Watch a Jaguar F-Type R drag a parachute at 186 mph
Mon, Jun 15 2015
That's what the British automaker has found out in this latest video. And just why would they do such a thing, you ask? Because Bloodhound, that's why. Jaguar is providing technical support to the Bloodhound SSC land speed record attempt, and one of the roles into which the F-Type has been pressed is to check the parachute that will (along with the air brakes and rotors) form an integral part of the jet- and rocket-powered vehicle's run.
To make sure the chute would do its job, the team put Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green behind the wheel of the specially equipped F-Type at the RAF air base in Bentwaters, Suffolk, UK, had him speed down the runway up to the car's top speed and deploy the chute. Fortunately, as you can see from the minute-long clip, everything seemed to have gone according to plan – though we're not sure about the logic behind the assertion that if "it worked at 180, it will definitely work at a thousand miles an hour."
Related Video:
Jaguar F-TYPE Performs Mission Critical Parachute Deployment Test for British World Land Speed Record Challenger Bloodhound SSC
12 June 2015
- World land speed record holder Andy Green drives an F-TYPE R Coupe at top speed of 186mph to test Bloodhound SSC's parachute deployment system
- The test continues Jaguar's technical partnership in the world land speed record attempt, following a high-speed communications test run in South Africa in 2014
- Jaguar will be at the heart of Bloodhound SSC providing its 5.0-litre 550PS supercharged V8 engine to power the rocket's oxidiser pump
Today, Jaguar and the world land speed record holder RAF Wing Commander Andy Green performed vital high-speed parachute tests as part of the company's on-going technical support for this unique engineering adventure: creating a car that can cover a mile in just 3.6 seconds.
The jet and rocket powered car, which aims to surpass the current record of 763.035mph before targeting 1000mph, has multiple braking systems including air-brakes ('doors' mounted on the side of the car which open to increase aerodynamic drag) and disc brakes (used when slowing down from 200mph). In addition, the driver has two back-up parachutes to ensure that the 135,000thp (thrust horse power) vehicle will slow down before the end of its 12-mile track in Hakskeen Pan, South Africa.
Stopping, quickly and controllably, is as important to setting a record as going fast. After the first run Andy must bring Bloodhound SSC to a halt exactly in front of Turnaround Team, who will be waiting to prepare the car for its return run in the opposite direction. This has to take place within one hour. In the 1997 record attempt, the Thrust SSC team missed a record by less than one minute because the turnaround over-ran.
To test this system ahead of the car's first run, Jaguar, a technical partner to the project, fitted it to an F-TYPE R Coupe and ran it on a former military runway to over 180mph before firing the parachute.
Green, who was at the wheel for the test, said: "Bloodhound SSC is fitted with both airbrakes and parachutes to provide guaranteed stopping power under all conditions. Each of these systems is safety-critical and each needs to be tested to ensure it will work safely, every time it's needed.
"Being able to validate the parachute systems in a safe and controlled manner using a high performance Jaguar F-TYPE sports car gives great confidence to both me and Bloodhound's Engineering Team."
The test took place at the former RAF base in Bentwaters, Suffolk using an F-TYPE R Coupe with a modified rear window and structural supports through which Bloodhound's unique teardrop shaped parachute cans were mounted directly to the car's chassis.
Green released the parachute using a cockpit-mounted button, subjecting the F-TYPE to an instantaneous drag force equivalent to one tonne that dramatically slowed the car before Green brought it to a controlled stop.
The stability of the F-TYPE Coupe and its dynamic ability - it will reach 60mph in just 3.9-seconds with a limited top speed of 186mph - enabled the successful completion of a vital test for the Bloodhound SSC team and SES, Bloodhound's parachute specialist, to validate the deployment sequence in a safe controlled manner without using the supersonic car itself.
The test, the second Jaguar has performed for the project following a communications test run with an All-Wheel Drive F-TYPE R Coupe in South Africa last year, also validated the design of the drogue chute, which is a small spring-loaded chute that deploys, inflates and pulls out the main chute.
Peter French, Chief Engineer for Powertrain systems, Jaguar Land Rover, said:"The 5.0-litre 550PS supercharged V8 engine featured in the Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe will drive Bloodhound SSC's rocket oxidiser pump - a very exciting proposition for us here at Jaguar as we continue to support this world record attempt.
"The Bloodhound Project is bold, inspirational and an amazing showcase for cutting edge engineering. Andy did an excellent job behind the wheel of the F-TYPE today and we look forward to continuing to support him and the team on the ground when the Bloodhound SSC car rolls out for its first test."
12 June 2015
- World land speed record holder Andy Green drives an F-TYPE R Coupe at top speed of 186mph to test Bloodhound SSC's parachute deployment system
- The test continues Jaguar's technical partnership in the world land speed record attempt, following a high-speed communications test run in South Africa in 2014
- Jaguar will be at the heart of Bloodhound SSC providing its 5.0-litre 550PS supercharged V8 engine to power the rocket's oxidiser pump
Today, Jaguar and the world land speed record holder RAF Wing Commander Andy Green performed vital high-speed parachute tests as part of the company's on-going technical support for this unique engineering adventure: creating a car that can cover a mile in just 3.6 seconds.
The jet and rocket powered car, which aims to surpass the current record of 763.035mph before targeting 1000mph, has multiple braking systems including air-brakes ('doors' mounted on the side of the car which open to increase aerodynamic drag) and disc brakes (used when slowing down from 200mph). In addition, the driver has two back-up parachutes to ensure that the 135,000thp (thrust horse power) vehicle will slow down before the end of its 12-mile track in Hakskeen Pan, South Africa.
Stopping, quickly and controllably, is as important to setting a record as going fast. After the first run Andy must bring Bloodhound SSC to a halt exactly in front of Turnaround Team, who will be waiting to prepare the car for its return run in the opposite direction. This has to take place within one hour. In the 1997 record attempt, the Thrust SSC team missed a record by less than one minute because the turnaround over-ran.
To test this system ahead of the car's first run, Jaguar, a technical partner to the project, fitted it to an F-TYPE R Coupe and ran it on a former military runway to over 180mph before firing the parachute.
Green, who was at the wheel for the test, said: "Bloodhound SSC is fitted with both airbrakes and parachutes to provide guaranteed stopping power under all conditions. Each of these systems is safety-critical and each needs to be tested to ensure it will work safely, every time it's needed.
"Being able to validate the parachute systems in a safe and controlled manner using a high performance Jaguar F-TYPE sports car gives great confidence to both me and Bloodhound's Engineering Team."
The test took place at the former RAF base in Bentwaters, Suffolk using an F-TYPE R Coupe with a modified rear window and structural supports through which Bloodhound's unique teardrop shaped parachute cans were mounted directly to the car's chassis.
Green released the parachute using a cockpit-mounted button, subjecting the F-TYPE to an instantaneous drag force equivalent to one tonne that dramatically slowed the car before Green brought it to a controlled stop.
The stability of the F-TYPE Coupe and its dynamic ability - it will reach 60mph in just 3.9-seconds with a limited top speed of 186mph - enabled the successful completion of a vital test for the Bloodhound SSC team and SES, Bloodhound's parachute specialist, to validate the deployment sequence in a safe controlled manner without using the supersonic car itself.
The test, the second Jaguar has performed for the project following a communications test run with an All-Wheel Drive F-TYPE R Coupe in South Africa last year, also validated the design of the drogue chute, which is a small spring-loaded chute that deploys, inflates and pulls out the main chute.
Peter French, Chief Engineer for Powertrain systems, Jaguar Land Rover, said:"The 5.0-litre 550PS supercharged V8 engine featured in the Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe will drive Bloodhound SSC's rocket oxidiser pump - a very exciting proposition for us here at Jaguar as we continue to support this world record attempt.
"The Bloodhound Project is bold, inspirational and an amazing showcase for cutting edge engineering. Andy did an excellent job behind the wheel of the F-TYPE today and we look forward to continuing to support him and the team on the ground when the Bloodhound SSC car rolls out for its first test."
By Noah Joseph
See also: Daily Driver: 2015 Jaguar XJL AWD, 2016 Jaguar XJ sedan revealed, Xcar experiences the 2015 Mille Miglia from a Jaguar C-Type.