The first part of the run will be propelled by a jet engine, originally designed for the Eurofighter. After the Bloodhound reached 300mph, propulsion duties will be taken over by an experimental "bespoke" hybrid rocket, during which time the driver will be subjected to 2.5Gs of acceleration force until he hits 1050 mph. The whole process will take about 40 seconds, amazingly.Naturally, possible blackouts, horrific crashes and mechanical malfunctions are all in the cards here. Dont' worry though — according to the Times, he is preparing in the most ludicrous way possible: "He will practice... in a stunt aircraft, flying upside-down over the British countryside." No date for the run has been set, but we should get a few more details after the Minister Drayson's formal announcement today. [Times Online]

The North American Eagle is a joint Canadian-American attempt at reclaiming the world land speed record, and it really is built from a salvaged F-104. Co-owner Ed Shadle spotted the 1957-vintage aircraft in a scrapyard in 1998 and bought it for $25,000, and it's taken ten years of work to turn it into a record-worthy road vehicle with a predicted top speed of 835 mph. That's a mile in 4.3 seconds apparently, but that kind of performance doesn't come cheap: each test run sets the team back $18,000 in parts and fuel since the gas-guzzling engine gulps 160 gallons per minute. Hence the search for a "good looking" driver who'll be able to pull in sponsors, says Ed.

Still, it turns out the original plane was once flown by Chuck Yeager himself, which must bode well for the upcoming record-breaking attempts, don't you think? The competition for the pilot/driver is real, and it's open to global contenders: all you have to do is send in a photo and a 400-word email outlining your credentials. The chance to rocket along the ground faster than your own sound waves is one heck of a prize. [The Times Online]