The Bluebird Project

I have no doubt the car left a smorgasbord of data behind, post collision.

So much so that we drove back down the runway and made a video of it with commentary!

The runway at Elvington is a 'standard' 3km length. If the timing trap (500m in the case of August) is set in the centre to allow for two way running the distance available to stop, without going past the end of the runway which is never recommended) is 1250 metre or about 3/4 mile. This data and the weight of the jet car, position of CofG and the vehicle wheelbase should give the parachute maker sufficient information to provide a specification for their drogue chute type, chute diameter, mounting position and length of connection 'strop'. Jet dragsters have been running in many countries around the world and yes there have been incidents but more runs are completed safely on drag strips every weekend than have not.

But at what speeds Malcolm ?

As I understand it, the UK record for terminal speed of a jet dragster is a smidgin over 336mph. That was achieved at Santa Pod, which is an awful lot shorter than Elvington.

Richie wrote: ↑Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:06 am But at what speeds ?

The world of drag racing has speed limits for most jet cars however all, including funny cars, can go to 320/330 when called for in the 1/4 mile. The speed of a UK landspeed jet car, even on Elvington, will need to be in the 330 mph range or even higher. The standing mile jet car record in the USA would probably be the target for any of the UK cars too (324mph).

As I understand it, the UK record for terminal speed of a jet dragster is a smidgin over 336mph. That was achieved at Santa Pod, which is an awful lot shorter than Elvington.

Not the same as setting an average through the traps. We saw 297 with a 400m run up. Still much to do.

The average speed recorded by the UKTA through the 500m trap was 275.260 mph.

The highest one way speeds so far recorded in the UK for jet cars are as follows (these are not records):-
average for flying start 1/4 mile - 329.110 mph
average for flying start kilometre - 316.756 mph
average for flying start 500m - 331.592 mph

MSA National land speed records are 1/4 mile - 300.30 mph; 500m - 301.67 mph; 1 kilo - 297.99 mph

A faster 1/4 mile two way average of 302.01mph has been recorded, but this did not meet the 1% improvement rule

How many chute deployments with a significant crosswind component ?

Richie wrote: ↑Sun Oct 08, 2017 4:38 pm How many chute deployments with a significant crosswind component ?

Without run data from every jet car exhibition driver that question is impossible to answer. I would suspect that those who are being paid to run at an event as the brought in exhibition 'act' may have chanced their arm to make a run and receive their money. For record attempts I have observed return runs made with less than ideal conditions.