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

Pylon racing and now Rocket Racing!


http://www.rocketracingleague.com/
Rocket Racing League
he 21st century's newest and greatest sport - racing rocket-
powered aircraft

The Rocket Racing League® is an aerospace sports and entertainment
organization that combines the competition of racing with the
excitement of rocketry. The RRL was established by X-Prize founder
Peter Diamandis and two-time Indianapolis 500 champion team
partner Granger Whitelaw to advance the technology and increase
public awareness of space travel. The NASCAR-style racing league
features rocket-powered aircraft that will be flown by top pilots
through a 'three-dimensional track way' at venues throughout the
world. With millions of fans who enjoy racing and air shows, and
an even wider audience enthralled with humanity's next step into
space, rocket racing is destined to become the future of racing!

Video:
http://www.rocketracingleague.com/todayshowclip.html
http://www.rocketracingleague.com/foxnewsclip.html



http://www.rocketracingleague.com/me...4_oshkosh.html
Rocket Racing League® Announces First Exhibition Race, Upcoming
Race Schedule, Key Partnership and Acquisition

New Entertainment Sports League to Stage First Exhibition Race at
EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh August 1st and August 2nd

Armadillo Aerospace to provide LOX Engine for Rocket Racer

Rocket Racing Composite Announces Acquisition of Velocity Aircraft

NEW YORK - April 14, 2008 )-The Rocket Racing League® (RRL TM),
the new entertainment sports league that combines the exhilaration
of racing with the power of rocket engines, today announced that
the First Exhibition Race of the Rocket Racing League® will take
place on August 1st and August 2nd at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh,
WI. In addition to announcing the dates of the First Exhibition
Races, the Rocket Racing League® also announced the remaining
series of exhibition races for the rest of 2008, the acquisition
of Velocity Aircraft by Rocket Racing Composites Corp., and
announced that Armadillo Aerospace will manufacture liquid oxygen
(LOX) engines for the Rocket Racing League® .

First Exhibition Race
On August 1st and August 2nd, the first Exhibition Race of the
Rocket Racing League® will be held at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh,
WI, the largest air show in the world. For the first time ever,
two Rocket Racers will compete head-to-head in a demonstration
race in the raceway in the sky. The Rocket Racer pilots will view
the "raceway in the sky" via in-panel and 3D helmet displays and
the 700,000 people in attendance at EAA AirVenture will witness
the racing action live on multiple large projection screens.

"The first Exhibition Race of the Rocket Racer is an important
milestone in the progression of the Rocket Racing League® ," said
Granger Whitelaw, Chief Executive Officer of the Rocket Racing
League® . "We look forward to sharing the experience and thrill of
rocket racing with the public."

Exhibition Race Schedule

Following the first Exhibition Race at EAA AirVenture, the RRL
will hold exhibition races at venues around the country,
including:

* Reno National Championship Air Races (Reno, NV) - September
10-14
* X Prize Cup (Las Cruces, NM) - TBD 2008
* Aviation Nation, Nellis AFB, (Las Vegas, NV) - November 8-9

News:
http://www.rocketracingleague.com/pr...-releases.html

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...

Pylon racing and now Rocket Racing!

I'm sure there will now appear those who choose to sit on the sidelines and
mock those who are trying something new. It is easier and less risky to be a
critic instead of a playwright.

I'm looking forward to seeing it. The Red Bull events are very entertaining.

Rich S.

On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:19:07 -0700, "Rich S."
wrote:

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...

Pylon racing and now Rocket Racing!

I'm sure there will now appear those who choose to sit on the sidelines and
mock those who are trying something new. It is easier and less risky to be a
critic instead of a playwright.

Wouldn't want to disappoint you, Rich! :-)

I'm looking forward to seeing it. The Red Bull events are very entertaining.

Certainly. But there's a lot of differences between Red Bull and the RRL. For
instance, the RRL pilots follow instructions from an autopilot in order to
follow an invisible course. If they vary from the course, only the spectators
following the "video game" on the big-screen TVs will know. For Red Bull, a
"Cut Pylon" is not only a literal event, it's totally obvious to every
spectator! :-)

I don't argue that the RRL isn't *spectacle*. But so was "jet truck" racing at
Oshkosh.

The race at Oshkosh is listed as an 'Exhibition'...with no definition of what
that means. I'm guessing it means two or three airplanes (probably including
XCOR's Rocket EZ) zipping around until their fuel runs out, no pit stops, and
limited video screens.

No doubt folks will enjoy the spectacle. But...consider whether you'll ever be
willing to pay good money *just* to see a rocket race. I enjoyed seeing the
Rocket EZ fly. But how many people would pay $100 just to watch it fly again?
If a full-up RRL race would displace, say, 100 homebuilts from show-center
Oshkosh parking to allow room for their video screens, pit areas, and luxury
boxes for VIP guests...would it be worth it?

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.

The RRL could have just as easily licensed them as Experimental Racing.
*Somebody* had to sign an affidavit stating that these aircraft were constructed
for education or recreation.

Keep that in mind the next time the kit airplane companies cry about the FAA
tightening up the Experimental Amateur-Built rules....

Ron Wanttaja

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 Jun 28, 11:06*am, Larry Dighera wrote:
Pylon racing and now Rocket Racing!

* *http://www.rocketracingleague.com/
* * Rocket Racing League
* * he 21st century's newest and greatest sport - racing rocket-
* * powered aircraft


OK. I am a bit out of date but my understanding is that it is timed
circuits, not 2 or more in the air at the same time. Not what I
consider 'racing'.

Further, reading between the lines of the press release. You won't see
the planes flying except on a video screen.

If either of them, especially the 'screen' bit is correct, color me
very bored.

Harry K

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

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:06:27 -0700 (PDT), Harry K
wrote in
:

On Jun 28, 11:06*am, Larry Dighera wrote:
Pylon racing and now Rocket Racing!

* *http://www.rocketracingleague.com/
* * Rocket Racing League
* * he 21st century's newest and greatest sport - racing rocket-
* * powered aircraft


OK. I am a bit out of date but my understanding is that it is timed
circuits, not 2 or more in the air at the same time. Not what I
consider 'racing'.

Where did you get that idea?


Further, reading between the lines of the press release. You won't see
the planes flying except on a video screen.

I believe that is incorrect also.


If either of them, especially the 'screen' bit is correct, color me
very bored.

Harry K

View this video, and then tell me what you believe is correct:
http://www.rocketracingleague.com/foxnewsclip.html

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

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.