the wave to get to 40K. It’s the fact that they are able to continue on up!

                  My best was 18,000 in WV in a Grob 102.
                  Hey . . . I got to cloud bases in a clunky ole schweizer here in FL<ha>. Can’t do da wave here<g>!

                  Regards,
                  Tom Charlton

                  "The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Ralph Jones View Post
                    Schweizer. German fiberglass squeezed them out of the glider market a while back and they're a helicopter company now, though there are a lot of their products still flying. Their 2-32 had a wide back seat that could hold two people, and most of that fleet got bought up by a tourist-ride chain.
                    And how many people got their primary training in a 2-33, or the predecessor, the 2-22, also known as the Brick. ]

                    And the 1-26 is still a well patronized one design class.

                    I have time in 2-33, 1-26, and 1-36.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Tom Charlton View Post
                      * The cabin will be pressurized to 8.5 psi (14,500 feet). Pure oxygen rebreather system.

                      Ya’but Terry, Won’t be pressurized when high speed aileron flutter rips the wing off. At altitude they’re flying a high % of mach.

                      * At 90,000 ft air density is less than 2% of what it is at sea level.
                      * TAS at 90,000 is 350 knots.
                      * M1 is about 585 kt. So flying at about mach 0.6.
                      * Wing span of 84 feet.
                      * I'm sure they've done the engineering but . . . mighty fast for a long, experimental, slender wing.

                      http://perlanproject.org/


                      No question they could use the wave to get to 40K. It’s the fact that they are able to continue on up!


                      Hey . . . I got to cloud bases in a clunky ole schweizer here in FL<ha>. Can’t do da wave here<g>!

                      Regards,
                      Tom Charlton
                      The old "coffin corner" where Vne (TAS) comes to meet Stall speed (IAS).

                      No, the used a tow plane to 40K, not the wave. In that region, the bottom of the wave could be well into the upper 20s, low 30s.

                      Even more impressive, I did a 1+10 in a 2-33 in thermals just west of San Antonio.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Terry Carraway View Post

                        And how many people got their primary training in a 2-33, or the predecessor, the 2-22, also known as the Brick. ]

                        And the 1-26 is still a well patronized one design class.

                        I have time in 2-33, 1-26, and 1-36.
                        Soloed in 2-22, 2-33 & 1-26 on 3/24/1966.
                        Tom Tyson-A&P

                        Pilots without Mechanics are just Pedestrians with fancy watches . . .
                        ( . . . and Mechanics without Pilots are Unemployed.)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Good to see that many avsiggers have sailplane experience in their past.
                          Hard to pinpoint exactly any one thing about that background that forever makes you a better pilot, but better pilot you are.

                          Regards,
                          Tom Charlton

                          "The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hard to pinpoint exactly any one thing about that background that forever makes you a better pilot, but better pilot you are.
                            How about stick-and-rudder skills and a solid feel for energy management? I got mine in wood-and-fabric taildraggers without flaps. Aerobatics in a Stearman were a big part of it for me. Cubs on wheels and skis did a lot, too.

                            Lotsa "systems operators" with pilot certificates these automated, glass cockpit days.

                            (My glider time is one ride.)
                            Bacon is the answer. I forgot the question.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Ray Tackett View Post
                              How about stick-and-rudder skills and a solid feel for energy management? I got mine in wood-and-fabric taildraggers without flaps. Aerobatics in a Stearman were a big part of it for me. Cubs on wheels and skis did a lot, too.
                              Hi Ray,
                              Yup, all that stuff sort’a cumulatively adds up and makes a positive difference.

                              Lotsa "systems operators" with pilot certificates these automated, glass cockpit days.
                              I spoz that’s largely what’s needed in today’s environment . . . until a bunch of geese clog up both of your motors. Or until the flight crew pancakes your airliner into the Atlantic because nobody recognizes we're in a deep stall <ng>

                              Suspect there’ll be additional such events with higher demand for pilots and more pilot-mill / ab-initio training.

                              Hoping my Southwest crew to Dilute and return are a bunch of sailplane, tailwheel love’n aerobatic aficionado geezers.<g>

                              Regards,
                              Tom Charlton
                              "The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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