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Frequent Questions
Question 1:
How do you get up so high?
The glider will be towed by a power plane up to 10,000ft (3km). From there, we must find rising air currents in the atomosphere that will take us to 90,000ft (27km). The tow plane is an unpressurised plane without oxygen so it cannot go above 10,000. The main purpose of doing this project is to prove that those rising air currents exist and they are strong enough to support a manned glider at 90,000ft.
There is no aircraft in the world capable of flying to 90,000ft, except for a ballistic "rocket" climb. We must get there on our own, using only the energy available in the atmosphere.
Question 2:
How long does it take to get to 90,000?
Our meterologists and aerodynamacists predict that the flight to record altitude will take 5 or 6 hours. The oxygen and pressurisation systems will be designed to last for at least 7 hours plus 100% reserves for emergencies.
Gliders are not normally permitted to fly at night but we are including night lighting in case we find that this is necessary.
Question 3:
What Does Perlan Mean?
click here to see a photo of Polar Stratospheric Clouds.
The word Perlan is an Icelandic word meaning pearl. Perlan is the name given to this project and is inspired by mother-of-pearl or nacreous clouds occasionally seen at high altitudes and high latitudes. The Mother-of-pearl or Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC's) are present in the northern hemisphere when wave outbreaks are ongoing.
Click here for a definition on Polar Stratospheric Clouds.
Question 4:
Where will the world-record attempts to soar to 90,000 feet (phase 2) take Place?
Answer:
El Calafate, Aregentina. This is near the southern tip of South America, and is the location where Phase 1 of the Perlan Project set the current World glider altitude record.
Question 5:
When are the flights taking place?
Answer:
The Phase 2 glider is currently under construction and is planned to be ready for the August-September season in Argentina by 2011. It may take up to 3 years for the right weather conditions to occur.
Question 6:
Why did the Perlan team choose Argentina to attempt to soar into the Stratosphere?
Answer:
Strong stratospheric mountain waves have been identified in data from Sweden and the south island of New Zealand. In Sweden the northern mountains easily perturbed the low low level flow over the mountains generating tropospheric waves with the smaller northern hemisphere Polar Vortex residing over this region a high altitudes. New Zealand is favorable, even though it is located at lower latitudes because of the great size of the southern hemisphere Polar Vortex which can extend into the lower latitudes.
After Phase 1 explored the wave in New Zealand during 2002-2004, it was predicted that conditions would be even better in Argentina, since it is further south and closer to the main part of the polar vortex. This was proven to be true when Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson soared to a World Record height on almost the first attempt in 2006.
Question 7:
What are the chances that the glider will reach 90,000 feet?
Answer:
The atmospheric requirements necessary for the pilots penetrate the troposphere and get into the stratosphere are quite unique.
- Active Polar Vortex
- Prefrontal conditions best
- Wind direction within 30° of perpendicular to the mountain ridgeline
- Subtropical jet located to the north
- Strong low-level winds in a stable atmosphere
- A gradual increase in wind with altitude (energy)
- A weak tropopause that will allow the wave to traverse into the stratosphere
- Ridgetop winds at 20 knots minimum
- As our expedition is planned to cover two months and if we average about one frontal passage every 4 days, that gives us up to fifteen chances for prefrontal wave conditions.
- If necessary, we will continue trying for up to three seasons (3 years.)
Question 8:
What is the Polar Vortex?
click here for a complete definition of the Polar Vortex..
This is a large-scale circulation of the stratosphere, around the North or South pole.
The Polar Vortex is the strongest during the respective winter times at the north and south polar regions of the Earth. The polar vortex usually begins to form sometime in April-May in the southern hemisphere and peaks during June & July and can last into October and November sometime (but usually dies out sometime late September). In the northern Hemisphere the polar vortex usually begins to form sometime in late October/November and peaks in January & February and dies out sometime in the spring.
Question 9:
Why a sailplane?
Answer:
The Polar Vortex has been discovered and measured mainly through meterological balloons. There have been many balloons flown completely around the pole and back to their launching point. This is quite convenient for balloons carrying telescopes and other expensive instruments.
However, a balloon can only drift with the wind. It cannot take measurements in a vertical line above its launch point. A sailplane can.
The purpose of the project is to prove that the vertical waves within the Polar Vortex are strong enough to support the weight of a glider. We expect to prove that they can carry the Perlan glider higher than any other manned aircraft has ever flown in level flight. This will exceed records set by spy planes and other expensive jet aircraft, in a plane that costs a hundred dollars per launch, not a hundred thousand.
