The Perlan Project
Steve Fossett and Einar Enervoldson flew a new new world record with an altitude of 50.700 ft - that is 15.460 m height. The glider is a DG-500/22m, which originally have had an engine. In the engine bay they installed the big oxygen bottles and flew with space suits from the NASA.
Please see their website with a couple of photos http://www.perlanproject.com/
and read the mail from Aug. 30th 2006:
Hi Folks
We did it! 50,700 ft yesterday afternoon. Great flight - all worked beautifully. Flew mostly south of El Calafate, Argentina in vicinity of Torres del Paine, Chile. Fantastic scenery!
Lots of hard work flying in the pressure suit. Had great cooperation from both Argentina and Chile airspace controllers. We were above 40,000 feet for an hour and a quarter. -73 deg F was coldest at around 36,000 feet, warming to about -65 F as we went higher. Flew in the first wave behind the Andes up to about 33,000 feet, then when not getting higher tried downwind and found strong second harmonic up to high point, then on the way home found third harmonic.
Could have gone higher in a third harmonic but were cold and tired so came home - happy.
Actually, the weather was far from ideal for the flight. We flew mainly to check out the suits and sailplane systems to be sure all was ready when a good day would come. On a good day we should be able to whiz right through this altitude and keep going up up up!!
Love to all, Einar
November 2006 during his soaring vacation in Argentina our representative of Holland, Bert de Wijs met Steve Fossett.
The DG-500 of the Perlan Project is dedicated to be presented in a museum. Steve is sure that his world record will not be topped in the near future.
Steve and Bert