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Windjet Project

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To make an attempt at the Wind Powered Land Speed Record, the Windjet craft requires a location that can provide a little over 2 miles of flat, smooth ground upon which the craft can reach top speeds. The ideal wind direction compared to the direction of travel is around 110 degrees.

Extensive testing of the Windjet land craft has been carried out at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.


RAF Waddington is located atop the Lincolnshire heights, five miles south of the city of Lincoln. The first military flying took place at Waddington in November 1916 when the Station opened as a flying training unit, a role it continued until the end of the First World War.

Today, Waddington is home to the RAF's contingent of E-3D AWACS and BAe Nimrod R1 aircraft as well as providing support and training facilities for various fighter squadrons from the RAF and other air forces.

The Windjet team would like to extend our gratitude to Group Captain Fradgley - RAF Waddington's Station Commander - and all his staff at RAF Waddington, whose continued co-operation and support have proved invaluable.

During two years of testing at Waddington, we were able to experience some invaluble testing and undergo a thorough technical development. However, we never had the opportunity to challenge the outright record due to the unreliability of the British weather, which nearly always brought rain to accompany the strongest winds. Using high performance slick tyres, we were unable to drive in the rain.

Therefore, the team paked up camp and moved to Nevada where the large dry lakes provide a number of excellent record venues.

Nevada, USA

After a year of testing on various dry lakes in Nevada, the vehicle has been further evolved to cope with the more slippery 'dirt' surface. There are a number of different dry lakes in Nevada that are suitable for land sailing speed records, including Ivanpah Dry Lake (near Primm, just outside Las Vegas) Smith Creek, near Austin, The Black Rock Desert and Alvord Dry Lake. Each has a slightly different surface composition and all vary throughout the year, depending on wind and rain.

Ivanpah Dry Lake;

Image © Google Maps


Australia

Lake Lefroy in south western Australia is salt based and is much larger than most of the Nevada surfaces (except Black Rock). It provides a high traction surface while allowing a run length of up to 10 miles.



Lake Lefroy is 300 miles east of perth


Lefroy during a recent regatta
 
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