The 1200m runway at Central Coast Airport was recently given over for two hours to a group of students from the Macquarie University Faculty of Science and Engineering.
MQ Speed, an engineering student society who formed the MQ Speed Team, used the runway to test their latest design of a superfast human powered vehicle.
The MQ2 has been constructed with a carbon fibre monocoque aerodynamic capsule type shell in which the rider pedals from a supine position, viewing the outside with the aid of a top-mounted camera with an internal screen.
It made several trial runs in each direction along the length of the runway escorted by a safety vehicle which at the conclusion of the tests made a final sweep of the runway to ensure nothing had been left behind and that the runway was safe for the next aircraft movement.
Designed for extreme speed, the MQ2 is the result of several years of development since the team last entered the World Human Powered Speed Challenge (WHPSC) at Battle Mountain in 2017.
Their goal this year is for their elite cyclist Lizanne Wilmot to beat the land speed record in the women’s three-wheeler category.
The 2024 WHPSC will be held between September 8 and 14 outside Battle Mountain on Nevada’s State Route 305.
The highway provides the straightest, smoothest and most ideal surface for the challenge.
At an altitude of 1408m, it provides riders with an eight km acceleration zone before their speed is measured over a 200m distance.
The test run at the airport in Warnervale was a collaboration between Central Coast Council and Central Coast Aero Club.
Hi Team,
Pleased to be able to contribute, kindy note the runway at Warnervale Airport is 1200 Mtrs long not 200 Mtrs
Thank you Allan