The Rocket Racer was up flying again today, with more gorgeous aerobatics, so here's a few more photos...hope it's not becoming too ho-hum to everyone! Shooting this plane is a bit of a challenge, because it move so fast. Back during the Rutan Birthday Bash, the folks at XCor were explaining to visitors that the rocket's exhaust exits at an astonishing Mach 4, providing such a kick in the pants that if the pilot didn't pull up sharply, the airspeed would quickly exceed Vne (and for all the non-pilot types, "ne" stands for "never exceed"!). With that kind of acceleration, altitudes quickly top 10,000 feet, stretching the limits of my zoom lens.
With today's flight done, the next stop for the rocket plane is its public debut and "exhibition race", as the Rocket Racing League is calling it, at the EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. Between flights of the Rocket Racer and the rollout ceremony of White Knight Two, which supposedly will be screened at Oshkosh live as it takes place in Mojave, this year's airshow looks like it will have a decidedly futuristic atmosphere. How will mere piston engines be able to survive?
Posts
2 comments:
Nice photos, Alan- thanks! We did one more flight this morning, the sixth one this week. The next three flights will be at Oshkosh in front of the crowds, yeehah!
-Doug Jones, Rocket Plumber
Not ho-hum at all, Alan. Keep it up!
Post a Comment