DOCSLIB.ORG

Surfing the Stratospheric Edge of Space with the Airbus Perlan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Surfing the Stratospheric Edge of Space with the Airbus Perlan 84 MARCH 2015 Ride the wave Surfing the stratospheric edge of space with the Airbus Perlan Mission II glider Pages 6-11 FORUM Print compensated Id-No. 1545110 www.bvdm-online.de THE POWER OF STORIES Whenever we tune into the news these days, all too often, stories of terrorism and global uncertainty 20 run rampant across our screens and pages. The beginning of 2015 has demonstrated this so FORUM 84 dramatically. As the editorial team of FORUM magazine, we believe it is time to “stand and fight for values that unite, EDITORIAL INNOVATION rather than divide,” in the words of our CEO Tom Enders earlier this year. Our contribution begins in 2015 by shining a light on our Group’s plethora of CONTENTS assets. With some 130 nationalities, Airbus Group embodies the prosperity that can be achieved by 18-19 FROM APOLLO TO ORION 38 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE embracing multiculturalism and democratic values. NASA’s newest space vehicle Orion will take humans farther into The 2015 Awards for Excellence celebrates the teamwork, Every day, across the globe, Airbus employees space than they’ve ever gone before with technologies light years effort and innovation behind solutions that move the transcend geographical and professional boundaries away from the Apollo programme. company forward and deliver value. to work together on cutting-edge projects. And this is no mean feat. 20-21 BACK TO NATURE 39 FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE Recent developments in design methodology and 3D printing Airbus Group is seeking to achieve balance in its workforce The age-old dream of flight and the pioneering human point to new possibilities for applying bionics to aviation. PEOPLE to ensure it is a diverse, top-performning enterprise. spirit have driven so many women and men to choose FEATURE to work in, or alongside, the aeronautics industry. 22-23 WHEN WORLDS UNITE 40-41 PARTNERING A unique research project combines Airbus Defence and While little is certain in today’s environment, there is 6 TO SHAPE THE FUTURE strength in knowing that Airbus Group is powered by 4-5 IN BRIEF Space’s robotics expertise with deep-sea exploration technology The Airbus Group University Partner Programme, formalised a diverse group of talented individuals with the ability Three months in 10 minutes: a flyover of recent achievements to discover more about the most extreme environments known in November 2014, creates win-win relationships to ensure to ride the tides of change while collectively dreaming across the Group. to man. the engineers of the future are prepared for the challenges ahead. up the future. 6-11 TO THE EDGE OF SPACE 24-25 BRINGING IDEAS BACK TO EARTH Airbus Perlan Mission II aims to shed more light on the Earth’s Airbus Group proves that high-flying technologies can improve In this issue, and those to come, we endeavour to atmosphere, push the boundaries of flight and inspire future fuel efficiency and lessen the environmental impact of future bring you stories that inspire; uplifting stories that generations. automobiles. remind us the value of teamwork, diversity and 42-43 BURGEONING POLSKA imagination. From the exciting Airbus Perlan Mission II FORUM takes a closer look at the Group’s current activities set to push the frontiers of flight, a glimpse at Silicon 12-16 FUTURE FASCINATIONS 26-31 THREE IN ONE FELL SWOOP in Poland and its plans for future growth. Valley’s modus operandi, to reflection on travel in Discover some of the innovative ideas resulting from the Discover Airbus Helicopter’s recent product upgrades, AROUND 2050, we are sure you won’t cease to be amazed at interdisciplinary Fascinations 2050 project sponsored the EC135 T3/P3 and EC145 T2, alongside its brand- THE GLOBE what talented aerospace professionals are getting by Airbus Group. new model, the EC175. up to these days. We invite you to discover these amazing stories and many others in a celebration of 17 INTO THE VALLEY what can be achieved when we work together. California’s Silicon Valley is a thriving business eco- system and its inhabitants are disrupting areas of the When it comes to media and where you get your economy where no one ever expected to find them. news, we know you have a vast choice at your 44 fingertips. FORUM is the only place where you can find the very best stories of Airbus Group’s past, MAKING IT FLY present and future under one roof. Your inspiration is 26 our driving force. Happy reading. 