Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders co-pilots stratospheric glider
Above:
Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders (right) celebrates a successful test flight of the Airbus Perlan Mission 2 pressurized glider with Perlan Project chief pilot Jim Payne.
Courtesy Airbus Group © Perlan Project
Dr Enders joined the all-volunteer Airbus Perlan Mission II team in the role of co-pilot on the latest test flight of the Perlan 2 glider, the world’s first engineless aircraft designed to reach the edge of space.
The flight was led by the project’s chief pilot Jim Payne at Minden-Tahoe Municipal Airport. Dr Enders also received a full briefing on the experimental aircraft’s pressurisation and life support systems, which will be critical to mission safety and success when the team attempts to soar at record-breaking altitudes later this year in Argentina.
The flight was conducted during the glider's final phase of testing before its record-flight in El Calafete, Argentina.
An experienced helicopter pilot and an aviation enthusiast, he also took the controls of it to experience the unique handling qualities of an aircraft optimised to fly in air almost as thin as the atmosphere on Mars.
Above:
Perlan 2 first flight over Central Oregon.
Courtesy Airbus Group © Perlan Project
The Airbus Perlan Mission II glider will soar on wind currents to 90,000 feet (27.4 km) as it researches high altitude flight, climate change and the potential for wing-borne travel on Mars.
