The first fuselage plug has been completely machined. Einar has come up to Bend to view the progress. The next step is to sand the plug by hand to remove the tool grooves and then it can be sealed with paint and the molding process begins.
We may have found the perfect screen display to use in the Perlan glider. The Craggy Aero “Ultimate” computer is an exciting new development in soaring instruments. The main advantage of this computer is the large sunlight-readable screen. We tested it outdoors in...
The first pieces of the actual, final shape of the glider are comming off the CNC machine now. These pieces will be assembled together to make a “plug” which is used to make the carbon fibre mold, which is used to make the real fuselage. This multi-step process is...
For three separate reasons, the three Perlan Project principals are all going to be at the Red Bull Air Race in San Diego next weekend. See the Red Bull Air Race web site for information about the race. Since we each have different reasons for going, we will be...
The fuselage has been lofted (again.) I think the term originates from boatbuilding, where the pattern for a new boat was first created in the sailmaker’s loft. “Lofting” has a special meaning to an engineer because it is the process whereby lines on a plan are...
While the Perlan Project has been hard at work during March, there isn’t much visible progress we can share on the blog. However, one item of research was reading Exploring the Monster by Robert F. Whelan. Exploring the Monster, Mountain Lee Waves: the Aerial Elevator...
You can now download the current work-in-progress simulation of the Perlan 2 glider from the x-plane.org web site. You need to register a username on x-plane.org before you download the file. You also need to have the X-Plane software. X-Plane is available from...
The Perlan has flown for the first time in the X-Plane simulator. It is possible to calculate stability derivatives and control power but you get a much more immediate impression of the plane by flying it, even in a simulation. It is immediately obvious that the...
After more than a year of low activity, the Perlan project has secured fresh funding and is able to start construction on the Phase 2 glider. Morgan Sandercock, a glider pilot from Australia, has agreed to fund the construction of the pressurised fuselage....
In El Calafate, Tago is Perlan Project's chief of logistics. He was interviewed by the radio show "Ahora Calafate." With him were Freddy Vergnolle and German Muller from the local aero club. They will be our hosts at the airport. En El Calafate intentarán...
The Perlan 2 glider will be the "best dressed" glider in all of Argentina! Clouddancer Covers enthusiastically took our drawings and diagrams and created these fabulous covers. They will make crewing so much easier for this one-of-a-kind sailplane! Perlan soars...
As you might imagine, this expedition to Patagonia takes an amazing amount of preparation. For the past months, Greg Scates has provided expertise in carbon fiber work inside the glider. Now Greg has shifted to welding to prepare the container for ocean...
How sweet it is!!! The photo is from tail camera at 26,000 feet with southern half of Lake Tahoe in bottom right corner. The volunteer Perlan Team based in Minden has worked incredible hours to get the Perlan 2 glider ready to go to Argentina. Only two milestones...
A monumental undertaking was to create an in-flight flutter excitation and telemetry system. The reason is to verify the flutter model developed by ATA. Since wave weather can be infrequent, we don't want to land while the flutter data is analyzed, then wait...
Because a small town like El Calafate has no crane to lower the container off the truck, Jim and Greg designed a simple but strong lift device with a chain hoist. Times four. They have been built and tested to lift a corner of the currently empty container. Start with...