32-33 CEO TALKS HERITAGE The FORUM editorial team A GLIMPSE AHEAD PERFORMANCE, OUTLOOK FORUM interviews Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders 12 to find out what impressed him in 2014 and get his thoughts on the year ahead. 44-46 GLAMOROUS ROOTS The opening of Aeroscopia, Toulouse’s new aviation 34-36 SHARPENING THE museum, offers visitors a unique opportunity to learn about COMPETITIVE EDGE the industry’s past and present in the course of a single day. Published by Airbus Group Layout & production: Eduard Schulz Having exceeded its targets in 2014, Airbus sets Corporate Brand, Online and Employee Communications Assistant layouters: MediaServices Germany its sights on further enhancing the company’s 47 CONNECTED We’re listening… FORUM editorial office Photography: Credits only specified competitiveness. Stay up-to-date with Airbus Group happenings by 31703 Blagnac, France for photographs not supplied by connecting to our growing presence online. Dear readers, Airbus Group Director of Publication: Rainer Ohler 37 A COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT Cover: photo illustration by Peter Round The editors of FORUM want to hear from you. What PERFORMANCE The newly unified Airbus Group Foundation seeks Editor-in-Chief: Jeff Burridge Distribution matters: to support international initiatives and encourage would you like to see more or less of? Have an inspiring Managing Editor: Paige Wilson [email protected] employees to play their part. story you’d like us to tell? Editors: Mariane Pontone, Beata Cece, FORUM is Airbus Group’s internal and external Carolina Martín magazine published with a total circulation Send us your feedback to: [email protected] IMPRINT of 80,000 print copies worldwide. FORUM is Translation coordination: also available as a PDF online: Magalie Blandin www.airbusgroup.com We’re waiting to hear from you. IN Three months in 10 minutes: a flyover of recent achievements across the Group. BRIEF Paige Wilson and Cécile Bleys 2015 FIXION - GWLNSOD Germany takes delivery of its Airbus officially launches the Airbus Helicopters hands over first A400M at the A400M Final A321neo with 97 tonnes The European Space Agency the first deliveries of its new- Assembly Line in Seville, Spain. To maximum take-off weight (MTOW) member governments agree to generation EC175 to operator date, a total of nine A400Ms have and a range of 4,000nm. The CAPA / Cyril Abad develop a new-generation Ariane NHV for oil and gas missions in been delivered, and the aircraft is in A321neo will have the longest The all-electric E-Fan aircraft the North Sea. “Today is a very service with four nations. Bernhard Airbus Helicopters’ fleet in service From commercial and military 6 rocket and to fund the use of range of any single aisle airliner Doumenjou A. the International Space Station from Airbus Group Innovations special day for all of us. The deli- Gerwert, CEO Airbus Defence and with the oil and gas industry available today and tomorrow, aircraft to helicopters and radars, Airbus Group presents a wide (ISS) through 2017. The space takes centre stage at the Grand very of this first EC175 is indeed Space, says: “We are extremely surpasses the 10 million flight making it ideally suited to transa- Launch customer Qatar Airways range of cutting-edge products station funding includes payments Palais museum in Paris during a key milestone for NHV, for our proud to hand over the first A400M hour milestone, marking a new tlantic routes and allowing airlines makes the first commercial flight and technologies at the 10th needed to build the propulsion the ‘Osons la France’ economic customer community and for our to Germany. The A400M will play achievement in the 50-plus year to tap into new long haul markets with its brand-new A350 XWB on edition of Aero India at the Air Force module for NASA’s Orion deep- summit. The event showcases company,” says Airbus Helicop- a critical role in the modernisation history of heli-lift duties performed not previously accessible with a daily route between Doha and Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru. space crew capsule. innovation and creativity in France. ters President Guillaume Faury. of Germany’s air mobility force.” by its product line. current single aisle aircraft. Frankfurt. 