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Why isn't Windjet running this weekend?
As many of you will know, Britain has been battered
by exceptionally high winds over the last week which have caused havoc
across the country. The current weather conditions have prompted one question
to be asked more frequently that any other; "Why, if we have so much
wind, isn't Windjet running?"
| The answer lies in the direction of the wind;
Windjet requires a crosswind in order to run. It is
true to say that the wind over the last week has been of suitable
strength, however the land craft is confined to running in the direction
of the runway at Waddington. Most runways, including the strip at
RAF Waddington, are built into the prevailing wind direction. The
closely packed isobars (right) imply that the wind is strong while
also showing the wind direction is almost in line with the runway. |
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The general rule of thumb is that in an anticyclone
system (like to one pictured above), if you stand yourself in line
with the isobars and have the centre of the low pressure system to
your left, the wind will be at your back. With this in mind and the
fact that Waddington's runway runs almost North-East to South-West,
it is clear to see that the elements are again conspiring against
the Windjet team. |
Windjet clocks 116 mph
On, Monday 28th January, Windjet was
again out testing at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. The weather conditions
were not ideal for a record attempt with a predicted 20 - 30 knot wind
at about 25 degrees to the runway, however Richard and the team seized
the opportunity to put in some more valuable high speed test runs.
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Leaving the hanger at 1600 hrs, Windjet
waited patiently on the runway threshold for two F-15 fighter jets
to perform a 'touch-and-go' manoeuvre. No sooner had they roared
overhead, the 'Windjet all clear' message came from
Waddington Air Traffic Control over the cockpit radio.
Releasing the brake, Richard shot out on to the
runway, accelerating with the windward wheel clear of the ground
for the first few hundred metres.
That first run recorded 116 mph (185.6 km/h)
according to the onboard speedometer, however the team know that
this 'mechanical' device reads at least 3-4 percent lower than the
actual speed (demonstrated last time the team used the high performance
GPS tracking system).
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Richard is saying nothing of the potential top speed
achieved;
| "Today we had
some great speeds, clocking over 108 mph on every run, with a top
recorded speed of 116. The vehicle was handling superbly and it looks
as if we now have really got to grips with the turbulent Waddington
conditions. Even better, is that the acceleration has now moved up
a gear with top speed being reached by roughly the middle of the runway,
in less than one mile. It's quite incredible." |
The vehicle is now back in the hanger waiting for that
next weather opportunity when the official timers and press will be back
to witness and verify the record.
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Offer your own words of support and take part in discussions through
our forum and chat room |
Read the Autocar road test!
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Following numerous requests from around the world, Autocar magazine
have kindly granted us permission to present the Windjet
road test as published in their Christmas Special Edition.
Click
here to read the review (1.4 Mb)
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the article - click
here to download from the Adobe website.
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Government Think-Tank Leads Push to Renewable Energy
In a report leaked to The Independent, the Performance
and Innovation Unit (PIU), a Downing Street think-tank, proposes that
the government should set itself the ambitious target of meeting 20% of
the country's energy needs by wind, wave and solar power by the year 2020.
| The PIU states that in the future the UK will
become more dependant on imported energy in the form of oil and gas
unless a substantial change to Britain's energy policy is made within
the next five years. |
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Read the full article on The
Independent's website.
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add your details to the Windjet e-mail update list |
Wind frustrates Windjet
Although, statistically, the winds in January should
prove to be the most favourable of the year for Windjet,
the weather conditions at RAF Waddington have continued to thwart the
challenge.
| "It's so frustrating," said Sara
Moore, Windjet's Press & PR Manager. "The
wind is definitely strong enough to warrant a challenge but it's blowing
at between 220 to 230 degrees which is only about 15 degrees off the
runway." |
Ideally, Windjet requires winds perpendicular
to the runway and, although Waddington is famed for its cross winds, the
weather has been remarkably still over the past few months. Nevertheless,
the team will remain on standby until a suitable window presents itself.
View the latest wind forecast direct from the BBC
Weather Service.
Grant Dalton to launch challenge for outright
Speed Sailing record
On 11th January, Tim Jeffery of the Telegraph reported
that the Kiwi and the current holder of the round the world record in
The Race, Grant Dalton, is to launch a challenge on the outright speed
sailing record.
Read the full article on The
Telegraph's website.
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