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.
Perlan Project team members were integral in the success of Minden Wave Camp '18. There were over 60 pilot wave campers plus family and of course SoaringNV staff to tow, instruct and support. Tim Gardner organized the guest speakers and instructed in unusual attitude recovery.
During the off season in 2017-18 we wanted to do several upgrades to the Perlan 2. Most of these would either require back-breaking contorsions to get inside the cockpit and work on the ceiling or........invert the glider. So Perlan 2 hangar acrobatics was invented.
On April 3, 2018 the Perlan team again gathered in Washington DC to present to the Collier Selection Committee. Unfortunately Ed Warnock had to teach university classes so the team was comprised of Miguel Iturmendi, Jim Payne, Einar Enevoldson and Tim Gardner. The guys were practiced, polished and ably assisted by Jamie Darcy and Kristina Messner.
For a fun 360 spherical video that can look all around the Patagonia sky, go to Perlan Project's March 29, 2018 Facebook post linked below. Timelapse was used to conserve memory, so it is a bit quick to watch.
In Rosamond Greg Scates, Mike Malis and Jim Payne continue the upgrade progress on Perlan 2. The rear cockpit has the collar around the opening. The tool for the new front hatch is almost ready. The plug is a perfect match of the fuselage. The carbon fiber coupon for new hatches of 14 plies has been tested for strength.
Perlan Project has three primary goals - Exploration, Innovation and Inspiration. Miguel Iturmendi volunteered to be a career speaker at Booker Middle School in Florida to inspire young minds about science and technology in aviation. He talked about Perlan and other projects he has worked with. Other aircraft use pressure suits at high altitude whereas the Perlan 2 is pressurized so the pilots use a helmet and mask for oxygen, but not a pressure suit.
Due to a springtime snow storm in the Northeast the NAA cancelled today’s Collier Trophy competition in Washington DC. It will be rescheduled at a future date. All Perlan’s key personnel were here, ready to tell our story of our significant aviation achievements in 2017.
The absolute hottest ticket at the SSA 2018 Reno Convention was flying the Perlan Flight Simulator. We were maxed out all three days, with over 150 folks getting a real taste of flying high. There was no charge to fly, but the signup sheet showed lots of evidence of pilot name changing! I think there may have been some ticket scalping going on, but "what happens in Nevada, stays in Nevada."