02.12 04>07.12 11.12 19.12 31.12 13.01 16.01 18>22.02 03.12 10.12 18.12 22.12 12.01 14.01 30.01 27.02 Airbus celebrates the 200th A320 The newly formed Airbus In Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways, one Airbus opens a new chapter in The first 242-tonne maximum Located adjacent to Toulouse- Taking off from Seville, Spain, the Airbus Group releases its 2014 Family aircraft assembled by the Corporate Foundation launches of the world’s leading airlines, wel- aviation with the first delivery of take-off weight (MTOW) variant of Blagnac Airport, the Aeroscopia first of four Airbus Defence and financials at its annual press Airbus Tianjin Final Assembly Line at an employee fundraiser to raise comes the first of its ten new Air- the spanking new A350 XWB to the A330 successfully completes Museum officially opens its doors, Space A400Ms ordered by the conference held in Munich, its Tianjin site in China.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Airbus Perlan Mission II Soars to Over 62,000 Feet, Setting Second Altitude World Record and Crossing Armstrong Line
    Airbus Perlan Mission II soars to over 62,000 feet, setting second altitude world record and crossing Armstrong Line EL CALAFATE, Argentina, 27 August, 2018 – Airbus Perlan Mission II, the world’s first initiative to pilot an engineless aircraft to the edge of space, made history again yesterday in El Calafate, Argentina, by soaring in the stratosphere to a pressure altitude of over 62,000 feet (60,669 feet GPS altitude). This set a new gliding altitude world record, pending official validation. The pressurized Perlan 2 glider, which is designed to soar up to 90,000 feet, passed the Armstrong Line, the point in the atmosphere above which an unprotected human’s blood will boil if an aircraft loses pressurization. This marks a second glider altitude world record for Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock, the same two Perlan Project pilots who soared the Perlan 2 to 52,221 feet GPS altitude on Sept. 3, 2017, in the same remote region of Argentine Patagonia. The 2017 record broke a previous record that was set in 2006, in the unpressurized Perlan 1, by Perlan Project founder Einar Enevoldson and Steve Fossett. “This is a tremendous moment for all the volunteers and sponsors of Airbus Perlan Mission II who have been so dedicated to making our nonprofit aerospace initiative a reality,” said Ed Warnock, CEO of The Perlan Project. “Our victory today, and whatever other milestones we achieve this year, are a testament to a pioneering spirit of exploration that runs through everyone on the project and through the organizations that support us.” “Innovation is a buzzword in aerospace today, but Perlan truly embodies the kind of bold thinking and creativity that are core Airbus values,” said Tom Enders, Airbus CEO.
    [Show full text]
  • Analysis of Mountain Wave 3D Wind Fields in the Andes Derived From
    Analysis of mountain wave 3D wind fields in the Andes derived from high-altitude sailplane flights Rick Millane1, Ni Zhang1, Einar Enevoldson2 and James Murray2 [email protected] 1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand 2NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, USA Abstract Mountain lee waves are of importance in meteorology since they produce drag that affects the general circula- tion, and can influence windstorms, clear-air turbulence and ozone abundance. Since mountain waves are used routinely by sailplane pilots, data collected during wave flights are potentially useful for studying the structure of mountain waves. We have previously described methods for determining 3D wind velocities in mountain waves from limited sailplane flight data. These methods are applied to data from a high-altitude sailplane flight in the lee of the Andes that reached an altitude of over 15,000 m, well into the stratosphere, allowing a unique kind of in-situ observation of stratospheric mountain waves. The derived wind fields show parts of the wave structure in the troposphere and the stratosphere, and are compared with other observational data. Thus, a minimally instrumented sailplane can provide useful data for mountain wave research. Introduction from the mountain range. For the case of these trapped waves in the troposphere, the wavelength is typically between 2 km Gravity waves are perturbations in the atmosphere that are and 20 km [1, 2]. The wave crests may be marked by station- driven by gravity and buoyancy [1, 2]. Net forces on a par- ary lenticular clouds where the rising air cools to the dew point.
    [Show full text]
  • Perfect 10X? Pioneer Enevoldson P34 What to Expect from Dassault’S Greatest Falcon P12 705371327 770015 9 £4.99
    FlightGlobal.com June 2021 Airbus nears narrowbody rate rise Freighter conversions deliver the goods p16 Remembering Perlan Perfect 10X? pioneer Enevoldson p34 What to expect from Dassault’s greatest Falcon p12 9 770015 371327 £4.99 Firm ground Power shift Boeing seeks How engine stability before makers see next project the future 06 p50 p69 Comment Plus ca change? Forming up Apparent accord between three European nations on their future fighter project is positive, but a lack of detail on the agreement’s practicalities leaves many unanswered questions Bundeswehr or a while it had seemed NGF’s prime contractor, it has UK-led Tempest future fighter pro- doubtful that an accord seen its share of the project fall gramme continues to go quietly might ever be reached be- from 50% to 33%, while its rival’s about its business. tween France, Germany and has risen to 66%. In contrast with its FCAS rival, FSpain to allow their Future Com- Although the defence ministries the Tempest effort, which also bat Air System (FCAS) to progress of the three nations say that their includes Italy and Sweden, has so to the next stage of development. differences are resolved, it is so far far has been notable for a lack of There had seemed too many unclear how that translates to the public discord. obstacles to progress, notably the industrial level. It is hard to pinpoint the reason thorny issues of workshare and Further hurdles remain, of for that apparent harmony – and it intellectual property. course: the Bundestag still needs may well not last for the duration Dassault Aviation was particularly to give its assent to this next step; of the programme – but perhaps outspoken about the potential di- elections in Germany this year and it is simply that all the parties are lution of its role in the process.
    [Show full text]
  • Einar Enevoldson NA
    Volume 27: Issue 3 ● April 2012 A Publication of the Pine Mountain Lake Aviation Association April 7th – Einar Enevoldson NASA's High Flying Test Pilot and Current Sailplane World Altitude Record Holder presenting "Soaring Beyond the Clouds" at 6:00 PM at a pot luck at Norm and Patty Peebles' hangar ur April speaker is Einar Enevoldson. Einar served as a jet fighter pilot and test pilot in the Currently retired from NASA, but still flying at US Air Force at Edwards AFB in the late '50s. In O 79 years young, Einar 1959, he was awarded the DFC for his record flights is hot after his own sailplane in the F-104 Starfighter. Later he served as an world altitude record of exchange officer with the Royal Air Force where he 50,724 feet. In 2006 Einar was a test pilot on the Hawker Hunter, Electric set the record with Steve Lightning and Javelin fighter aircraft at Farnborough. Fossett far south in the In 1968, Einar joined NASA where he was involved Argentine Patagonia above in numerous programs as a test pilot with the Dryden the Andes mountains in the Flight Research Center. He was awarded the NASA wind field of the Exceptional Service Medal for his work on the F-111 stratospheric polar night jet. Supercritical Wing Program and a second NASA Now, Einar is shooting for 100,000 feet. Yes, it's ESM on the F-14 stall and spin test program. possible says Einar under the right conditions in the right location with the right machine.
    [Show full text]
  • Data Mining for Atmospheric Gravity Waves (Lee Waves)
    Data Mining for Atmospheric Gravity Waves (Lee Waves) Alfred Ultsch1, Joachim Curtius2 and Christof Maul3 [email protected] 1Data Bionics Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany 2Institute of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany 3Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Technische Universitat¨ Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany Abstract Gravity waves can emerge as a result of the perturbation of atmospheric circulatory systems. They encompass periodic, yet geographically stationary, changes in temperature, pressure and vertical wind component. Occur- rence of such waves is frequent if strong winds hit high mountains. Secondary effect of such waves may also be encountered as clear air turbulence (CAT) in commercial flights. Atmospheric gravity waves strongly influence weather phenomena and on a larger time scale climatic processes. They are responsible for the vertical transport and mixing of air from the stratosphere up to the mesosphere. First results from research flights in the Pyrenees during the spring 2015 measuring campaign are reported. Several flights with a sensor equipped unpowered glider in altitudes between 2000 and 7000m were undertaken. Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery methods were applied. The results point to interesting patterns (states) in the structure and formation of lee waves and lead to the understanding of such flights as Wave Track Flight scenarios. Nomenclature of the Andes [1]. While much is known in principle about lee waves (see [2]) there are several open issues. 2 g Acceleration of gravity, 9.81 m/s One of the most important points for the usability of lee waves h Altitude for efficient long distance gliding is the leeward distance of the FL Flight Level first upward lift from the wave generating obstacle.
