Weather Forces Second Delay In Glider Altitude Record Attempt

After Friday's first 2003 record attempt was aborted because of a glitch in the transponder, a day of rain and low cloud cover washed out Saturday's plans for Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson to exploit the high-altitude 'mountain wave' weather conditions in the California high desert, as they bid to set a new world glider altitude record.

Change In The Weather Expected

But the Perlan Project team expect better conditions Sunday. Fossett and former NASA test pilot Enevoldson plan to enter the graceful Perlan research glider (wearing rather less graceful full NASA pressure suits) shortly before noon Sunday - with plans for a 5 hour flight.

Having replaced and tested the faulty transponder, their immediate target is the current world glider altitude record held by Bob Harris, set at 49,009 ft in 1986 - over the same California desert where Fossett and Enevoldson are making their attempt.

Gnarly Waves, Dude

"Good, clearing weather is forecast for Sunday - with a very fast jetstream overhead - winds could exceed 140 mph at 37,000 ft," said Fossett on Saturday. "This certainly offers the potential for flight above 40,000 ft - and a bona fide opportunity to crack the record. We'll  plan for a full 5 hour flight - taking a tow first to about 7,000 ft- 10,000 ft -  then head towards Inyokern, picking up the 'mountain wave' in the direction of Mount Whitney, with the best conditions right now looking to be over the valley near Lone Pine".

Further flights scheduled for this June or July in the combined 'mountain wave' and 'polar vortex' meteorological conditions of New Zealand's South Island hope to achieve even greater heights - flight well into the stratosphere - up to the Perlan glider's theoretical 62,000 ft ceiling.

FMI: www.Perlanproject.com