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Andy Green: exclusive interview
24 October 2008
Will Powell interviews Andy Green
Wing Commander Andy Green is a RAF fighter pilot and the current holder of the Land Speed Record. Green was the first person to break the sound barrier on land and in August 2006 he also broke the Diesel Land Speed Record in the JCB Dieselmax.
WP: How do you drive at 1000mph?
AG: There are three big factors to consider. The first is the ‘data-rich’ information process: basically, there’s a lot going on the cockpit. The second is learning to handle such a monstrous car. And the third is physically dealing with the g-forces.
>> Who is Andy Green? More about the Land Speed Record holder
>> More details on the 1000mph Bloodhound
WP: How do you cope with the g-forces?
AG: The day job - being a fighter pilot - helps. But on the weekends I’ll be pulling inverted negative g-turns in my aerobatics plane to get used to prolonged exposure to the forces. I’ll also be taking my RAF muscle training back up.
WP: How do you prepare your mind to react quickly enough?
AG: We’ll have three information screens in the cockpit supplying data on speed and the car’s engines. I’ll use a computer simulation to learn to respond to these. I’m also going to try the RAF’s Typhoon simulator. It’s a plane I’m not familiar with, so it’ll be good practice.
WP: How does it feel to be exposed to 3g for so long?
AG: Very uncomfortable. If you hung upside-down by your feet in the gym until all the blood rushed to your head, then multiplied that pressure by three, you’d have an idea.
WP: You had to correct Thrust SSC at the speed of sound. Does that moment worry you?
AG: We don’t really want to have to do that again. We’ll do everything to set up Bloodhound perfectly. But the truth is there will be unknowns at these speeds that we may have to deal with.
WP: Does it compare with driving a normal fast road car?
AG: I learnt about race driving and it proved very useful. The principles of how a race car behaves - analysing when you’re at or over the limit and responding appropriately - relate to a land-speed run, even if the sensations are very different. I definitely want to get my racing licence, but at the moment I just don’t have time.
WP: Is there a point to all this?
AG: It’s not great timing, because the project needs funding and we’re going into recession. But we must inspire and motivate young people to train as engineers now if Britain is to be a major business player in the future. That’s a big part of what this is all about. We just need to find the right people who share that vision.
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