Chasing a record at 300 km/h

As the Bloodhound team gears up for its world land-speed record attempt at South Africa’s Hakskeen Pan, the team recently conducted its first public test run of the record-chasing Bloudhound SSC.

On October 30, 3 500 spectators gathered at Cornwall Airport Newquay to witness the Bloodhound successfully complete its first test to run. Spectators included representatives of the British all-cargo airline CargoLogicAir – the official cargo airline partner of the Bloudhound project. 

The vehicle reached 296 km/h accelerating at a rate of 1,5 g down the 2,74 km runway. For these runs, Bloodhound was powered by a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine, which is normally found in a Eurofighter Typhoon and produces the equivalent thrust horsepower of 360 family cars.

Dmitry Grishin, CEO of CargoLogicAir, says: “We wish to congratulate the Bloodhound SSC team on another successful step towards making history by setting a new world land-speed record.

“We are proud to be partnering with such an outstanding team of engineering professionals and will be following their progress with keen interest before they fly with CargoLogicAir to South Africa for their world-record attempt.” 

The runway trials in Newquay came at the end of a month of testing at the airport, where the team has been checking the integration of the EJ200 jet engine as well as the car’s steering, brakes, suspension, data systems and other functions. The Bloodhound team also had the opportunity to test operating procedures and safety protocols, and to practise radio communications.

The event came 20 years after Bloodhound’s driver, Andy Green, set the current land-speed record of 1 220,856 km/h in the Black Rock desert in the United States of America.

The team plans further runs in 2018 at increased speeds before attempting the new world land-speed record attempt at Hakskeen Pan. The Bloodhound will be transported to and from South Africa on one of CargoLogicAir’s Boeing 747 freighters.