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  • Damn!

    An incredible accomplishment, with more on the way!

    https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...-makes-history

  • #2
    Re: Damn!

    Very impressive, but what did they use to tow it to 60K feet? They still won't get an SR-71s altitude, let alone the lighter A12s max altitude (well above 90K feet) Still, impressive nonetheless. I'd love to be in that right seat to see the darkness of the sky, and the curvature of the earth at that altitude.

    Will

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    • #3
      Re: Damn!

      "towed to 60,000 ft."

      Must be a typo. No way they were towed that high.
      '71 S.D.1000, '85-'91,'94',95,'97-'99,'02,'04,'06,'08,'10,'13,'14 NCAR.

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      • #4
        Re: Damn!

        Originally posted by planecrazy2 View Post
        "towed to 60,000 ft."

        Must be a typo. No way they were towed that high.
        No Typo. They have been towing that high with a very specialized tow plane.

        On August 17, 2018 Perlan 2 made it's second tow into the stratosphere. We awoke to pounding rain from 4:30-5 am followed by snow flurries. But after that frontal passage the skies cleared as Dan Gudgel had forecast. Linda took the photo of the day at sunrise. On this flight (only #48) Jim and Miguel
        Last edited by Race5; 09-06-2018, 08:46 AM.

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        • #5
          Re: Damn!

          Originally posted by RAD2LTR View Post
          Very impressive, but what did they use to tow it to 60K feet? They still won't get an SR-71s altitude, let alone the lighter A12s max altitude (well above 90K feet) Still, impressive nonetheless. I'd love to be in that right seat to see the darkness of the sky, and the curvature of the earth at that altitude.

          Will
          They are towing with a Grob Egrett. They will get to 90k. Probably could have done it the day they went to 76k but they are still easing their way up to it. Coffin corner is getting close so they have to be very, very careful.

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          • #6
            Re: Damn!

            Originally posted by Race5 View Post
            They are towing with a Grob Egrett. They will get to 90k. Probably could have done it the day they went to 76k but they are still easing their way up to it. Coffin corner is getting close so they have to be very, very careful.
            They will need greater than 95K to beat the SR or A12. I'm pretty sure the A-12 made it to 98K a few times. (I can look it up when I get home.) That said, I'm by no means downplaying their accomplishment. Its damn impressive, and really quite interesting as well. I'd love to fly a glider that high.

            Will

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            • #7
              Re: Damn!

              Originally posted by RAD2LTR View Post
              They will need greater than 95K to beat the SR or A12. I'm pretty sure the A-12 made it to 98K a few times. (I can look it up when I get home.) That said, I'm by no means downplaying their accomplishment. Its damn impressive, and really quite interesting as well. I'd love to fly a glider that high.

              Will
              They feel like 92K is the absolute limit with the current aircraft. Aiming for 90 and leaving that last 2k as a buffer just in case. That will wrap up Phase 2 of the program. Can't wait to see what they come up with for Phase 3.

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