Space Soaring

[CindyB[_2_]]

I have it on pretty good authority that Mojave is the place to be tomorrow,
if you want to see a really big glider go really, really high..... N202VG.
The fellow who pays the bills was hosting dinner in the same cafe where I was served tonight.
Pretty cool, since I got to watch the first three private space flights from here also. Guess I will have to be out early to watch and listen on 133.65.

Merry Christmas, Sir Richard.

Cindy

[Bruce Hoult]

On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 8:34:22 PM UTC-8, CindyB wrote:
> I have it on pretty good authority that Mojave is the place to be tomorrow,
> if you want to see a really big glider go really, really high..... N202VG.
> The fellow who pays the bills was hosting dinner in the same cafe where I was served tonight.
> Pretty cool, since I got to watch the first three private space flights from here also. Guess I will have to be out early to watch and listen on 133.65.

I was there for N328KF's first 328000 ft high flight, coming from New Zealand on about four day's notice.

You may recall.

One highlight of that trip was sleeping under a desk in XCOR's offices and then getting up at 5 to help Aleta (RIP) cook bacon&eggs for the folk who'd slept in the hangar .. or I presume in nearby hotels in the case of Niven and Pournelle and a couple of ex-astronauts.

I had a nice 15 or 20 minute chat with Steve Fossett that day too. He was standing in the crowd along the flight line like a regular person. While I was talking to him, Richard Branson walked past on the other side of the barrier, surrounded by half a dozen guys in dark suits, dark sunglasses, and earpieces.

[CindyB[_2_]]

On Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 12:12:11 AM UTC-8, Bruce Hoult wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 8:34:22 PM UTC-8, CindyB wrote:
>
> I was there for N328KF's first 328000 ft high flight, coming from New Zealand on about four day's notice.
>
> You may recall.
>

> I had a nice 15 or 20 minute chat with Steve Fossett that day too. He was standing in the crowd along the flight line like a regular person. While I was talking to him, Richard Branson walked past on the other side of the barrier, surrounded by half a dozen guys in dark suits, dark sunglasses, and earpieces.

I think Steve was comfortable being a regular guy.
The party tonight was large, but courteous.

I didn't have four days notice this time.....
and I'm not sure what time they intend, but it is usually early.
Weather should be great.
TFR for the flight gives them a large area and a broad time window.
I don't recall if there was a TFR, lo those many years ago.

It is always fun to hang on the windowsill and watch the
advances of aviation, so many of them in my neighborhood.
I miss Jon Karkow.

Cindy

[Dan Marotta]

That is really cool.

Safe trip!Â* Hurry to New Mexico.Â* I'd love to see that up close.

On 12/13/2018 1:40 AM, CindyB wrote:
> On Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 12:12:11 AM UTC-8, Bruce Hoult wrote:
>> On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 8:34:22 PM UTC-8, CindyB wrote:
>>
>> I was there for N328KF's first 328000 ft high flight, coming from New Zealand on about four day's notice.
>>
>> You may recall.
>>
>> I had a nice 15 or 20 minute chat with Steve Fossett that day too. He was standing in the crowd along the flight line like a regular person. While I was talking to him, Richard Branson walked past on the other side of the barrier, surrounded by half a dozen guys in dark suits, dark sunglasses, and earpieces.
> I think Steve was comfortable being a regular guy.
> The party tonight was large, but courteous.
>
> I didn't have four days notice this time.....
> and I'm not sure what time they intend, but it is usually early.
> Weather should be great.
> TFR for the flight gives them a large area and a broad time window.
> I don't recall if there was a TFR, lo those many years ago.
>
> It is always fun to hang on the windowsill and watch the
> advances of aviation, so many of them in my neighborhood.
> I miss Jon Karkow.
>
> Cindy
>

--
Dan, 5J

[[email protected]]

It went flawlessly this a.m. Beautiful contrails of Eve & Unity separating. A steep climb under rocket power. The motor roar got to us 2 minutes later. I coyld hear the sound of the descent...sort of a humming pulse. Eve did a gear up flyby. G5s are leaving now. Big celebration tent for employees/spouses/few media. For the staff...a vindication of years of work done well.. Onward!!!

[JS[_5_]]

On Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 9:04:40 AM UTC-8, wrote:
> It went flawlessly this a.m. Beautiful contrails of Eve & Unity separating. A steep climb under rocket power. The motor roar got to us 2 minutes later. I coyld hear the sound of the descent...sort of a humming pulse. Eve did a gear up flyby. G5s are leaving now. Big celebration tent for employees/spouses/few media. For the staff...a vindication of years of work done well. Onward!!!

Cool.
Saw the crazy contrails during my bicycle ride this morning, not knowing what it was as around here anything goes.
Should have known it was Forger.
Something also went through Mach a little later? But it sounded faint. Certainly not the racket of an SR71.
Jim