(For an official statement from the ThrustSSC project about the days events, please see click here.)
As regular visitors to this site will know, the ThrustSSC team’s attempts to run the supersonic jet-car over the August Bank Holiday weekend were thwarted by hydraulic and fuel system problems. With the famous air-show imminent at the Defence Research Agency’s Farnborough airfield - preventing use of the runway for testing the car - the decision was taken to bring forward the work to prepare the car for high-speed runs in Jordan.
That work has progressed well, and the decision was taken to make another attempt at running ThrustSSC on the runway. On Saturday the car was towed round the airfield to "the diamonds" for system checks - the engines started without problems and the systems all proved to be working well. Even the "squibs" for firing the parachutes checked out perfectly.
Early this afternoon (Monday 23rd September) the car was rolled out of Q Shed once more and towed to the end of runway 25, below the Air Traffic Control Tower. The media took up station half way along the runway, while the recovery team headed for the other end of the runway, ready to receive and check the car.
As well as being a diversion airfield for Heathrow, Farnborough is an operational airfield with frequent business flights and light-aircraft movements. The team waited for a suitable interval between aircraft landing and taking off. Finally the word came - a BAe145 was inbound: once it landed the car could be moved onto the runway, the engines started, and the first run made!
The jet arrived a few minutes behind expected time and the start team moved into action. Driver Andy Green climbed into his cockpit and ThrustSSC was pushed into position on the left hand side of the runway. A check revealed low fuel pressure - while the car was waiting to go onto the runway, the nitrogen used to pre-pressurise the tanks had bled off. A tank of nitrogen was brought up and the tanks were re-pressurised. The Palouste air-starter was fired-up, connected to the car, and the engines started. Final checks revealed no more problems - the test run could begin!
The plan for the first test run was to reach 40mph, brake to walking pace, accelerate to 70mph, then stop at the end of the runway for recovery by the team. Clearance was obtained from the tower, the engines wound up to 73% and the brakes released. ThrustSSC pulled away well, reaching 40mph with a ride Andy Green described as "surprisingly bouncy". As he approached the intersection with runway 29 he applied the brakes which worked well - too well… Although the car was still steering perfectly, the wheels had locked. From the end of the runway the recovery team saw smoke from the car, then the radio call came "Burst tyre!". The left front had blown, followed within feet by the right.
Andy felt the tyre go, his aircraft experience telling him instantly what had happened. A quick release of the brakes confirmed his diagnosis, and he quickly brought the car to a stand, unharmed, at the intersection of runways 25 and 29.
The team now had a problem - the car could not be rolled with both front tyres flat, but it was blocking two runways! The only option was to use a crane. Every airfield, whether military or civil, must have a "clearance crane" available on short notice, but in this case there was no need to call one in - there were several busy dismantling the temporary buildings that had been erected for the air-show. One was quickly summoned and the car lifted onto its trailer - which was now looking superb in its new yellow paint and ThrustSSC logos - and returned to Q Shed.
Overall, the team were pleased with the test. The effects of the braking problem may have been spectacular, but the car had run well and was undamaged. All that was required was to fit four new tyres - and there are plenty of those in Q Shed! Runs continue Wednesday...
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