Perlan’s blog collects the thoughts and experiences of team members from the multiple disciplines needed to build and prepare the aircraft, plan the flight, and carry out the mission. Here, you’ll find insights from the designers, craftspeople, pilots, meteorologists, and support personnel who will make Perlan’s record ascents a reality. Perlan’s blog will be an opportunity to delve into the challenges and triumphs that travel with the giant sailplane.
On September 9, 2017 Perlan 2 again went wave searching with Jim Payne and Tim Gardner at the controls. The Airbus Perlan Mission II ground team prepped the glider the day before. The forecasts were not strong but there would be wave. The balloon team gathered fresh data which showed very light winds at the tropopause. But the sky started looking a bit better so they decided to give it a try.
Airbus Perlan Mission II tail camera photo from 54,000 feet (pressure altitude). Watch the Perlan 2 tail camera video as Morgan Sandercock takes the controls above 52,000 feet and tries out the handling qualities of Perlan 2. Jim Payne says "it flies better above 40,000 feet than below 40,000 feet." YouTube 2-minute 4k video at the top above 52,000 feet (GPS altitude) from Perlan 2 tail camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGE7AZdl3c
Airbus 1:08 minutye video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn5faC6xhEk
Airbus 3:30 minute video https://youtu.be/tWUUTe1J13c
Enjoy as Perlan Soars High! Perlan Se Eleva Alto!
Jackie
On September 3, 2017 Airbus Perlan Mission II became a testament to what a volunteer team can accomplish. Perlan 2 flown by Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock clawed their way to 52,172 feet GPS altitude with tenacious flying and strong support from the ground crew. The forecast was for soft wave below 18,000 feet then slightly better wave with another difficult transition at 34,000 feet - if you could get there. Doesn't sound much like a world record forecast, huh?
On August 23 and August 31 regional ANAC and EANA personnel respectively visited the Airbus Perlan Mission II team. ANAC is like FAA Aircraft and Pilot Certification in America. EANA is like Air Traffic Control in the USA. The presentation for ANAC was made by Jim and Miguel. Our guests were able to get any questions answered and see the Perlan 2 for themselves. Airbus folks were in the hangar on that day. Jim, Tago and I were amazed that we had met Director Altamirano some years before at Perito Moreno (town) airport. And we always make photos with the unique glider (ANAC Photos 1-6)
August 29: Eleven years ago in El Calafate Einar Enevoldsen and Steve Fossett flew to the soaring world altitude record of 15,460 meters. Tago was a member of that first team and is with us in El Calafate. He shared his photos from that amazing day. We celebrate their fabulous effort and accomplishment. The genesis of Perlan 2 was born on their way down from the record height. Salud!
On August 29, 2017, the eleventh anniversary of Einar and Steve's record flight, Airbus Perlan Mission II hosted an educational outreach presentation in El Calafate. Miguel Iturmendi was the lead for setting this up with 200 local students. It took him weeks to find a way through layers of challenges, but Miguel and Bismar Rossi made it happen. Bismar also helped last year to set classroom visits and hangar tours. Those were not possible this year.
