Argentine Organizational Supporters of Perlan
Sandra Sandercock is Perlan’s liason with Argentina governmental organizations. She was busy in the months leading up to our time in Argentina setting up future meetings and completing the necessary documents. During the campaign she was constantly monitoring communications to ensure Perlan Project complied with the regulations. Tago De Pietro is Perlan’s Argentine lead for logistics. He was always available to coordinate, communicate and help any way he could. Perlan Project is deeply appreciative of Sandra and Tago’s help.
The Airbus Perlan Mission II initiative, which aims to study stratospheric phenomena, advance aeronautical materials innovation, and promote scientific research for new generations could not have met our goals without the support of the following Argentine organizations. Each group went out of their way to be supportive and contribute to the safety and success of our endeavors. They truly are the wind beneath our wings!
Argentine Air Force
El Calafate, Argentina, – The Perlan Project was pleased to announce its partnership with the Argentine Air Force, Directorate of Research and Development. There was a ceremony in Buenos Aires to promote the partnership. Through the partnership, both organizations will consolidate the data and knowledge acquired through the Airbus Perlan Mission II initiative.
The data collected through the initiative will help scientists, researchers, and educators in Argentina and around the world. Perlan 2, a unique pressurized, unpowered glider operated by The Perlan Project, and the Grob Egrett G-520 tow plane, operated by AV Experts, LLC, will obtain scientific data that will be available after the flights free of charge through www.perlanproject.org.
https://www.argentina.gob.ar/fuerzaaerea/direccion-general-de-investigacion-y-desarrollo
Policio Securidad del Aeropuerto
The Argentine PSA (US – TSA) has partnered with The Perlan Project. A meeting in Buenos Aires before the start of the campaign in El Calafate kicked off the 2023 season. The collaboration saw the two organizations working together on the Airbus Perlan Mission II initiative, which aims to fly a glider to the highest altitude ever achieved by a manned aircraft in level flight.
The PSA provided logistical support for the project, as well as an advisor who was responsible for managing credentials, coordinating with the video crew, and working with the security office (UOSP Unidad Operacional de Seguridad Preventiva) and credentials office (PPA Dirección de Permisos). This advisor was essential to ensure that the project ran smoothly and that all participants had the necessary access and permissions.
The collaboration is a significant milestone for both organizations. For the PSA, it is an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge scientific research and to promote Argentina as a hub for innovation. For The Perlan Project, it is a chance to gain access to the PSA’s resources and expertise, and to help inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/psa
Centro Nacional de Vuelo a Vela de Montana
We want to express our sincere gratitude to the wave flying club of the CNVVM for their generous support of our campaigns in Argentina. Their provision of tow pilots and tow planes has been invaluable to us, and we could not have achieved our early goals without their help.
We are also grateful for their friendship and hospitality throughout the project. They have continued to make us feel welcome in Argentina with Letters of Invitation and support of our NOTAM. We have enjoyed getting to know club members and appreciate the hospitality at the Chos Malal wave encampment.
We are proud to have partnered with CNVVM on this important scientific research. Their support has helped us to make significant progress in our understanding of the stratosphere, and we are confident that our findings will benefit the aviation community for years to come. Thank you again for the support. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future. Muchas gracias por ser nuestros amigos del Proyecto Perlan. https://www.facebook.com/cnvvm/?locale=es_LA
EANA – Navigacion Aerea Argentina
The Perlan Project is extremely grateful for the support that we received from EANA (Empressa Argentina Navegacion Aerea). Their Flight Plan and Air Traffic Control tower personnel were first class. Their assistance has been invaluable to us, and we could not have operated our flights safely without their help.
We are especially grateful for the support of all of flight plan specialists and ATC tower controllers. Their expertise and dedication have been essential to our success. Our on-site weatherman Dan Gudgel enjoyed being able to collaborate with the weather forecasters from the tower. Having the weather reports spoken slowly in Spanish over the radio helped the comprehension of the team. We always had bilingual team members standing by in case something was missed in the translation.
We would also like to thank the entire EANA team for their hard work and dedication. We knew when we flew that we were in their capable hands. Your support has been instrumental in making our flights a success. https://www.eana.com.ar/
ANAC – Aviacion Civil Argentina
ANAC’s (Administracion Nacional de Aviacion Civil) assistance and support has been invaluable to the success of The Perlan Project. ANAC is similar to the FAA in the US. For that we are extremely grateful.
Specifically, we would like to thank them for the following:
- Providing us with the necessary permits to fly the Perlan 2 aircraft in Argentina.
- Assisting us with the logistics of our flights, including ground transportation permits.
- Providing us with video and photography support for our project.
