Twenty-six year old Engineering Manager, Annette Getty, will facethe greatest challenge of her life when she steps into Inspiration –the steam powered car she hopes will take her to a record-breaking200mph. As an engineer in the aerospace field who has worked atNASA’s Johnson Space Centre, Houston, and witnessed a Shuttlelaunch, Annette is used to speed and tough challenges. Recordbreaking is not new to her either – Annette has been involved in theengineering of Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand’s ICO GlobalRound the World Balloon Global Challenger Project as well asseveral other record attempts. However, this will be the first timethat Annette takes the controls. She said: “I have a healthy respectfor the task ahead and will take nothing lightly.”
The ChallengeTo establish steam powered vehicle speed records on threecontinents. This means driving over a measured mile in bothdirections at speeds of 200mph or more. Annette is the female driverin the British Steam Car Challenge project. The current land speedrecord for a steam powered car is held by Fred Marriott, driving aStanley Steamer, and was established in 1906. The British Steam CarChallenge record attempts will take place in 2006 – the 100 yearsanniversary.
The Woman→ Born 24 January 1979 in Burnley, Lancashire.→ Qualifications include a business degree from Hull University.→ Worked within NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, Houston, as aMonitor for the prestigious International Space School.→ Employed as an engineering manager for high-tech companyPDS (CNC) Engineering Ltd based in Nelson, Lancashire.→ Responsible for the attainment of ISO 9002 with Lloyds Registerand Rolls-Royce Critical Parts Approval Certification.→ Has staff of 30 (male) engineers.→ Enjoys travelling – spent eight weeks touring India by rail andattended traditional Hindu wedding and (9-day) funeral.→ Has climbed the Great Wall, seen the Yangste River and travelledextensively in the USA and Europe.
The InterviewQ What’s the fastest you driven?A So far, about 140mph around the banked track at Leyland TestCentre. It was exhilarating to be able to push the car and the tyres asfar as they would go.Q What training have you done to prepare yourself for the recordattempts?A Mainly driving. I have had use of the Leyland test track and Ihave time scheduled at Oulton Park racetrack to do some drivertraining and single-seater racing car practise. I am competing instage rallies in a Mitsubishi Evo. I am also training to improve myfitness and lose weight – so I’m at the gym at 6.30am most days.Q When did you first get a taste for speed?A My Dad raced motor-cycles, including the TT at the Isle of Man,so my brother and I were always brought up with fast vehicles andnever daunted by speed and racing. When I was growing up, I hadthree-wheel motorbikes from a very early age and then later quadbikes, which I used to push to their limits. I started driving full sizecars very young as we lived on the top of the Pennines and hadaccess to miles of private estate roads.Q What sorts of things frighten you?A Not much really, I hate spiders though!Q How will you cope with all the media attention?A I suppose it depends on how intense it is and how long it lasts.I’m fairly well grounded though so I don’t think it will change mein anyway.Q Do your friends think you are mad?A Yes! There have been questions such as: “Why would you wantto strap yourself to a 200mph kettle?” However, mostly people areexcited more than anything else.Q Are you happy to be forever associated with racing a steam car?A This will be a very successful and safe record attempt and I amdelighted to be associated with it. I am also grateful to the team forgiving me this opportunity. There are serious dangers, of course,and some previous attempts have ended in tragedy but the team isexcellent and they will leave nothing to chance.
