Bloodhound ready to be unleashed

Ahead of its attempt on the world land speed record in South Africa next year, Bloodhound will hit the tarmac at Cornwall Airport Newquay, twenty years after Andy Green set the current record in Thrust SSC. Green will once again be at the wheel, taking control of Bloodhound for the very first time. Before that, however, the car will undergo a month of ‘tie-down’ trials, where systems including the EJ200 jet engine are tested with Bloodhound chained to the ground.

According to the Bloodhound team, one of the key concerns is how the former Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine will perform at low speeds. Designed to operate best at speeds over 800mph, the engineers will need to establish how quickly full power can be applied, which in turn will minimise the risk to engine, car and pilot. Building on this information, chief aerodynamicist Ron Ayers will then be able to plan the sequence of runs in South Africa, extrapolating from the acceleration data. Bloodhound’s air intake, fuel and electrical systems will also be put through their paces while the vehicle is static.