Aim
- Profile 5: max reheat to 450 with chute deployment.
Run Details
- Track 22, Km 0.
- Weather 34C, 924 mb, part cloudy. Wind easterly, gusting up to 10 mph across.
- Fuel full, Main indicating full throughout.
- Total distance 5.2 miles indicated.
Run 27 – HST 6
- 1030 local. Delayed start due to cross winds. Slow engine start, 55sec. 18:30 run time inc. 5 min cooldown. AMAD peak temp 110C.
- Right brake temp indicating full scale before run, then intermittent/varying readings once Car started moving. Settled down by the end of the run to match the left. Max brake temps ~130C.
- Old road crossed at 150 mph, no significant bumps. Causeway crossed at 450 mph, again nothing significant.
- Slight weave above 200 mph, fairly easily controlled.
- Throttle back at 440 mph, peak speed 461 mph. Car still appears to move left on power reduction.
- Speedo froze at 450 mph, live again at 350 mph.
- Chute 1 deployed at an estimated 400 mph. Car initially moved right, then pulled harder left, 3-4m left of the line. With practice, steering inputs are becoming quicker and more confident. Quick dabs of steering, up to 90 deg lock, used to control the Car with the chute out.
- Clocks/GPS cross check at speed, working well. [Many thanks to Julien Leclercq for providing them]
- Brakes on at ~120 mph, Car stopped at Km 9. Another slick chute removal.
- Car driven to end of track, turned round under its own power without difficulty. Radio busy throughout this transit period.
- DTG indicated 8.7 miles in total.
- Second run cancelled. Minor bodywork damage to the floor and rear left delta needs repairing before next run.
Summary
Successful profile 5. Car again directionally ‘lively’ above 200 mph, but more controllable with practice. The chute is still pulling the Car around and modification may help, but otherwise the Car is controllable and starting to show impressive speed. Another good performance from the whole team, despite the uncertainty while holding for the wind.
Procedural Points
- Good decision making on waiting for the wind to drop. 10 mph remains the recommended cross wind limit for now. The marshals can be used to estimate the wind, to supplement the wind data system.
- Minimise comms while the Car is moving.
Technical Points
- DTG calibration needs checking.
- Right brake temp still giving false indications.
- Next run will test a modified chute (with ribbons 2 and 4 removed) to try and calm it down a bit.
