RICHARD NOBLE
With the
help of 231
companies,
the 110,00hp
Thrust SSC
set the first
supersonic
world land
speed record
on 15th October
1997.
SSC Programme
Limited, CEO/Only
Director -
Richard Noble,
OBE, founded
the company
with the objective
of producing
the first
ever supersonic
land speed
record car
against direct
competition
from the USA
and F1 MacLaren
teams. After
20 years of
research using
supersonic
rocket modeling
and extensive
CFD using
a Cray 92,
the team proved
supersonic
aerodynamics.
Richard generated
funding through
marketing
for the 100,000-man
hour build
of the Thrust
SSC (supersonic
Car), managed
the team and
the 231 sponsors.
He devised
a driver selection,
programmed
in conjunction
with DERA
Centre for
Human Sciences,
Farnborough.
The team
assembled
a 4,600 person
Supporters
Club that
funded 20%
of the project.
He generated
funding for
the first
trip to run
Thrust SSC
on A1 Jafr
Desert Jordan
in Nov1996
flew the team
and 100 tons
of equipment
from UK to
Jordan. He
achieved 330mph
on the third
run before
the desert
flooded for
first time
in 5 years.
Richard established
a new television
policy and
negotiated
major documentaries
with the BBC
and ITN and
established
a 900 page/56
million hit
Internet website.
He generated
new funding
for a return
to Jordan
in 1997 -
the team achieved
9 runs in
13 days from
arrival and
a peak of
540 mph before
the desert
surface started
to damage
the car.
He achieved
agreement
with the US
authorities
for a head
to head race
against the
US Spirit
of America
team for the
land speed
record and
first supersonic
record on
land.
He managed
a 30 persons
Thrust SSC
team on site
at Black Rocket
Desert Nevada.
A New World
Land Speed
record of
714.144mph
with the greatest
record speed
increase in
history.
On October
13th, 1997
the team achieved
the first
ever verified
supersonic
pass at Mach
1,006 and
on October
15th, 1997,
the team achieved
the first
ever official
FISA approved
two way supersonic
World Land
Speed Record.
- Mile 763.035mph
Kilo 760.343
Max Speed
771mph
Richard returned
to the UK
and in two
months generated
sufficient
trading profit
to clear $500,000
debts. He
was awarded
the RAC Diamond
Jubilee Trophy
for second
time.
Richard is
working on
his new challenge
'The web of
the skies'.
His new company
has developed
the innovative
Farnborough
F1 aircraft,
a low cost,
high utilisation
taxi aircraft
with bookings
made via the
Internet.
It is designed
to operate
from small
airfields,
carrying up
to 5 people
-he believes
the true potential
of air travel
will only
be realized
when it is
distributed
to the thousands
of small airfields,
near travellers'
homes or workplaces.
Richard has
been a Speaker
for the last
20 years specialising
in motivation
but from a
unique perspective.
As a Motivation
and After
Dinner Conference
Speaker, Richard
illustrates
the presentations
with video
footage and
explains the
huge problems
in trying
to persuade
the old British
establishment
to consider
and implement
change and
listen to
original thinking.
However, despite
the track
record the
British centralised
funding machinery,
always seems
to disappoint.
So if the
central funding
machinery
won’t
deliver then,
thanks to
the internet,
it becomes
possible to
spread the
risk and fund
with a distributed
funding system
– which
were key original
features of
the SSC Programme
Ltd., and
Farnborough-Aircraft.com
Ltd. But above
all these
projects are
difficult
and giving
up is never
an option.
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