COMFORT,
SAFETY & EQUIPMENT
Given that Windjet is roughly twice
as long, three times as wide and triple the height of a Ford
Galaxy, it's not what you might call space-efficient. With a
total complement of one and just enough luggage space for a
pack of chewing gum tucked inside the pilot's trouser pocket,
it's not going to be the first choice for Family touring holidays.
That said it's surprisingly comfortable
to drive as long as you are a fan of a comatose-in-front-of-the-TV
driving position. Having the perspex cockpit roof (borrowed
from a glider) lowered and bolted over your head feels like
you're being nailed into a glass-topped coffin. At least the
team have attached a small air scoop to the top of the screen
- it's not exactly climate control but it might just stop Jenkins
being baked alive should the team ever get to Nevada.
|
Sit back, relax, try not to panic
|
Apart
from a motorbike speedometer and a few ropes, the only onboard
equipment is two rows of LED lights either side of the steering
wheel and a pressure gauge which informs the driver of the stresses
being applied to the stub wings and wheels. With each of these
wings capable of generating 600kg of downforce at 100mph, it's
helpful to know when they're about to go bang.
To guard against this the team
regularly attach various bits of the structure to a fork lift
truck and bend them to their preset limits. This is particularly
important for the stub wings. If the cable controlling them
snapped at high speed, they would flick into the horizontal
position and start producing lift rather than downforce. The
end result would be one of the shorter and more spectacular
flights RAF Waddington has seen.
If the worst were to happen the
pilot should be okay - he is encased in a super strong survival
cell which is designed to break off from the main structure.
Parking also presents its own set
of problems. Garages are out of the question so it's best to
have a friend in the RAF (in this case Group Captain Wittingham)
to lend you a hangar.
LIKE A BIG GLASS COFFIN
|
ECONOMY
As record breaking goes, this
has to be one of the more economical machines. Thrust SSC
burnt thousands of gallons on its high speed runs, whereas
Windjet burns precisely nothing. That gives it a touring range
of as long as you like on its non-existent fuel tank.
The only downside is that you
might have to wait quite a while for a puff of wind, particularly
if you happen to be having a mild winter. The team spend most
of their days watching the weather forecast on the internet
and hoping for a sizeable depression to sweep over the country
with the sort of winds the rest of us dread, but which the
Windjet team dream of.
IMPRESSIVE TOURING RANGE AND ULTRA-LOW CO2
MARKET
& FINANCE
Not
only did Windjet cost around £100,000 to build but it
also needs a small fortune to keep running.
So far the team has raised around
£250,000 in cash and equipment but they desperately
need a title sponsor to progress the challenge beyond the
current attempt at Waddington.
A trip to Nevada is planned for
the spring followed by an attempt on the water record in a
new craft this summer and on ice next winter. However, the
team needs £1million to do it. Contact Windjet on 01590
676900 for details.
THERE HAD TO BE A FLAW
| What
it costs |
| On-the-runway
price |
£100,000
|
| Total
as tested |
£250,000
|
| Cost
per mile |
£62.50
|
| CO2 |
0g/km
|
| Equipment |
| (bold
= options fitted to test car) |
| Wheels |
£1000
|
| Tyres |
£250
each
|
| Carbon
fibre (SP Systems) |
£30,000
|
| Load
sensing equipment |
£1600
|
| Communications |
£2200
|
| GPS
tracking |
£5000
|
| Suspension
system (Zoron) |
£1400
|
| Safety
equipment |
£600
|
| Lola
wheel assemblies |
£20,000
|
| Brakes |
£360
|
| RDS
stereo/CD player |
-
|
| Height/tilt-adjust
steering |
-
|
| Anti-lock
brakes |
-
|
| Heated
seats |
-
|
| Trip
computer |
-
|
| Airbag
driver/passenger/side |
-
|
| Leather
trim |
-
|
| Alarm/immobiliser |
-
|
| Fat
Face team clothing |
£5000
|
| Metallic
paint |
-
|
| - not available |
|
| Insurance
group |
20
|
| Typical
quote "Insurance for a land yacht? You've
got to be joking" |
| Warranty |
|
| We
don't think so |
|
| Servicing |
|
| Before
every high-speed run |
|
|
|
ANYTHING
that can do more than 100mph without an engine has got to be
a result, even if it does require a precise set of conditions
to achieve it. We can safely say that it is also rather more
exciting to drive at three-figure speeds than anything with
pistons and
cylinders.
The fact that at any moment it could capsize or, worse,
take-off, adds a challenge.
However, don't start fantasising about trading in your
gas-guzzler for a wind-powered hot hatch. The day you'll
be able to pack the family into the Ford Windjet and sail
up to Edinburgh is still a way off. |
TESTERS'
NOTES
Pilot Richard Jenkins helped design
the deck layout for Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli's carbon
fibre superyacht Stealth
Lola
gave the team two wheel assemblies free of charge
but
neither OZ nor Avon would give them free wheels
or tyres. Come
on fellas, give the team a break
We've
seen the secret plans for Windjet's new watercraft.
If you think the Land Craft looks cool, wait until
you see this baby
Iron
Beds Direct are the main cash sponsors. Their beds
are really comfy and made of iron. Honest
|
|
Jenkins and
his team of aeronautical engineers deserve all the support they
can get. Land speed record breaking is a national sport in this
country and Windjet deserves to keep the tradition alive. And
as Bob Dylan once sang: "The answer, my friend, is blowing
in the wind." |