    [Show full text]
  • Airbus Perlan Project Mission II 2019 Season Stormi Noll, Desert Research Institute
    Airbus Perlan Project Mission II 2019 Season Stormi Noll, Desert Research Institute The Airbus Perlan 2 research glider has recently returned from its 2019 campaign of using stratospheric waves and the polar vortex over the Southern Andes to reach record altitudes and collect scientific data. The Perlan Project is composed of a team of world-class scientists, engineers, pilots, and administrators working together to apply aerospace technology and atmospheric research to fly a glider higher than any unmanned aircraft has ever flown. The Perlan 2 currently holds several of the highest altitude records including the most recently attained record of 74,298 feet, set in September 2018. For the 2019 season, the Perlan set out ​ ​ to reach a record glider flight altitude of 90,000 feet. In addition to aeronautical advancement, the Perlan 2 also supports atmospheric scientific discovery by carrying an array of atmospheric instrumentation with the ability to measure temperature, ozone, UVA/UVB, atmospheric pressure, differential pressure, and wind speed, direction, and lift. The 2019 season was unique in that the southern polar region experienced an unprecedented sudden stratospheric warming event, which weakened the Perlan 2’s ability to reach record altitudes. A sudden stratospheric ​ warming event is considered to be occurring when there is a sudden warming of the polar stratosphere without any obvious external source. These events can warm the polar stratosphere by as much as 10 degrees Celsius per day within a week, reversing the normal north-south temperature gradient that the polar jet requires to maintain strength. The polar night jet is believed to be a key driver of tropospheric weather and climate patterns.
    [Show full text]
  • Perlan 2 Fliegen Soll, Wird Von Meteorologen Oft “Ignorosphere” Genannt
    Segelfliegen in astronomischen Höhen! 1) Einführung Aufwind Wer erinnert sich nicht an seinen ersten „Tausender“: „Ich bin mit dem Segelflugmodell in der Thermik auf 1000m über Startstelle gestiegen! Ich hab’s geschafft!“ Und schon kommt der Kollege: „Ja wo? In den Alpen? Hast Du’s auch schon mal in der Ebene probiert?“ Und ein dritter: „Ja mit Vario kann das jeder! Könnt Ihr das aber auch ohne Vario und in der Ebene?“ Wie hoch kommt man aber wirklich mit einem dafür optimierten Flugzeug, wenn als allerletzte und einzige Bedingung bleibt, dass es keinen Antrieb haben darf? Bis 8.000 m? Bis 10.000 m? In der Tat: Im Wellensegelflug hinter hohen Bergketten sind bei starkem Wind solche Höhen möglich. 2) Das Perlan-Projekt Der bisherige Troposphäre und Stratosphäre Höhenweltrekord mit einem Segelflugzeug allerdings wird Die Internationale Normatmosphäre ICAO stellt ein über die gehalten von Steve Fossett Wettereinflüsse gemitteltes Abbild der realen Erdatmosphäre dar. und Einar Enevoldson mit Sie gibt die Abhängigkeit von Temperatur, Druck, Dichte und 15.460 m. Dieser Rekord anderen Größen von der Höhe über Normalnull (NN) wieder: wurde im Rahmen von Phase 1 des Perlan-Projektes (www.perlanproject.org ) Temperatur in °C am 29.8.2006 erflogen und -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 von der FAI anerkannt. (http://www.fai.org/record- 25 gliding , Gliding World Records, „absolute altitude“). Stratosphäre 20 Sie erflogen den Rekord in einer Eigenentwicklung 15 namens „Perlan 1“ basierend auf einer stark modifizierten Tropopause 10 DG-505M. Die Piloten trugen Höheüber NN inkm Druckanzüge, die Kabine Troposphäre 5 selbst war allerdings keine Druckkabine! 0 (http://weatherextreme.com/p 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1 1,2 1,4 1,6 erlan-project/ ) Druck in bar und Dichte in kg/m³ Das Perlan-Projekt strebt aber nach höheren Zielen, ja greift Diagramm 1: Temperatur, Luftdruck und Luftdichte in Abhängigkeit beinahe nach den Sternen: In von der Flughöhe.
