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Thursday, 28 February 2002 |
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| Today, Thursday 28th February 2002, 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.
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.
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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).
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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