Rocket Racing League First Exhibition Race August 1st and August 2nd, 2008

On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:27:51 -0700, Ron Wanttaja
wrote:


Here's an interesting bit of information. As of 1 January 2008, there were two
Velocities registered to the RRL (N246RR and N216MR). Both were licensed as
Experimental Amateur-Built, and still are in that category today.

Looks like one of them (N216MR) might be a Velocity purchased from a previous
builder. The other was built by Velocity and lists a Lycoming, so it may be a
conversion as well.

But, obviously, the next question arises: Have these Experimental Amateur-Built
aircraft completed their 40 hours since major alterations (conversion to rocket
power)? With a fifteen-minute flight time per fuel load, that's 160 flights.
If you consider that even that many flights would constitute less than 15 hours
with the motor running.....

So...is RRL going to do a hurried transfer of these airplanes to some other
Experimental category, or is some of their time for flying off their
restrictions going to in front of 500,000 people at Oshkosh?

Ron Wanttaja

On Jun 29, 10:34*am, Ron Wanttaja wrote:

So...is RRL going to do a hurried transfer of these airplanes to some other
Experimental category, or is some of their time for flying off their
restrictions going to in front of 500,000 people at Oshkosh?

Ron Wanttaja

Saw one in ground test at Mojave many months ago so its aerial work
should be well underway. The progress of the second aircraft will be
an issue.

Their two top pilots including Rick Searfoss are tagged with the
demonstration flights based on a previous press release.

Reno is a dangerous location to fly. Folks may have to get up early
to witness any flying there due to the Sierra Wave factor. Mornings
are usually calm.

They'll be trying to put gliders down on fixed runways when those
aircraft need something more in the way of a dry lake. Unless they
found a way to put power on for landing, they're at the whim of
turbulence and winds in the area, and a few years back (2002), Brent
Hisey got pushed off the runway centerline during a landing attempt
and nearly got himself killed in the North American P-51D Mustang
"Miss America." They aircraft was technically "destroyed," yet Hisey
managed to rebuild her and by the following year, won the Silver at
Stead. Two miracles in one year from that guy.

If the idea is to turn those aircraft around within one hour for the
racing they have planned, and if their designs accomodate such a slow
"Pit Stop" feature, then they should be able to accumulate enough
hours if their are no mishaps during the flight test and performance
period.

However, those craft will need the most experienced pilots in the
World because in my opinion, what they're planning to do in the
landing phase without an open area like a Dry Lake in a Desert Region
(known for unpredictable dust devils [tore an International Formula
One air racer apart in flight killing the pilot], tremendous heat,
severe crosswinds, headwinds and tailwinds, dangerous updrafts and
downdrafts and Wave-produced turbulence) could prove to be the most
dangerous issue of their flights; moreso than the climb to altitude
under full power.

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:50:48 -0700 (PDT), DABEAR
wrote:

If the idea is to turn those aircraft around within one hour for the
racing they have planned, and if their designs accomodate such a slow
"Pit Stop" feature, then they should be able to accumulate enough
hours if their are no mishaps during the flight test and performance
period.

Got an email that makes me believe they've solved many of the "pit stop" issues,
at least. They're not as fast as NASCAR, but they're anticipated to be
considerably shorter than the 15-minute estimate I had. Still, their easiest
solution to the "flying off the test period time" issue would be a transition to
another category where the FSDO doesn't require the traditional Ex-AB flyoff
period.

I guess unlimited air racing survives with just one or two events per year, so
the RRL can probably get by with the same. Hard for the owners to break even
that way, though....

Ron Wanttaja

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:50:48 -0700 (PDT), DABEAR
wrote:

If the idea is to turn those aircraft around within one hour for the
racing they have planned, and if their designs accomodate such a slow
"Pit Stop" feature, then they should be able to accumulate enough
hours if their are no mishaps during the flight test and performance
period.

Got an email that makes me believe they've solved many of the "pit stop" issues,
at least. They're not as fast as NASCAR, but they're anticipated to be
considerably shorter than the 15-minute estimate I had. Still, their easiest
solution to the "flying off the test period time" issue would be a transition to
another category where the FSDO doesn't require the traditional Ex-AB flyoff
period.

I guess unlimited air racing survives with just one or two events per year, so
the RRL can probably get by with the same. Hard for the owners to break even
that way, though....

