The land speed record
October 19th, 2011 at 7:00 am by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
A New Zealand entrepreneur wants to build the fastest car in the world. But now the hard work starts – raising $30 million to make it roll.
Jetblack is the brainchild of Wellington residential property developer Richard Nowland and has the support of the government-owned Industrial Research, which says it is contributing expertise and staff time.
A fibreglass replica of the 13m black vehicle was unveiled at the Cloud in Auckland as part of the effort by NZ2011 to show off local design and technology.
The land speed record stands at 1227km/h and Nowland hopes to break it in the rocket-powered vehicle within five years. Its power will come from two California-built hybrid rockets similar to those used on Virgin Galactic’s passenger spacecraft.
Good luck to him. It is hard to imagine travelling that fast on land. 1227 km/hr means every second you would travel around 341 metres. This is just below the speed of sound.
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October 19th, 2011 at 7:49 am
That will be quite a feat as the Thrust SSC was supersonic on part of both runs.
The amazing part was seeing inside the cockpit and the radical steering adjustments the driver was making at supersonic speeds to stop the sucker crashing
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October 19th, 2011 at 7:51 am
The land speed record is faster than the speed of sound.
The record holder is an English jet fighter pilot, and his car had two 80,000hp engines out of an F-4 Phantom jet fighter in it.
I forget how many aeronautical engineers and physicists they had on the design/build team but it’s all written up in Richard Noble’s book.
I wish Mr Nowland well in his endeavours. Big boys’ stuff, this.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 8:18 am
Herald:- “Wellington residential property developer Richard Nowland”
Fine, as long as he can really afford to do it. If he sinks a whole lot of his “own” money into it and then goes bust, I suspect his creditors won’t be all that happy.
Still, if you lend money to a property developer, he may well go do something stupid with it…. like buy a soccer team.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 8:23 am
@Scott Chris
Vote:Like I said yesterday
Do you EVER say anything positive?
October 19th, 2011 at 8:25 am
He may well find that the goalposts have moved by time he gets there. He’s three years behind Nobel’s latest Bloodhound SSC project which is aiming to beat 1000 mph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodhound_SSC
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 8:37 am
@DPF, the speed of sound is a function of temperature and air pressure (ie elevation) the current land speed record was supersonic based on the conditions at the time.
Both Bonneville and Blackrock are over 1000m in altitude lowering the speed of sound from that at sea level
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 8:51 am
I’ll let him know you’ve given him that qualified green light Scott. He’ll be relieved.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 8:54 am
Lance says:- “Do you EVER say anything positive?”
Yup, about half the time I reckon. What, you think I should be more of a cheer leader Lance?
You don’t seem such a barrel of laughs yourself mate.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 8:54 am
Why is the NZ taxpayer paying for this? What possible return can the NZ government expect from this?
Good luck to the guy. I really wish him well. But he needs to do this with his own money and the money he can convince people to part with. It is not the government’s role to take money off folks in order to pay for fun stuff like this.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:02 am
@ben
Vote:Seriously dude, pushing the bounds of certain technologies by a technology based entity has no return?
As long as it is knowledge exchange and not material support then makes a lot of sense to me
October 19th, 2011 at 9:06 am
thedavincimode:- “I’ll let him know”
Cheers. I’m sure he’ll be relieved.
But seriously, my point is simply this. If you are going to do something extravagant and essentially fruitless, then that’s great, as long as you are *really* using your own money, or that of willing partners.
This guy reportedly wishes to raise $30kk for his project. Not a good sign IMO.
I cite Serepisos as an example of a property developer who didn’t *really* use his own money.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:10 am
Lance says:- “pushing the bounds of certain technologies by a technology based”
So some property developing motorhead with $30kk is gonna come up with something that Hyundai or Toyota or Ferrari or Subaru or any of the plethora of worldwide racing teams haven’t?
Pull the other one.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:17 am
Industrial Research seem to disagree with you on the tech front.
The comparison with Toyota and other racing teams is idiotic, even for Chris Scott. It’s NOT a race… but a speed record attempt, there is a shit load of difference. Just like there is a difference between shit and clay.
Thrust SSC project started in a similar manner to this proposal.
This guy may be all smoke and mirrors, that is for investors to establish but to pose unrelated arguments is tiresome.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:19 am
I wish them the best of luck – “Go the Jetblack!”
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:25 am
That’s right Scott,
Serepisos used the money of people who were stupid enough to lend it to him. Just as other failed property developers used the money of other people who were stupid enough to lend to them or invest in the tin pot finance companies that lent to them, knowing they were tin pot finance companies. And just as the successful property developers used the money of people that lent to them.
I would suggest that these people actually do fit your description of “willing partners”. Those investors were not just willing, they were also greedy and stupid.
I’m always amused by the faux outrage and indignation of the generation of people who, purely out of greed, invest in these entities when they are old enough to know better having lived through the finance and property failures of the 70s and 80s. When you can achieve a deposit rate in excess of a bank mortgage lending rate, that ought to tell you something.
The context of your comments also infers your belief that property development is in itself extravagent and fruitless. I don’t know if that is in fact your intention, but if so, it again demonstrates the tendancy of your thought processes to disconnect from reality.
BTW, you didn’t answer and I’m dying to know, have you got a time machine?
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:26 am
Is there a prize or any financial return for holding the world land speed record?