Question 10:
Why did you select 90,000feet as the goal?
Answer:
The goal of the Perlan project has always been to fly to a hundred thousand feet. The first stage got halfway there by sucessfylly flying to more than fifty thousand. When the Phase 2 glider was being designed, it was found that the aerodynamic performance required to get to a hundred thousand is much harder than only ninety thousand. There are a lot of things we don't know about the air and aircraft performance at a hundred thousand. By aiming slightly lower, we will learn a lot about operating a sailplane at extreme altitudes, where we are more confident that we can get there and back safely.
This goal is still higher than any other manned aircraft has ever flown in level flight.
Comparison of aircraft performance required:
| 90,000ft | 100,000ft | |
|---|---|---|
| Takeoff weight | 1,800 pounds | 2,100 pounds |
| Wing Span | 84 feet | 101 feet |
| Aspect Ratio | 30 to 35 | 30 to 35 |
| Glide Ratio (Sea Level) | 32 | 55 |
| Glide Ratio (High Altitude) | 30 | 30 |
| Maximum speed (High Altitude) | Mach 0.65 | Mach 0.65 |
| Mission duration | 7 hours | 12 hours |
| Crew | 2 | 2 |
| Pressurisation | 8 psi | 8 psi |
| Instrumentation | Night Lighting | Night and Weather Capable |
Once we have sucessfully flown the Phase 2 glider, we will be able to design a future "phase 3" glider to fly higher. Right now, all our efforts are focused on reaching the 90,000feet goal.
Question 11:
Who makes up the Perlan Team?
Answer:
Please see "The Team" page.
Question 12:
What is the current altitude world record in a sailplane?
Answer:
The current world record altitude was set by Phase 1 of the Perlan project in 2006 at 50,671 feet (15,447 m). Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson were the pilots on this flight.
The previous record for altitude in a sailplane is 49,009 feet set by Bob Harris in 1986 over Mt. Whitney in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, USA The previous records were set by Paul Bikle in 1961 also over Mt. Whitney (46,267 feet) and prior to that the record was held by Larry Edgar set in 1952 over the Sierra (44,255 feet).
Question 13:
How can I learn more about the scientific research and general information?
Answer:
Click here to go to our suggested readings page
Question 14:
What is the maximum achievable altitude without a pressure suit?
Answer:
39,000 ft is the maximum limit for 100% oxygen, without leaks, and a perfect mask. One can then "pressure breath" where the lungs are inflated above ambient pressure, which keeps pressure in the lungs at 39,000 feet. You must force the air out to exhale--it gets to be a lot of work eventually. Einar has spent a couple hours at 43,000 feet in the old days in USAF fighters with poorly operating pressurization systems.
Such high altitudes without a pressure suit also invite the "bends". In extreme necessity one can go to about 46,000 feet for a few minutes, but hypoxia ensues, and 10 minutes is about the limit.
Exhaling is very hard and tiring. The oxygen mask is painfully tight, and must be precisely fitted. It is common to blow a lot of air back out through the tear ducts, which make your eyes water. Then if your masochistic nature takes over, you can put on a "pressure jerkin"-- a heavy shirt lined with a bladder that inflates. This will counter the internal pressure in the lungs and make breathing easier, but there is a catch--your blood is forced away by the pressure, into your lower abdomen and legs, feet, and hands. So you put on a g-suit (pants with bladders over your abdomen, thighs, and calves.) You will still faint in a few minutes because blood still finds the un-pressurized nooks and crannies, and also just squeezes out of your veins into surrounding tissue.
Low blood volume causes fainting. By balancing the oxygen pressure just right, you can pass out from hypoxia, and faint at the same time. This is the logic of the "pressure jerkin" system. You can de-pressurize at 85,000 feet, then descend to 40,000 feet in less than 4 minutes, and be conscious and functional the whole time. Bill Dana and I (Einar Enevoldson) tested it in an F104 from 60,000 feet. We took turns de-pressurizing with one guy in a full pressure suit and one in the Jerkin flying the airplane. It worked OK.
Question 15:
How much does it cost?
Answer:
The Phase 2 project budget is $800,000. This will build the stage 2 glider and send it to Argentina for one season. At the moment we have only secured commitments for half of this amount so further sponsorship is required.
