LOS ANGELES - The pressurized AirbusPerlan 2 sailplane reached an altitude of over 76,000 ft. on Sept. 2 over the Andes Mountains, eclipsing a previous record altitude of 73,737 ft. set by a jet-powered Lockheed Martin U-2C in 1989, and attaining what is believed to be the highest level-flight ever by a manned, winged, subsonic aircraft.
The flight was the culmination of a week of record-setting sorties for the 84-ft.-span Perlan 2, with previous new altitudes set on Aug. 28 (65,000 ft.) and Aug. 26 (62,000 ft.). The latest achievement was accomplished on the first anniversary of the Perlan 2’s first record-breaking altitude flight in September 2017 when it soared to 52,172 ft.
Flown for the new record by pilots Jim Payne and Tim Gardner, the Perlan 2 is a stratospheric research aircraft designed to reach more than 90,000 ft. At this altitude researchers hope to gain new insight into climate change as well as gain knowledge of low density atmospheric conditions where some airliners of the future may eventually operate. The project also aims to aid development of flight control systems for exploration in the thin atmosphere of Mars.
To reach record altitudes, the Perlan 2 is using air waves propagated into the stratosphere by rotors from the Andes. Riding the waves, the glider can climb to a sufficiently high level where it can intersect with a previously unknown fast-moving upper level air mass called the Polar Night Jet. This upper-level flow is created annually when the intense cold of the Antarctic winter interacts with milder mid-latitudes. This generates a circulation, or vortex, around the polar region within which the powerful Polar Night Jet develops.  
Although having previously attempted to reach much higher altitudes in previous campaigns in 2016 and 2017, the breakthrough this year appears to be linked to the use of a turboprop-powered G520 Egrett tow aircraft which has been able to quickly take the sailplane to altitudes of 40,000 ft. before release. The Egrett, which itself was originally designed for high-altitude research and surveillance, was sourced by Perlan project founder Einar Enevoldson who was also previously a test pilot for Grob Aircraft, the maker of the Egrett.
Commenting to Aviation Week, Payne said “the Egrett tows have been wonderful.  We are getting above the layer where the rotors are in short order so we have encountered minimal turbulence.” -Guy Norris guy.norris@aviationweek.com

From AVweb:
There is still a 45,000-foot cushion between Perlan and the holder of the ultimate aircraft altitude record.
That mark is held by Alexandr Fedotov, whose modified MiG E-266M got to 123,523 feet on Aug. 31, 1977. The highest an American pilot has gone is about 120,000 feet in a rocket-assisted F-104. The Perlan team has another few weeks to push toward its goal before the late winter weather of Patagonia starts to moderate and the mountain waves diminish.
From Airbus
Airbus Perlan Mission II glider soars to 76,000 feet to break own altitude record, surpassing even U-2 reconnaissance plane
Stratospheric glider yielding insights into high-altitude aerodynamics, flight safety and Martian exploration

#AirbusPerlan @PerlanProject #Innovation #AirbusPerlanMissionII

EL CALAFATE, Argentina, Sept. 3, 2018 – For the third time in a week, Airbus Perlan Mission II has set a new world altitude record for a glider, this time soaring the engineless Perlan 2 to 76,124 feet, in the process collecting vital data on flight performance, weather and the atmosphere.

Yesterday’s flight by pilots Jim Payne and Tim Gardner surpasses even the maximum recorded altitude in level flight of the U.S. Air Force’s famous U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft: 73,737 feet, flown by pilot Jerry Hoyt on Apr. 17, 1989.

The U-2 is powered by an engine that generates 17,000 lbs. of thrust. By contrast, the Perlan 2 is engineless, weighs just 1,500 pounds, and soars to its record altitudes on rare stratospheric air currents formed by mountain winds combining with the Polar Vortex.  

“World records are gratifying evidence of progress toward a goal, but the goal itself is advancing our knowledge and expertise,” said Tom Enders, Airbus CEO. “By exploring an underexplored part of the atmosphere, Perlan is teaching us about efficient high-altitude flight, about detecting natural sources of lift and avoiding turbulence, and even about the viability of wing-borne exploration of Mars. As a company that makes not just airliners but also high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles such as Zephyr as well as the Mars rover robotic vehicle, every Perlan flight is an investment in our future.”

In a single week, Perlan has set and then surpassed a world altitude record three times:

  • Aug. 26, 2018: Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock soar to 63,100 feet, besting the record of 54,000 feet set by Airbus Perlan Mission II on Sept. 3, 2017
  • Aug. 28, 2018: Jim Payne and Miguel Iturmendi reach 65,600 feet
  • Sept. 2, 2018: Jim Payne and Tim Gardner climb to 76,124 feet

The overall altitude record for level flight of a manned airplane is held by the SR-71 Blackbird at 85,069 feet. The pressurized Perlan 2 glider is designed to fly to 90,000 feet, conditions permitting.

Airbus Perlan Mission II will continue its 2018 flying season through mid-September, when the season for stratospheric mountain waves in the southern hemisphere begins to die down, and the all-volunteer Perlan Project team will return from Patagonia to homes in the U.S. and around the world. The number of flights remaining will be determined by weather conditions.

Viewers around the world are following Perlan flights live as they occur on the Airbus Perlan Mission II Virtual Cockpit: http://bit.ly/VirtualPerlan2. The Virtual Cockpit shows the glider’s altitude, airspeed, remaining oxygen, map position, and even live streaming video from a camera in the tail when the aircraft is in range.

Fans can sign up to be alerted when Perlan is flying at www.perlanproject.org/contact, or in the U.S. by texting “perlan” to 57682. Stay updated on the mission by following The Perlan Project on Twitter @PerlanProject and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/perlanproject.

A Press Kit with images, infographic, fact sheet, and videos is available at: http://bit.ly/perlanpress.