If not, its just an ego trip – and a dangerous one.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Thrust SSC’s driver was a fighter pilot. That’s a class of jobs that no longer exists in NZ. Thanks to Labour, the NZ attempt will have to be driven by a Treaty claims negotiator, a windmill technician, or a Ministry of Womens Affairs policy officer.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:39 am
thedavincimode says:- “BTW, you didn’t answer and I’m dying to know, have you got a time machine?”
Having problems getting hold of two rotating black holes and leasing some 2+1 dimensional anti-de Sitter space.
I didn’t actually say you had prejudged Field before his trial, only that I hoped you extended the same courtesy to him as you would Graham. Turns out Taito was a crook, so the point is moot.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:42 am
@davidp
Vote:It doco on the Thrust SSC showed the driver was at the limit of his stress management. Bloody dangerous stuff but the sort of challenge that attracts a certain type of adrenaline junkie
October 19th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Well Scott, its fair to say that I smelt a rat by the time the Ingram report came out and that was preceded by a substantial tonnage of bullshit and obfuscation by Field and his bosses.
But you ought to know that I don’t do courtesy anyway, although I’m flattered you care enough to hope that I would.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:52 am
thedavincimode says:- “I’m always amused by the faux outrage and indignation of the generation of people who, purely out of greed, invest in these entities”
Yup, I agree. Those who spread their risk have the luxury to be a little more philosophical.
Still doesn’t change the argument that states that the shysters who fritter away foolish people’s money are crooks.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 9:57 am
“Still doesn’t change the argument that states that the shysters who fritter away foolish people’s money are crooks.”
In technology breakthroughs how do you tell the difference without the benefit of hindsight? Very difficult.
Some of the worlds greatest inventions sucked large investor funds until they hit gold, others tanked.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 10:02 am
Lance, I agree that venture capital is essential, but I’d be far more inclined to invest it with a team of PHD engineers with a technological idea than I would a property developer who wants to go fucking fast.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 10:25 am
Scott Chris
If Nowland can convince investors to back his project then all power to him – although to be honest I’m struggling to see profit potential of $60m+ within 3 years (the sort of return that high risk investors would be wanting to see).
The left love to Monday morning quarterback financial market collapses conjouring up some magic new law or regulation that would remove the risk thus enabling their lawmakers to seem like knights in shining armour to investors. Describe one law that should’ve been on the NZ statute books that wasn’t that would’ve prevented the finance company collapses. And you can start with the foolish populist decision of Helen Clark to extent the deposit guarantee scheme to the likes of SCF thus almost guaranteeing its demise.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 11:08 am
@DavidP 9:35am
The Jetblack website names the driver for this Kiwi land speed record attempt. He’s listed as: “a highly experienced fast-jet pilot, instructor and flight test supervisor. He has flown the Harrier GR7 on many operational tours in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo in day and night strike attack, offensive air support, and armed reconnaissance roles.”
Doesn’t sound like the Treaty claims negotiator, windmill technician, or policy officer you’ve speculated about.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 11:16 am
kiwi in america says:- “Describe one law that should’ve been on the NZ statute books that wasn’t that would’ve prevented the finance company collapses.”
I can’t. That is why I’m taking the free market cultural engineering approach and using free speech to discriminate against property developers and speculators.
Some may be respectable, prudent businessmen, so I say, *watch out for the flashy ones*, or the ones who use generosity as PR.
I agree that adding another layer of legislation simply presents the accountants and lawyers a new opportunity to exercise their powers of creativity.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 11:32 am
Scott Chris
Vote:We’re pretty close to agreement. I owned businesses in the finance industry both as a broker and a sub prime lender in NZ and it’s really easy for honest operators to be lumped in with the sheisters. I’ve been up against the hard edge of regulatory authority overreach and it is annoying and costly to have to deal with the inexperienced, naive, incompetent anti-business idealogues that these agencies hire to literally harrass all operators as if we’re all crooks. I’m glad the Ron Petrovichs of this world will get their comeuppance but I can assure you that excessive government intervention in this market is utterly counterproductive and never results in the outcomes the legislators were seeking.
October 19th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
WAY TO GO!!!! This is what we need much more of. BIG HAIRY SCHEMES. Of course as a petrol head i would say that
But seriously we need more guys and gals with the balls to go realise their dreams.
And we need to clobber the nay sayers tall poppy morons sad sick sons and daughters of bitches.
Thats how NZ will get out the hole we are in.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
kiwiin america
One of the biggest causes of the finance company collapses was the lack of disclosure and transperency required at the time. The recent legislation and regulation has addressed this.
If the Socialists had listened to those of us who told them they would have enacted such regulation and legislation. the irony is the them Min of Commerce Lianne Dalziel is now chair of the select committee. Some of us who have appeared before that august body suppress a smile to see the person who failed to act at the time now chairing then committee adn supporting that which she told us would not happen under her watch.
The result would have been that the Directors of these companies wouldnt have gotten their schemes off the ground. Potential investors would have had access to clear concise information that told them the investment was a dog. That it barked like a dof smelt like a dog.
the lawyers of the failed finance companies were able to claim the investment was a cat because the regulations allowed themto do so. Now they have to call it a dog.
Vote:October 19th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Feral Kiwi (2) Says:
>He has flown the Harrier GR7 on many operational tours in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo
For whose air force?
‘RNZAF WIng Commander Stephen Hunt, who is also an ex- RAF Harrier pilot’
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