On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 09:41:20 -0500, Corky Scott
wrote:



Tell me again what the point is in being lobbed into near space? Try
as I might, I just cannot figure out how it helps explore space, or
helps GA or mankind or anything. To me it just appears a technical
stunt, the aviation/space equivalent of Evel Knieval jumping a bunch
of cars on a motorcycle, only less dangerous.

Oh yes I forgot, they won a 10 million dollar prize after spending 25
million on the project. And now they're soliciting money from us
through EAA. Is that it? It's a money maker for Rutan?

Corky Scott

Corky, like you I see it as a useless exercise. My first leg across
australia is 320 nautical miles, Rutan's flight was only 100 miles so
what is the big deal.

In many areas of the world you could not embark on such an activity
ever so on one count it is a celebration of the freedoms that we in
the western world take for granted in our daily lives.

Rutan proved nothing new but the activity was such a different thing
to go for that many around the world followed it with great interest.
It demonstrated that if you get off your arse and apply some
intelligence to what you aspire to and set about, then you *can*
achieve interesting things. If just 100 of the inspired observers set
off to pursue something themselves what wonderful improvements in the
world they might achieve.
We've just had a series shown on australian TV called "Inventions from
the shed" which tracked some truely useless inventions brewed up in
backyard workshops. I mean who would want a laser imaging,
computerised, automated oyster sorting machine, but a small group of
guys beavered away for a few years putting the technology together and
actually made it work and improved an oddball little industry in the
process. The contribution that people like Rutan and the oyster
sorters make is not so much in their direct efforts but in inspiring
the world that it is still an interesting place, there is still more
to be explored and understood. Some of those whacky offshoot ideas may
just be developed into technologies and approaches that do actually
matter, do actually improve life on earth.

who would have thought that the edge of the practical air was just 100
miles up? makes you want to take better care of it doesnt it.

Stealth ( do it again :-) ) Pilot