    [Show full text]
  • The Perlan Project: Soaring to Near-Space
    The Perlan Project: Soaring to Near-Space Michael Batalia1&3, Shelly Hynes2&3, Chris Hynes2&3, Einar Enevoldson3, Ed Warnock3, Morgan Sandercock3, Elizabeth Austin3&4, Greg Cole3&5 (1Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 2The Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, Natchitoches, Louisiana, 3The Perlan Project, Beaverton, Oregon 4Weather Extreme Ltd., Fallbrook, California 5Windward Performance Ltd., Bend, Oregon) Summary Design Specification (CDS) [Chin et al. 2008]. By Utilizing the CDS, researchers will be able to reuse The Perlan Project is dedicated to building and experiments designed to fly on other platforms, as flying research gliders capable of travel to “near- well as to prepare and test experiments on Perlan space”, the realm of Earth’s middle atmosphere. II flights prior to flying the experiments on other The Perlan II is currently under construction, and it platforms. is a pressurized, high altitude sailplane designed to reach 90,000+ feet. Unlike the SR-71 Blackbird The Perlan II sailplane is under construction in which relies on massive engines to power its way Bend, Oregon at the Windward Performance Ltd. to high altitudes, the Perlan II sailplane is designed aircraft factory. Flight testing is scheduled to begin to harness the lift of stratospheric mountain waves in the spring of 2013 contingent on continued generated when the polar vortex, a persistent, funding. Design and construction of the Perlan II large-scale cyclone located near both of our sailplane creates unique engineering challenges planet's geographical poles, crosses the Andes for professionals and students. The Perlan II will Mountains. Once accomplished, these flights will fly in a virtual vacuum of only 3% atmospheric set new manned altitude records for wing-borne pressure.
    [Show full text]
  • The Highest Ever Week of Soaring Airbus Perlan Mission II Jackie Payne
    I The Highest Ever Week of Soaring Airbus Perlan Mission II Jackie Payne Top: It takes a team to accomplish what the was the big payoff with an 8 day vali- Perlan Project is accomplishing. With Stewart's dation that the southern Polar Vortex beard showing the wind. (Photo by Jackie Payne.) does create soarable lift to above 76,000 ft. It takes specific weather con- ditions, a pressurized sailplane, and an awesome onsite team of 20 volunteers to make it happen. Here s the story. GLIDER ALTITUDE: Background VERTICAL SPEED: 6 kts Many years ago, Perlan Project's GLIDER SPEED: WIND SPEED: founder, Einar Enevoldson, hypoth- A^T"'/ ,\0 ° 20 Xx esized that there was wave lift in the ^>200 W f"10 «0<^ — IM O »0 — stratosphere above the tropopause. -;„ \ ',», iM\M^ In 2006, Einar and Steve Fossett ''/ihV' proved it with the Perlan 1, a modi- Above: Five pilots toast attaining 76,000 ft. GLIDER HEADING: WIND DIRECTION: fied DG-505, during Perlan Mission L-R: Tim Gardner, Morgan Sandercock, Ame Vasenden, Jim Payne, Miguel Iturmendi. (Photo 268° 282° I. During descent from their record by Jackie Payne.) flight to 50,722 ft, they decided that they should build a pressurized sail- plane known as Perlan 2. Perlan is the AIR TANK O2 TANK BATTERY Scandinavian word for pearl - refer- MAX ALTITUDE: 76071 ft encing pearlescent high altitude clouds. FLIGHT TIME: 03:19:57 The building of Perlan 2 was a big ef- fort that was documented in Dr. Dan Johnson's article published in the May ra 2019 issue of Soaring magazine.
