Rocket powered Long-EZ...10,000 fpm climb!

[Guest]

http://www.xcor.comWhat is it?The EZ-Rocket is a modified Long-EZ homebuilt aircraft. The aircraft is powered by twin 400 lb thrust regeneratively cooled rocket engines and fueled by isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. The EZ-Rocket includes an external composite fuel tank and an insulated internal aluminum liquid oxygen tank. The modifications were performed at XCOR Aerospace's Mojave, CA shop. Tests are performed at the Mojave Civilian Flight Test Center.What is the performance?With both engines running (800 lb thrust total) and maximum propellant load, takeoff roll is 500m (1650 ft) for 20 seconds. After pulling up, climb is established at constant airspeed at Vne, or 195 knots. Burnout is after a maximum of two minutes, still at 195 knots indicated, which equals Mach 0.4. The maximum altitude that can be attained is 1.91 miles (10,000 ft). The maximum climb rate is 52 m/sec (10,000 ft/min). It is likely we will never take the plane to the maximum altitude capability.http://www.xcor.com/gallerydata/EZstatic/0...ngines_0050.jpghttp://www.xcor.com/gallerydata/EZflight/0...light4_0047.jpghttp://www.xcor.com/gallerydata/EZflight/F...flight1_web.jpghttp://www.xcor.com/gallerydata/400lb/01_0...ckdrop_0477.jpgFlight videos are available for download from the site.http://www.xcor.comNow all we need is an enterprising company to buy one and take the public for joy flights! What a ride!! :-)

[Guest]

AndrewWhat an amazing machine :-)Does it only have enough fuel to climb to 10000 feet ie then thats it your a glider or have I misunderstood something?This would make a fun FS2002 aircraftPeter

[Guest Simpit]

Sounds like it has enough "go" for one pass through the bomber streams, before gliding back to base to be refuelled... Good to see they've gotten away from the hydrogen peroxide... that stuff was deadly. And wheels! No skid on the bottom to break one's back on a bad landing...What have they named it... Me-163 II? Derek:-wave (oopps... I just took a look at their pages... they DO have a Komet II under consideration!)

[ejoiner 21]

Of what possible practical use could such a vehiclebe? Clearly its not a test vehicle. It doesnt performany particular envelope pressing or technology challengingfeats that I can see?Eric

[Guest]

Hi Eric,It's a test vehicle for their new rocket engines. They do shut-down and re-lights in the aircraft at altitude."XCOR CEO and President Jeff Greason stated: "From XCOR's beginning, we have been guided by the vision of rocket operations being as routine as any other form of transportation. Pulling the EZ-Rocket from its hangar, conducting the flight, and towing back to its hangar only took 1 hour, 15 minutes. Today's smooth ground operation and flawless in-flight rocket engine shutdown and restart show that we're getting there."I'd say it's also a great way to get publicity! I did read somewhere they want to get the technology developed to take people on flights to the edge of space and back again. It's a great start anyway! Wouldn't mind a ride myself. :-)