Rockets or Sports

[laminar]

Arguably the two most exciting things happening to air racing recently. The emerging popularity of the Sport Class and the illusive new sport from the mind of Mr Diamantis; Rocket racing.

Both represent a new take on a sport we all love, both present alternatives to the secret fetish I think we all share...chopped mustangs.

But which trully is the future of air racing?

[Peashooter]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Give me action that I can see close-up and that I can relate to.

[laminar]

Re: Rockets or Sports

The most recent issue of kitplanes has a cover story about the disapearance of Av-gas. Piston engines are being driven out by jets, what is the relevance of our favorite sport then?

While if Mr. Branson is correct and there is a market for commercial space travel, the company that can prove its motors in a race format will have a serious advantage.

[Peashooter]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Rocket power is a long way from convenient, practical & affordable. Branson's commercial venture at this point is an expensive joy ride. On the other hand, he has a huge backlog of passengers.

I made a delightful trip from Cincinnati Lunken today to Caesar's Creek Gliderport to land on grass and watch the glider ops. Trips like that will get more expesive, but I believe I'll be able to do so through my lifetime.

[T. Adams]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Arguably the two most exciting things happening to air racing recently. The emerging popularity of the Sport Class and the illusive new sport from the mind of Mr Diamantis; Rocket racing.

Both represent a new take on a sport we all love, both present alternatives to the secret fetish I think we all share...chopped mustangs.

But which trully is the future of air racing?

Rocket racing is a joke. An EZ at 5,000ft? I may as well be looking for a postage stamp in the sky!!

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Rocket racing is a joke. An EZ at 5,000ft? I may as well be looking for a postage stamp in the sky!!

Plus, they will be racing the clock rather than each other....Not exactly a spectator sport.

Rockets are only useful when you need a LOT of thrust for a short period of time (and for burning a huge amount of fuel in the same short period).

[laminar]

Re: Rockets or Sports

So if rocket racing won't work will the sports be able to draw the crowds nessecary to keep the sport alive when merlins and cyclones are too rare for even the most eccentric of millionairs?

[First time Juke]

Re: Rockets or Sports

At the current rate of burning of fuel....there won't be air-racing for the generations to come. The price of gas in my country ( darn taxes ) is already 6 dollars or more per gallon.

Intelligent would be an alternative fuel burning air racers or perhaps even those Daedalus II alikes..pedalling around the pylons ?

...or then minimalistic horsepower racers....smaller than F-1:s even ?

Not that I would not be interested in the current racers...JUST THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE..( loud..not necessarily wise ).

Jet racers are something new yes....so would the 20 hp racers be.

I recently read a bout a dude who is building a 1/3 scale Skyraider with a 23 hp radial...how about that....1/3 scale racers with a man inside ?


Ooops I gotta work now...later dudes.

[King]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Plus, they will be racing the clock rather than each other....Not exactly a spectator sport.

Kinda like watching a Sailplane race. Fun watching the takeoff (tow) of 65 sailplanes in an hour. Fun watching all 65 come back in a hour or so. But the 5 hours inbetween can get pretty boring!

[laminar]

Re: Rockets or Sports

With the lack of popularity of the jet class, it seems to me that it comes down to noise, as the speed is comparable.

the rockets will be loud

when it comes to the sports blame it on the turbo-chargers I guess, though the front of the pack did sound pretty good this year, even though all but parker ran turbos.

those big rolls' pratts and wrights just sound soo good

[Fence Sence]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Seriously? The whole Rocket thing sounds pretty lame to me. Don't get me wrong, I love anything that goes fast. As well as being way, way ,WAY too far up to even bother watching, it's a time trial. Hmmmmm, do I wan't to be present for a bunch of guys in rocket powered EZs doing time trials where I can't even see them or do I want to watch, right in front of my face, hopped up "kit" planes duke it out head to head in an actual race. Boy, that's a tough one.

Look, the Sport class IS the future of Air "Racing" right now. Rocket TTs might have a future but that future ain't replacing the sport class.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Look, the Sport class IS the future of Air "Racing" right now. Rocket TTs might have a future but that future ain't replacing the sport class.

I truly do bite my fingers (in place of my tongue) on this thing...

But I can only not say anything for so long...

This "racing" *might* have a future as some sort of airshow act. But as a "replacement" for air racing, it's not even in the same category IMHO...

From everything I've seen and read, I will honestly be surprised to see an event ever take place.

As far as noise, from what I understand, the sound these things make is more like a pfffffffffffffft than a ROOOAAAAARRRRR as one might commonly think of a rocket sounding like... think model rocket and what they sound like rather than the shuttle and I think the compairson will be more accruate.



The aboved comments are editorial in nature, are the opinion of the author and in no way should they be construed as factual or news....

Wayne Sagar

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Rockets or Sports

As far as noise, from what I understand, the sound these things make is more like a pfffffffffffffft than a ROOOAAAAARRRRR as one might commonly think of a rocket sounding like... think model rocket and what they sound like rather than the shuttle and I think the compairson will be more accruate.

Wayne Sagar

So true. The XCOR site still offers videos of the EZ-rocket in action. If anything, they sound more like a small jet engine than a rumbling, roaring rocket...

XCOR VIDEOS PAGE:

http://www.xcor.com/video-ezrocket.html

.

[Peashooter]

Re: Rockets or Sports

those big rolls' pratts and wrights just sound soo good

It will be a sad, sad, sad day when the last Unlimited race is run...nothing is forever.

[stuntflyr]

Re: Rockets or Sports

Well,
It's been 24 years since Dago Red's debut win.
It's been 12 years since Kevin jumped out of the Corsair.
It's been 17 years since the 3KM record was broken.
It's been 26 years since N79111 came out as Jeannie.
And it is a cool 60 years since Tex Johnston and Paul Mantz were victors in the Thompson and Bendix races, so it has been going on for a long time.
It really is amazing that it has been so long, to me. We all get old. Things always change. So when we are running turbines and diesels, it won't be so bad, the props will still make noise.
Chris...