    [Show full text]
  • US to Lift Ban on Funding for Human-Animal Hybrids Researchers in the United States Will Soon Be Able to Resume Chimaera-Based Projects
    Scientic balloons 15–35 km IN FOCUS NEWS 30 Einar Enevoldson, founded the Perlan Project Perlan 2 temperature, humidity and wind, which the 27.4 km (target) with the aim of creating a glider that could surf glider is uniquely placed to measure. Airbus SR-71 Blackbird NATURE these waves up to the stratosphere. And in 2006, (military jet) says that many of the weather phenomena he and the US adventurer Steve Fossett proved 25.9 km Perlan 2 will encounter will provide useful the concept with their record-breaking flight s information for it and other aircraft makers e v a on Perlan 1, a modified conventional glider. that are contemplating operating aeroplanes JACKMAN/ PAUL w n But Fossett’s death the following year in a i at higher altitudes. a t light-aircraft accident set the project back until n Once Perlan is fully tested, says Austin, she u July 2014, when European aerospace group o hopes to get funding to use the glider as a long- 20 M Airbus became a major sponsor and contrib- term scientific platform that would examine uted its research expertise. The Perlan 2 craft Gulfstream GV how hourly, seasonal or even decadal changes made its maiden flight last year in Oregon, and Perlan 1 (research jet) in the stratosphere affect weather and climate. 15.4 km 15.5 km in March surfed its first mountain waves above A drone that could carry more instru- the Sierra Nevada range in California. ments is a future possibility — but for now, Its next flights will be over El Calafate on Stratosphere a piloted craft is preferable and simpler, says the eastern and southern fringes of the Andes Ed Warnock, the project’s chief executive.
    [Show full text]
  • TEACHERS in SPACE Second Quarter 2016 Perlan School Experiment: Tin Whiskers Written by Electronics
    TEACHERS IN SPACE www.teachers-in-space.com Second Quarter 2016 Perlan School Experiment: Tin Whiskers Written By electronics. It took several months As I mentioned above, these tin Aditya A.& Nicolas M. 8th Grade Students to design and build this experi- whiskers are not widely known, What do you think of when you ment. It will fly in August of 2016, so we were fortunate to get help hear the phrase tin whiskers? At first on the Perlan Glider II in El from NASA Goddard Tin you may think that they have Calafate in Patagonia, Argentina, Whiskers Investigation Team. something to do with cats, but they which has the perfect conditions to They were able to send us much are actually metal filaments that form attempt to break the world record needed advice, materials, and or ‘grow’ off of metal solders. Metal for highest altitude in unpowered insight. whiskers are not widely known, but aircraft. they can cause some major problems. What do students say working on the Perlan experiment has They are very important to electronic meant to them? part manufacturers because tin “As a student I think that being able to work on a hands on project where we are whiskers can cause short circuits that able to build and do in depth research, which will be used worldwide to further investi- may possibly result in electrical gate the topic of tin whiskers, gives us pride to know that what we did here in a tiny part of the United States of America made such a large difference everywhere in the failures.
    [Show full text]
  • Mountain Wave Kurt Kleiner–CFI 2019
    Flight Operations in Mountain Wave Kurt Kleiner–CFII 2020 Mountain Wave briefing topics • Conditions needed for wave formation • Structure of mountain waves • Three types of wave • How to forecast or predict wave • Hazards to Aviators • Wave soaring techniques and records Information sources FAA Advisory Circular AC 00-57 (1997) “Hazardous Mountain Winds and Their Visual Indicators” Soaring Society of America, glider clubs, and soaring weather sites. Various online research papers, scientific sites; UCAR Met Ed, UNLV, NOAA-National Weather Service, NASA, etc. Three necessary conditions for wave • WIND: greater than 20 kts. at mountaintop level with winds aloft in same general direction (without a shear layer) • TOPOGRAPHY: a block or barrier with wind direction perpendicular to the orientation of a mountain range, or within 30 degrees of perpendicular (or a prominent lone peak or volcano) • ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY: must be stable, resistant to convection. How it works…. Strong flow of stable air blocked by terrain is compressed, pushed up and over the top, rushes down the lee side, rebounds off the stable air layer below, and then deflected back up/down in multiple oscillations. Altocumulus Lenticularis (Standing Lenticular) Wave structure and visual indicators The “Rotor” is the primary hazard to small GA aircraft. Lenticular clouds appear to be “standing still” Note: It Is possible to have “dry” wave conditions if there is insufficient moisture for clouds to form! Wave Terminology: Amplitude & Wave Length • Wave length is the horizontal distance between crests of multiple waves. • Amplitude: is half the altitude difference between the trough and crest. Wave length is determined by: • The direction and strength of the wind striking a mountain.
    [Show full text]