The Airbus Perlan 2 has reached new heights, breaking the world record for a glider flight as it soared to 52,172 feet. An Aero Boero AB-180 tow plane pulled chief pilot Jim Payne and co-pilot Morgan Sandercock off the ground at Comandante Armando Tola International Airport, which sits at an elevation of 669 feet in El Calafate, Argentina.
Perlan Breaks Ultimate Glider Record
Key Takeaways:
- The Airbus Perlan 2 glider broke the world record for altitude, reaching 52,172 feet during a 6.6-hour flight.
- The record was set in El Calafate, Argentina, an area known for unique atmospheric conditions like mountain waves and a high-altitude polar vortex essential for such flights.
- Pilots Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock successfully navigated the glider to the stratosphere, trusting their judgment over initial ground crew analyses.
- The Perlan Project intends to pursue even higher altitudes and continue scientific experiments to explore the mysteries of the stratosphere.
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