- Welcoming us to Argentina and making us feel supported.
https://www.argentina.gob.ar/anac
London Supply – Airport Management
London Supply provided extensive help while we were airport tenants. It made our activities easier and safer.
Specifically, we would like to thank them for the following:
- Clearing the ramp and taxiway Charlie of snow multiple times
- Use of a generator in the event that we lost power and needed to continue to operate CapCom
- Provided the correct decals to put on the glider tow-out vehicle
- Allowed us to use their shop when a special tool was needed to fix something
Intercargo – Airport Maintenance
When you are far from home and something needs to be fixed Intercargo was always ready to assist Airbus Perlan Mission II.
Specifically, we would like to thank them for the following:
- Provided the portable stairs and platform used by other aircraft. Perlan Project used them to install rubber weather strips along the edges of the hangar doors to keep the cold out and the warmth in.
- Use of their vehicles to transport visitors from the terminal to the hangar
- Allowed us to use their shop when a special tool was needed to fix something
Policia Federal Argentina – Superintendencia Federal de Bomberos Division Cuartel Aeropuerto Internacional El Calafate
The Airport Fire Department Bomberos has been extremely supportive of the Perlan Project. Their assistance has been invaluable to the success of our project.
Specifically, we would like to thank them for the following:
- Providing us with water for the hangar, which was essential for keeping the hangar clean
- Building a wind shelter for the Egrett aircraft, which protected it from the harsh winds and allowed us to safely conduct our experiments.
- Helping us at all hours of the day and night, even when it was not convenient.
Prefactura Naval Argentina
The Perlan Project is sincerely grateful for the support of the Naval Prefactura in Search and Rescue. Their assistance has been invaluable to the safety of our project.
Specifically, we would like to thank them for the following:
- Providing us with a search and rescue plan, which helped us to ensure the safety of our pilots and aircraft.
- Conducting regular search and rescue exercises with us, which helped us to improve our skills and knowledge.
- Being on standby 24/7 to respond to any emergency, no matter how small.
https://www.argentina.gob.ar/prefecturanaval
National Parks Director
The assistance from Parque Nacional Los Glaciares has been invaluable to the success of Perlan Project. Specifically, we offer sincere thanks to them for the following:
- Approving our request to fly over the National Park, which was essential for our research.
- Providing us with a permit to fly over the Park, which gave us the legal authority to conduct our research.
- Working with us to ensure that our flights would not disrupt the Park’s natural environment.
In addition to their logistical support, we would also like to thank them for their foresight. They understood the importance of our research and were willing to give us the opportunity to conduct it. We know that this project has the potential to make a real difference in our understanding of the atmosphere, and we are grateful that they were willing to help us make it happen. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/parquesnacionales/losglaciares
Aero Club Lago Argentino Supports Perlan Project
The Perlan Project is a team of scientists and engineers who have set the record for the highest altitude ever reached by a manned glider. Their goal is to fly to an altitude of 90,000 feet, which would be more than three times the altitude of Mount Everest. The Perlan Project has been working on this project for over 20 years, and they have faced many challenges along the way. One of the biggest challenges has been finding a place to base their operations.
That’s where Aero Club Lago Argentino has come in. The aeroclub has been a major supporter of the Perlan Project, providing them with a hangar to store their glider and all their equipment, as well as access to their facilities. “Aero Club Lago Argentino has been an invaluable partner to the Perlan Project,” said Project Chief Pilot Jim Payne. “They have provided us with a safe and secure place to operate, and they have been very supportive of our mission.”
In addition to providing the Perlan Project with a hangar, Aero Club Lago Argentino has also been a great source of support. The club’s members have been willing to help the team in any way they can, from providing technical advice to lending a helping hand. “We are grateful for the support of Aero Club Lago Argentino,” said Payne. “Their help has been essential to the success of the Perlan Project.”
The Perlan Project team is also grateful for the friendship of the members of Aero Club Lago Argentino. They have made the team feel welcome and supported, and they have been a great source of encouragement. “We are grateful for the friendship of the members of Aero Club Lago Argentino,” said Payne. “They have made us feel like part of their community, and they have helped us to stay motivated.” The lead photo above highlights the asado barbeque Freddy and the AeroClub hosted as a farewell to Airbus Perlan Mission II. Many of the jefes (chiefs) of the local organizations mentioned above took time on a Sunday afternoon to return to the airport to say farewell. Muchas Gracias mis amigos!
The Perlan Project is excited to continue its work with Aero Club Lago Argentino. The team is confident that with the club’s continuing support, they will be able to set another record for the highest altitude ever reached by a manned glider. https://www.facebook.com/p/Aeroclub-Lago-Argentino-100027999115225/
Perlan Soars, Jackie
