When Richard Noble first visited Al Jafr in January 1996, he recognised the desert as the best initial trial site for ThrustSSC in the world for 1996, an opportunity to test the car on an excellent surface with the total technical back-up nearby of the Royal Jordanian Air Force air base workshops for any modifications needed. The base commander, Brigadier General Mamoun Abu-Nowar's enthusiasm and encouragement proved typical of all the R.J.A.F., and the Commander in Chief, General Abbabneh is kept informed regularly of project progress. Initial runs were scheduled for July and Andrew Noble set off to Jordan to supervise the preparation of the track and the event.

The desert, which is of the same dried alkali mud as the Black Rock desert in Nevada, had several Bedouin desert roads crossing the projected 10 mile track, their water trucks had left appreciable ruts which needed filling and compacting ... on arrival in June, a 10 man, 10 machine crew from the R.J.A.F rapid runway repair division had already been on site for 10 days, and the three main crossings had already been well levelled. The crew, under R.J.A.F. Major Nawrez Durak (the only man there speaking perfect English with a Geordie accent!) had been labouring under 50 degree C midday temperatures and afternoon sand storms, with a small camp on the track for the night guards. The next large task for them was the flattening of an area with raised crusts and bumps, which due to the hardness, needed removing with a digger, grading and rolling.

Meantime, a five man survey crew from the Royal Jordanian Geographic centre had arrived to mark out the 17 parallel 50ft tracks, marking each half mile point. Using very sophisticated differential G.P.S., they showed the amazing accuracy of the team's Trimble hand-held G.P.S. originally used for the track location. Their theodolites enabled the 340 points to be laid out within 5 days, giving ThrustSSC 17 tracks of 10 miles.

Marking these tracks was a new experience for one and all, as in Nevada, we had done this with Jaguar wheel tracks, but the harder Al Jafr surfaces made this impossible. Various drags were made to mark lines and Lieutenant Omran and his crew experimented with marking dies. Eventually, we settled on 'jir', white lime, poured from a borrowed pickup truck, driven by the indefatigable Omran with an eye patch, line-up lines on the windscreen and bonnet, driving at a line of air force men standing patiently in the great heat to mark the track line. He achieved very straight lines. At one stage, we 'borrowed' all the off duty base guards for extra manpower! This was very slow work with 170 miles of white lines to do and required all of their patience. All the R.J.A.F. men involved in the desert preparation were very proud to be part of the record attempt and took their work seriously with great interest in ThrustSSC that was to use 'their' track.

The other major desert work was defodding, removal of any stones or debris on or around the track that ThrustSSC's engines could ingest or that could chip the solid wheels. The team handled this themselves, huge marker barrels and camel bones were hauled away and huge areas of small stones prised up and removed. When the two team cooks, Daisy and Henri, arrived in August, the R.J.A.F. men suddenly took a much greater interest in stone removal with them!

The Al Jafr trials have been organised as a major motorsports event, with the help of the Royal Jordanian Automobile Club, which is active in rallies and hill climbs, in which His Majesty King Hussein and His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah often take part. A special desert access road has been graded for all vehicles up to an enclosed pit/spectator area, which will have tents and chairs for spectators, and caravans for press and timekeepers, with signs and information sheets in English and Arabic. Throughout the summer, there have been press conferences and briefings, Jordan TV has filmed interviews and the preparation work out on the desert, and everyone in Jordan has heard of ThrustSSC and keenly await its arrival. Arrangements have been made to get spectators down to Al Jafr, the Amman Forte Grand Hotel will be the project's base, and will organise V.I.P. and sponsors travel packages, and together with Royal Wings, Royal Jordanian's commuter airline, will offer special fly-in packages from Amman at weekends and as required. Other spectators will stay overnight at Petra's fine hotels, only about 40 minutes drive away and visit the site, one of the wonders of the world.

Jordanian companies have shown considerable interest in the project and the trials at Al Jafr, and it has been very exciting when Royal Jordanian, Jordan's national flag carrying airline and best known company, agreed to become a co-sponsor, helping the project with considerable fuel supply and team member flights. We hope that other Jordanian companies will follow their lead to make a larger Jordanian involvement in this event and to benefit from the international media interest. The arrival of the ThrustSSC and the team in the Antonov at Al Jafr is now to be covered by 6 international TV channels.

When His Majesty King Hussein recently visited the ThrustSSC at Farnborough, he was really speaking for his people when he said 'Let's see you soon in Jordan'!

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