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• Testing Bloodhound SSC parachute
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LONDON, England - Jaguar and world land-speed record holder, Royal Air Force (RAF) commanderAndy Green, performed high-speed parachute tests on Friday (June 12) at the RAF base in Bentwaters, Suffolk in England.
The tests were part of the company’s on-going technical support Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) - a vehicle capable of crossing 1.6km in 3.6 seconds.
Stopping quickly while controlling the car is as important to setting a record.
THE BLOODHOUND SSC
The rocket-powered car, which aims to surpass the current record of 1227km, is targeting ‘1000 miles per hour’ (1610km/h), has multiple braking systems including air-brakes (‘doors’ mounted on the side of the car which open to increase aerodynamic drag) and disc brakes (used when slowing down from 321km/h).
In addition, the driver has two back-up parachutes to ensure that the 96 980kW vehicle will slow down before the end of its 19km/h track in Hakskeen Pan, South Africa.
IMAGE GALLERY: 2015 Bloodhound SSC parachute test
VIDEO: 2015 Bloodhound SSC parachute test
VIDEO: Dynamic driving test - F-Type R Coupe
After the first run, Green must bring the Bloodhound SSC to a halt in front of a turn-around team, who will be waiting to prepare the car for its return run in the opposite direction. This has to take place within an hour.
During the 1997 record attempt, the Thrust SSC team missed a record by less than 1min because of slow turn-around time.
The team used a modified Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, capable of 289km/h, to deploy the parachute.
Green, who was at the wheel for the test, said: "Bloodhound SSC is fitted with both airbrakes and parachutes to provide guaranteed stopping power under all conditions. Each of these systems is safety-critical and each needs to be tested to ensure it will work safely, every time it’s needed.
"Being able to validate the parachute systems in a safe and controlled manner using a high performance Jaguar F-Type sports car gives great confidence to both me and Bloodhound’s Engineering Team."
PARACHUTE TEST
The F-Type was fitted with a modified rear window and structural supports through which Bloodhound’s unique teardrop-shaped parachute was mounted to the car’s chassis.
Once released, the parachute subjected the F-Type to, the team said, “an instantaneous drag-force equivalent to one ton that dramatically slowed the car before Green brought it to a controlled stop. It also validated the design of the drogue chute, which is a small spring-loaded chute that deploys, inflates and pulls out the main chute.”
In 2014, Jaguar performed a communications test using an all-wheel drive F-Type R Coupe in South Africa.
JLR chief engineer for powertrain systems, Peter French, said: “The five-litre 410kW supercharged V8 used in the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe will drive Bloodhound SSC’s rocket oxidiser pump – a very exciting proposition for us here at Jaguar as we continue to support this world record attempt.
“The Bloodhound Project is bold, inspirational and an amazing showcase for cutting edge engineering. Andy did an excellent job behind the wheel of the F-Type today and we look forward to continuing to support him and the team on the ground when the Bloodhound SSC car rolls out for its first test.”
Click here to learn more about the Bloodhound project
1610KM/H TO 0 IN... A modified Jaguar F-Type R Coupe was used to test the Bloodhound SSC’s parachute. Image: the Digital News Agency
