Windjet sets NEW British record of 113.4 mph (182.46 km/hr)

On Friday 22nd February, the Windjet team were again out on the Waddington Airfield in Lincolnshire, UK. However, although fresh westerly winds prevailed (the preferred direction for Windjet), the day was fraught with logistical problems including rain and military flying requirements, which meant that our time on the airfield was very limited.

Morning showers prevented any early testing, but after the runway had dried and a number of false starts due to aircraft movements, Richard and Windjet finally made it out on the runway at 3.30 pm. With a wind strength of around 23 kts the very first run clocked 113.4 mph. However, the gods were not smiling, for as Richard sped around the taxiway in preparation for the next flying run, the skies cleared and the wind eased, meaning the next 18 runs were all between 85 - 100 mph as the wind fluctuated between 15 - 20 kts.

However, the day proved invaluable to fully test the new timing equipment and the impartial observer procedure required for the official ratification process. Hence, with triplicate raw data logging, filmed evidence and two impartial observers, we can confidently claim an Official British record of our top speed for the day, 113.4 mph, a tantalisingly close 3 mph away from the current world record!

Windjet welcomes Thales as official tracking sponsor

Thales Tracs, the world leader in telemetry, tracking and positioning solutions, has joined the Windjet team as Technical Partner for Tracking and Speed Measurement.

Thales have provided the Windjet team with their Tracs-TDMA equipment, an intelligent radio data network which integrates advanced UHF/VHF communications with differential GPS technology. Tracs-TDMA is a very high accuracy, positioning and tracking product for use in localised areas. This enables any one of the Windjet vehicles to be located, in a 15 mile radius, with a positional accuracy of better than one meter and a velocity accuracy of 0.1 mph.

The equipment uses the GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites with corrections from the Thales LandStar professional Differential GPS service to provide accurate speed of the craft five times every second.

Have your say in the Great Location Debate

Richard Jenkins, Windjet Project Director and Pilot, has called on the knowledge and expertise of the land, ice and marine sailing communities in order to find the ideal locations for sailing FAST! Keen to push the Windjet vehicles to their absolute limits, Richard has asked sailors around the world to come up with ideas as to where the best global locations for speed sailing are on land, ice and water.

With the Windjet Website now receiving over 40,000 hits per week, there is the opportunity to initiate discussion that not only promotes the sports of land sailing, ice yachting and speed sailing world-wide, but gets like minded people talking with intention of sharing knowledge, experience or even just ideas....

Have your say on the FORUM at www.windjet.co.uk/front.htm

More Information:

• Windjet Website