It has been a pretty rotten week for weather. ThrustSSC were standing down anyway for engineering work on the electronics and rear suspension, with an aim of running again on Thursday 18th - yesterday. The high winds put an end to that idea - raising huge clouds of dust from the desert surface they have obliterated everything from view, and built 6-inch deep drifts around every static object in the Desert Pits. Every day the winds has risen, but the race tracks have survived pretty well, with only a limited amount of damage to the delicate - but biodegradeable - white lines.
With each storm we would 'batten down the hatches' - seal the Pit Station vents and door, lace up the Airesheltas entrances, and roll down the blinds on the Western Nevada Supply Co.'s storage trailers. As the wind rose, the visibility would fall, with vehicle movements restricted or stopped altogether. Eventually it would become so bad that work on the car would finish - the technicians would be forced to wear facemasks and when they couldn't see from one end of the Aireshelta to the other, they would have to stop. The dust is so fine, that no matter how tightly every door is sealed, it gets in.
The consequence was that work on the car wasn't finished in time - and with the weather forecast improving, runs were rescheduled until today. Engine experts Chris Cowell and Steve Wiltshire wanted to give the Spey 202s a compressor wash before continuing the run program, so contact was made with the Gerlach Fire Station and their assistance sought. Needless to say, with the fantastic spirit of cooperation between the Land Speed Record teams and the local people, they were more than happy to help.
SSC weren't the only ones to be inconvenienced. The Spirit of America team wanted to run their car, too. They are already cautious of cross-winds after last years accident when the rear end lifted at some 675mph and the car rolled onto its side, and their data logging had showed lightness at the back end on the last run. It was a situation they were prepared for, with flaps manufactured to fit to the rear of the fairings around the rear suspension arms - all with the aim of increasing rear downforce. A low speed run was scheduled to check the modification before continuing to higher speeds.
With the two team's intentions decided, the program for the day was set out last night in Martyn Davidson's and Bill Breedlove's regular 1600hrs meeting. SoA would have had the desert for making their data gathering run in the morning, following which ThrustSSC would undergo a compressor wash before taking to the playa in the afternoon. As we left the desert to clean up and relax the sky seemed to show that Mother Nature had other ideas. Dark, forbidding clouds hung to the south of the towns of Gerlach and Empire, and a few tentative drops of rain started to fall on the baked mud-flats.
By the time the sun had set it was raining in earnest in Gerlach. The worry was that if it continued, the desert would become an impassable mudbath and all running would be stopped for days while we waited for it to dry again. In addition, the 'sand dunes' could 'set', making for a bumpy surface akin to that which had caused so many problems in Jordan.
By the morning though, we knew everything was okay - the desert had simply soaked up the water, with the added bonus that the dust had been laid, at least for a little while. The SSC and SoA integrated security team went into action to seal the desert for the day's runs - with the SoA team bringing volunteers from the American car clubs, and SSC bringing so many friends from the Mach 1 Club, an incredibly efficient organisation has developed. With SSC's Paul Remfry and SoA's Bill Myers in charge, they have ensured that no incursions onto the playa have affected the runs, and that no-one's safety has been compromised.
This morning ran on as the SoA team waited for the wind to fall before they could run. Work continued to prepare the SSC for its compressor wash. Finally at 1310hrs the Medic Air Turbocommander lands on the desert and taxis to the ThrustSSC Desert Pits. The day's action is under way at last!
From your vantage point on the roof of the Pit Station you watch Spirit of America being towed out of the silver hanger to its start point around Mile 2. At 1345hrs the dust plume finally rises behind the sleek white car as Craig Breedlove accelerates it northwards to exit the measured mile at some 380mph. With the one run completed, Spirit is towed home again at a more sedate pace.
The engine team are still working towards their compressor wash, and have the Palouste in place 200ft away from the Pit Station with boards laid on the ground to minimise ingestion of dust. Finally ThrustSSC is towed out of the Aireshelta by one of the Supacats. The local volunteer firemen have brought their truck rather than subject their beautiful red LaFrance fire-engine to the off-road conditions of the playa - a shame in some ways: it would have made a lovely picture next to the SSC. Maybe another time?
1445 hrs - despite Robert Atkinson checking it out and making sure the batteries are fully charged, the Palouste refuses to fire up. The healthy unit is brought up to do the job instead, but the team are concerned at the continual problems being experienced with the air-start unit. We have an appeal out on the Internet to secure a reliable unit on loan - it could well be critical to a record attempt when the FIA's prescribed one hour interval between runs cannot be exceeded. If you can help, please let us know! Ten minutes later the whine of the gas turbine on the air-starter fills the air - the car's engines can be started and the compressor wash can begin.
First the left engine is washed using just water - no cleaning fluid like we use at Farnborough in view of the environmental sensitivity of the playa. As the turbines spin, Fire Chief Bill Gooch crouches in front of the SSC and directs his spray down the intakes while Fire Service President Dave Carter supports the hose behind him. The influx of water cleans the blades and airways, spewing out of the various vents and spraying as a fine mist out of the exhaust.
Next the right hand engine receives similar treatment before Andy Green increases the revolutions, raising a huge dust cloud behind the car. By 1515 the engine team are happy with their treatment of their charges and the high-pitched whine of the jets tails off as they are shut down. The next question is: "Is there still time to make the runs?"
A decision is made: ThrustSSC will run first thing tomorrow if we have the desert 'slot'. Spirit of America considers making one more run at 1700hrs, then decides not to. Finally the overworked volunteers on security patrols can be stood down.
1715hrs - "Hawkeye" (Operations Manager Martyn Davidson) radios in from the SoA pits. He has won the toss: SSC have the first slot and will roll out at 0730 for an 0800 run. Both teams have made steady steps today towards the goal of a new World Land Speed Record - tomorrow promises to be an exciting day!
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