In Mid-May Perlan 2 took to the Minden skies for test flights with tall tows. There had been no wave for weeks and we needed data from some of our upgrades. Doug Perrenod and Morgan Sandercock each flew with Jim Payne. It doesn't show well in photos, but Jim was sweat soaked from shoulders to knees. More-better dessicant material is needed. Jackie
May 8, 2016 started with rain at Minden. By 11:00 the skies were clearing and aviation fun could be had. Tim Gardner flew a ride in his Pitts, SoaringNV got 2 two-place gliders out for several VIP rides.
Despite the rainy conditions in the morning the Perlan team welcomed Airbus CEO Tom Enders and a large group of international reporters to the Tito Perlan hangar at Minden Tahoe airport on May 7, 2016.
On April 29 the Perlan team successfully conducted the first airborne deployment test of Perlan's drogue parachute.
Teachers in Space arrived at the Perlan hangar on April 23. Liz Kennick, Joe Latrell, Chris Murphy, and Austin Reese pitched in immediately with a ground test being conducted for the glider. That's Austin's CubeSat experiment in his hands in the red case.
On Sunday April 24 Perlan Project did a static load test to verify the tail was strong enough to withstand the maximum opening shock from the rear drogue chute. The glider was held taunt between a snow plow in the front and from behind a Ford 250 pickup strapped to a Chevy Suburban.
Minden Wave Camp sponsored by SoaringNV was held April 5 - 10, 2016. Perlan Project was well represented by team members Einar and Susana, Ed and Linda, Tim, Stewart, Morgan, Doug, Jim and Jackie.
On April 8, 2016 Flight Test Pilot and Engineer Miguel Iturmendi presented to the regional meeting of SETP in Florida. His description of the Perlan 2 glider, and the Perlan Project was of high interest to over 100 other Test Pilots. Turns out that several of the currently active Air Force TPs were students of Jim Payne at the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB.