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{{Infobox company
|name = The Perlan Project, Inc.
|image = Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 01.jpg
|image_caption = Perlan II
|foundation = 1992
|founder = [[Einar Enevoldson]]
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A great deal of design work has been done by Greg Cole of [[Windward Performance]] to show that a sailplane for 90,000 feet is relatively straightforward, while 100,000 feet is possible, although more difficult and expensive. Windward Performance would build the sailplane of high performance pre-preg in production-quality tooling. The sailplane required relatively high-end design, analysis, and construction to be flutter-safe at very high true air speeds, and strong enough for the potentially heavy turbulence that could be encountered at 90,000 feet. It must also have well-proven, fail-safe pressurization and cabin air re-cycling systems.
In 2014, [[Airbus]] agreed to become the title sponsor, and provide sufficient funding for completion of the aircraft, flight testing and the altitude flights.
[[RDD Enterprises]], an aviation research, design and development company based in [[Redmond, Oregon]], took over the manufacture of the [[Windward Performance Perlan II|Perlan 2]].
===Flight campaigns===
[[File:Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 02.jpg|thumb|Perlan II N901EE at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2022]]
The aircraft was completed in the summer of 2015, with first flight scheduled for 7 September. Windy conditions that day prevented the flight, which finally occurred on 23 September.<ref>[http://www.opb.org/news/article/experimental-glider-flies-for-first-time-in-redmond/ "Experimental Glider Flies for the First Time in Redmond"]</ref> Flight testing started in [[Minden, NV]] in fall and winter of 2015, using a new hangar donated by Tito.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.flyingmag.com/perlan-2-glider-preps-for-flight-tests | title=Perlan 2 Glider Preps for Flight Tests | date=17 December 2015 }}</ref> The first attempts to reach 90,000 feet will be launched from [[El Calafate]], [[Argentina]], deep in the south of [[Patagonia]], in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] soon afterwards in summer of 2016.<!--use month, as summer is January in South-->
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The 2018 season was again based at El Calafate. The project acquired a [[Grob G 520|Grob G 520 Egrett]] turboprop aircraft for use as a tow plane. This enabled Perlan II to be towed to {{cvt|44,000|ft|0}} <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.perlanproject.org/blog/stratospheric-tow-perlan-2-egrett|title=Stratospheric tow of Perlan 2 by Egrett}}</ref> This seems to be the highest glider tow, although such records are not registered.
[[File:Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 03.jpg|thumb|Perlan II's list of actual and hoped-for records as of 2022]]
On 26 August 2018 Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock reached an altitude of {{cvt|18,492|m}}.<ref name=Airbus3sep2018 /><ref name=altituderecords>{{cite web|url=https://www.fai.org/records?f%5B0%5D=field_record_sport%3A2019&f%5B1%5D=field_type_of_record%3A504|title=FAI Absolute Altitude Records : Gliding}}</ref>
This was followed by {{cvt|19,439|m}} with Jim Payne and Miguel Iturmendi on 28 August 2018.<ref name=altituderecords />
On 2 September 2018, Jim Payne and Tim Gardner reached an altitude of {{cvt|22,
The Perlan 2 could fly to {{cvt|90,000|feet}} if conditions allow, higher than the manned level flight altitude record of the [[SR-71 Blackbird]] at {{cvt|85,069|feet}}.<ref name=Airbus3sep2018>{{cite press release |url= https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/09/airbus-perlan-mission-ii-glider-soars-to-76-000-feet-to-break-ow.html |title= Airbus Perlan Mission II glider soars to 76,000 feet to break own altitude record, surpassing even U-2 reconnaissance plane |date= 3 September 2018 |publisher= Airbus}}</ref>
Previous records were measured with [[pressure altitude]]; high altitude soaring records now require [[GPS]] data.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.perlanproject.org/blog/world-record-claim-above-60000-feet-august-26-2018 |date= 27 August 2018 |title= World Record Claim Above 60,000 Feet on August 26, 2018 |publisher= Perlan Project}}</ref>
==References==
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