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| The Rocket Racer takes off
for the Tuesday air show crowd for a demonstration flight. Photo
by Craig Vander Kolk |
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| The Rocket Racer lands after
concluding it's the demonstration flight. Photo by Craig Vander Kolk |
The Rocket Racing League (RRL)
unveiled its competition racing aircraft Tuesday in a single-ship
demonstration to open Tuesday's afternoon air show. This marked the
first public flight of these aircraft, which were first introduced in
April in New York.
As the rocket racer prepared
for takeoff, the crowd was advised to put their sunglasses on. After a
loud pop, 1,500 pounds of thrust from a liquid oxygen and kerosene
engine, a short takeoff, and incredible vertical climb, the rocket racer
was high overhead with 15 foot flames out the back. Immediate applause
came from the crowd. For this demonstration, the rocket racer rotated at
100 knots, but on the "raceway in the sky," they would
normally go 200-250 knots.
Throughout the
demonstration, the rocket racer pilot would shut off its engine to cool
it-and to keep it from climbing higher-then re-ignite the engine to
continue its vertical accents and high g turns. One person in the crowd
described the sound of the shut off and re-igniting like an acetylene
torch. After a couple high-speed low altitude fly-bys the rocket racer
made an ironically quiet landing and ended with a cool down period per
FAA regulations.
This NASCAR-style racing
league will feature 6 to 10 rocket-powered aircraft flown side-by-side
by top pilots through a "three-dimensional track way" at
venues throughout the world.
The goal of the RRL is to
bring 21st century technology to 21st century fans. One day they want
rocket racing fans to race along. Rocket racing enthusiasts can watch a
synthetic "raceway in the sky" with super-imposed graphics in
the RRL tent that showcases how competitors will fly a "raceway in
the sky" via in-panel and 3-D helmet displays during actual
competition.
Fans can also get an
up-close look and learn more about the rocket racer aircraft at the
tent. Video game enthusiasts can play a RRL video game on a simulator at
the tent. Fans are able to meet the pit crew and Tuesday's rocket racer
pilot (Rick Searfoss, a shuttle commander and colonel in the Air Force)
in the RRL exhibit in AeroShell Square over the next two days. Repeat
performances of the RRL aircraft will be on Friday and Saturday at 2:30
p.m. to open the air show.
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| Rocket
Racing League |
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| A
rocket powered Velocity takes off at AirVenture 2008. |
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