Perlan Project Website Links For
Project
 

Information About

Perlan Project




Based for a few years in Omarama , New Zealand , the project is currently based in Patagonia , at El Calafate, Argentina.

The conditions necessary for a successful flight are quite exceptional:
  • The Polar Vortex overhead (occurring only in near-polar latitudes during winter)

  • Prefrontal conditions

  • A weak tropopause

  • A gradual increase in windspeed with altitude

  • Wind direction within 30° of perpendicular to the mountain ridgeline

  • Cooperation of any present subtropical jet stream

  • Strong low-altitude winds in a stable atmosphere

  • Ridgetop winds of at least 20 knots


Phase one of the project, a proof of concept flight, has a goal of 62,000 feet (18,900 meters). Phase two, which will probably be attempted with a custom-built glider, has a goal of 100,000 feet (30,480 meters). The current open-class absolute altitude record of 14,938 meters (49,009 feet) was set over California City , California , in 1986 by Robert R. Harris with a Burkhart Grob G-102.


EXTERNAL LINKS