Ron Wanttaja

I wonder if they could race before the magic 40 hours if they based
the aircraft at Reno and flew the hours there.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

On Jun 30, 6:50�am, DABEAR wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:34�am, Ron Wanttaja wrote:

So...is RRL going to do a hurried transfer of these airplanes to some other
Experimental category, or is some of their time for flying off their
restrictions going to in front of 500,000 people at Oshkosh?

Ron Wanttaja

Saw one in ground test at Mojave many months ago so its aerial work
should be well underway. �The progress of the second aircraft will be
an issue.

Their two top pilots including Rick Searfoss are tagged with the
demonstration flights based on a previous press release.

Reno is a dangerous location to fly. �Folks may have to get up early
to witness any flying there due to the Sierra Wave factor. �Mornings
are usually calm.

They'll be trying to put gliders down on fixed runways when those
aircraft need something more in the way of a dry lake. �Unless they
found a way to put power on for landing, they're at the whim of
turbulence and winds in the area, and a few years back (2002), Brent
Hisey got pushed off the runway centerline during a landing attempt
and nearly got himself killed in the North American P-51D Mustang
"Miss America." �They aircraft was technically "destroyed," yet Hisey
managed to rebuild her and by the following year, won the Silver at
Stead. �Two miracles in one year from that guy.

If the idea is to turn those aircraft around within one hour for the
racing they have planned, and if their designs accomodate such a slow
"Pit Stop" feature, then they should be able to accumulate enough
hours if their are no mishaps during the flight test and performance
period.

However, those craft will need the most experienced pilots in the
World because in my opinion, what they're planning to do in the
landing phase without an open area like a Dry Lake in a Desert Region
(known for unpredictable dust devils [tore an International Formula
One air racer apart in flight killing the pilot], tremendous heat,
severe crosswinds, headwinds and tailwinds, dangerous updrafts and
downdrafts and Wave-produced turbulence) could prove to be the most
dangerous issue of their flights; moreso than the climb to altitude
under full power.

i would love to know just what Stead Field you have been going to over
the last years. You are certainly not describing the one I know.

In article , Ron Wanttaja says...

On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:27:51 -0700, Ron Wanttaja
wrote:


Here's an interesting bit of information. As of 1 January 2008, there were two
Velocities registered to the RRL (N246RR and N216MR). Both were licensed as
Experimental Amateur-Built, and still are in that category today.

Looks like one of them (N216MR) might be a Velocity purchased from a previous
builder. The other was built by Velocity and lists a Lycoming, so it may be a
conversion as well.

But, obviously, the next question arises: Have these Experimental Amateur-Built
aircraft completed their 40 hours since major alterations (conversion to rocket
power)? With a fifteen-minute flight time per fuel load, that's 160 flights.
If you consider that even that many flights would constitute less than 15 hours
with the motor running.....

So...is RRL going to do a hurried transfer of these airplanes to some other
Experimental category, or is some of their time for flying off their
restrictions going to in front of 500,000 people at Oshkosh?

capt zoom will fly the 40hrs off in 4 one hour flights and call anyone a liar
and threaten to sue anyone who disputes his claims. LOL!!! Because as zoom once
told me if I wrote it I did it...

Chuck S RAH 14/1 ret.

P.S. I notice zoomy wasn't mentioned as one of the pilots.

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:27:51 -0700, Ron Wanttaja
wrote:


Here's an interesting bit of information. As of 1 January 2008, there were two
Velocities registered to the RRL (N246RR and N216MR). Both were licensed as
Experimental Amateur-Built, and still are in that category today.

Looks like one of them (N216MR) might be a Velocity purchased from a previous
builder. The other was built by Velocity and lists a Lycoming, so it may be a
conversion as well.

But, obviously, the next question arises: Have these Experimental Amateur-Built
aircraft completed their 40 hours since major alterations (conversion to rocket
power)? With a fifteen-minute flight time per fuel load, that's 160 flights.
If you consider that even that many flights would constitute less than 15 hours
with the motor running.....

So...is RRL going to do a hurried transfer of these airplanes to some other
Experimental category, or is some of their time for flying off their
restrictions going to in front of 500,000 people at Oshkosh?

Ron Wanttaja
Hmmm...

Must be different rules in other parts of the country, or maybe time
flows at a different rate.

Down here in the backwater states, you only need 5 hours test time after
a major alteration.

Charlie
Slobovia Outernational