Objective: To be on the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, ready to run when the BLM's permits start on the 6th September.

Pre-requisites: Modifications to ThrustSSC to be completed and the car runway tested to 200mph. Equipment to be packed and paperwork completed.

The list of 'pre-reqs' is getting smaller by the day. By Saturday the rear-suspension bracket modifications had been completed - indeed the new ones are so substantial that Ron Ayers refers to them as 'blocks of flats'! By Sunday evening the suspension had been re-installed and the rubber-tyred wheels fitted. Monday was to see ThrustSSC run again for the first time since Jordan2.

Other work still continued feverishly in P8.R Shed, too. Along with the rear-suspension work, many other parts of the car had received attention after Jordan 2, including some of the rear-panelling which was replaced. The new panels had to be painted, and the sponsors' logos applied - and this time they were to be sign-written, rather than stuck on. Throughout the weekend the painters toiled around the car - getting their best chances to progress their job at night when other work on the car stopped. Have you ever tried to paint a car as it moves up and down while its active suspension is calibrated?

The difficulties didn't seem to faze the signwriters in the slightest, and there is absolutely no doubt that they have done a stunning job. The logos stand out sharp and clear - a huge credit to them.

Three runs were planned. The first was a 'brakes and steering checks' run, with a low peak speed and no parachute. Four accelerations were planned, with carefully monitored brake applications between them, followed by zig-zags from side to side on Runway 25 to check that the rear-wheel steering was working as it should. The second run would see maximum dry power achieved - full 'military' power without afterburners. The third and final run would be up to some 200mph on full reheat.

As always there was a deadline - Wednesday would be Press Day, with a demonstration run for the media, sponsors, and the Gold Card members of the Mach 1 Club.

The recent weather has been as intensely hot in Farnborough as the rest of the UK. It hasn't been a crisp, dry heat, though, but a sticky, humid heat with little breeze, if any. What cloud cover there has been has been light and has not served to reduce the unpleasantness. Every movement has provoked torrents of sweat - and Andy reports that it has been worse in the cockpit of ThrustSSC this week than at any time in the intense, but dry, heat of the Jordan2 campaign. Altogether, not a nice time to be running a jet-car.

Monday was no exception, but there was work to be done. At noon ThrustSSC was rolled out onto Runway 25's 'Alpha' link, just below the Air Traffic Control Tower. The first job was a compressor wash, and at 1345 the Palouste was started and the Speys brought to life - left then right engine as always.

First Brian Palmer sprayed the diluted cleaning fluid into the left-hand engine's intake using the gun of a pressure washer, then Les from the airfield fire service approached with his hose and washed the fluid through. Large puddles appeared under the car as some of the fluid and water made its way out through the various vents - the rest was sprayed out of the Spey's exhaust. Next the right hand engine was dealt with - with Brian and Les again looking after their respective nozzles. With the job completed, and Chris Cowell happy with the health of his two charges, the hoses were quickly drained and coiled away. In convoy the fire-tenders and a Supacat headed down Two-Five to take up their positions for a run.

A long delay ensued while the departure of a business jet was awaited. With the Speys starting to build up oil as they idled in the car, driver Andy Green put his foot firmly on the brake and gave each engine in turn a quick run up to 80% of revolutions to run up the scavenger pumps. For the audience, it was great to hear the car's voice again!

Finally, at 1624, the jet took up its station at the end of runway 07 before it leaped forward on into the air - en route to wherever. The chocks were pulled away, the intercom lines unplugged, and the access panels secured. Rolling forward, Andy performed a quick brake test on 'Alpha' before taking up position at the head of the long tarmac strip. With Ron's Renault on one side, and the Jaguar Firechase on the other, Andy obtained permission to run from Jayne, who was now back in her usual station in the Tower.

The engines were brought up to power and ThrustSSC leaped forward with the two road cars marking time with it. Andy braked to a near stand before accelerating again. In all he performed four accelerations before calling: "SSC brake tests complete. Steering checks to follow." The car weaved from side to side before he brought it to a stand opposite the waiting 'Recovery' team.

Afterwards, Andy described it as a 'good shakedown run, although there were a few minor snags that need to be sorted'. With those in mind, it was decided to repeat the profile on Tuesday before undertaking the two remaining runs on the programme.

Tuesday was a textbook performance by the ThrustSSC car and team as the three runs were quickly completed to plan, peaking at 199mph on the last one. The car was now ready for Press Day, but were the workshops and equipment?

Once again the Mach 1 Club came into their own - they prepared the hangar, helped set up the stage and video wall, set out Fechers with ropes as cordons everywhere - they even set out the PCs for the Internet display.

By Wednesday morning everything was ready, and the incredible team from Executive Catering were hard at work preparing the barbeque they would run all day to feed the hundreds of media, sponsors and Mach 1 Club members expected to attend. Their efforts would prove extremely successful - it was a fantastic barbeque! Lindsay and her team are proving exceptional supporters of the ThrustSSC project - without them such an incredibly high standard of catering simply could not be achieved - a standard which was remarked on numerous times during the day.

The day began with presentations from team members describing progress to date and plans for the Black Rock Campaign. The media in particular were brought up to speed on how to follow the project through the Internet while ThrustSSC is in Black Rock. Between each presentation, Howard Stableford of Tomorrow's World fame acted as a superb Master of Ceremonies, putting the work of each team member as well as the job facing the team into perspective.

Finally came the moment everyone was waiting for. ThrustSSC was propelled by the Merlo forklift into the 'Alpha' link while the audience took up position in their cordoned off area nearby. The twin Speys were started, and once the microlight spotter aircraft was airborne, Andy Green drove ThrustSSC onto 'Two Five'. The engines spooled up with a roar, before Andy released the brakes and made a textbook 205mph run with afterburners blazing.

After such a display, any further words seem superfluous. Besides which, everyone was making their way back to the coaches before long - the media to write their stories and broadcast their footage, and the sponsors and Club members to think on the planned adventures on the Black Rock. Surely more than one person present was mentally rearranging their leave to be able to attend the record attempt?

If you plan to be there - see you in Black Rock!

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