Brian Lecomber was a professional aerobatic display pilot for 25 years. He has been British Freestyle Aerobatic Champion, a best-selling author, and was recently voted Aviation Journalist of the Year. Brian watches the Bloodhound project from outside the box…
It is the intention of the BLOODHOUND Project to achieve many wondrous and awesome things. Many awesome things.
Progress in composite materials. Progress in ground-interaction aerodynamics. Progress in applied electronic solutions which would have been unimaginable a short decade ago. Huge progress in rocketry. Progress in acoustic vibration research. Progress in telemetry.
The BLOODHOUND project has a life and purpose of its own – a statement which, since you are reading this, you almost certainly understand. Equally, you also understand progress and pure human drive, and the connection thereof. And you understand the high points and low points which inevitably attend any iconic endeavour. And especially those branches of endeavour which come spiced with a quite obvious dollop of danger. You understand that.
If you wanted to be grossly unfair, you might compare BLOODHOUND with a sort of supersonic railway locomotive.
Okay, it has to be said that at this time there may not be a huge market for same. Use BLOODHOUND on the Chiltern Line from Aylesbury to Marylebone and yes, it would do the trip in 2 min 20 secs as opposed to an hour. But there is undeniably the odd downside – such as frying the coaches in the jet and rocket blast, tending to slightly catch up with the trains in front, knocking down half of Harrow and Neasden with the shockwave, and going straight through historic Marylebone station and ending up in Wapping if the brake-chutes fail. Not, let us admit, exactly great sales points.
I’ve said this before. All of the BLOODHOUND Team fully expect the car will run faultlessly from first crack out of the box to finally hitting 1,000 mph after maybe 50 runs. Just re-fuel it, shove in a fresh rocket, change the oil and coolant, give it a polish, and pat it on the head.
You’re a law-abiding citizen and you’re going to drive a car at 70 mph.
Okay, so what back-up do you need?
Well, you’ll say, nothing. You turn the key, proceed on your journey, and hit 70 in the appropriate places en route as you go. No, you don’t need back-up…
