It’s all been done on the 60’s. That means this 60 year old stuff is just expensive “who cares”.
Got a case of the Meh-h-h-s now? Wait until they describe the science experiments carried out by the first batch of paying passengers in the World’s First Revenue Flight Of A 3D-Printed Electric Powered Autonomous Multicopter.
Paul - So your raffle ticket didn’t come up? Me neither.
Paul, I find that you 're much more impressed with this than you profess to be. In particular, you’re impressed with Elon Muck and his SpaceX accomplishments, as am I. Remember that he could have taken his early gobs of money and played for the rest of his life, but instead he’s given us Tesla (transformed the whole idea of electric cars) and SpaceX.
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“Cartoon” describes this event perfectly, from the cartoon drawings on the wall to the “tournaut’s” flight clothing that’s right out of the Jetteson’s cartoon animation series. Space flight is no longer about exploration and putting one’s life on the line to accomplish what has never been done before. It’s just a new opportunity for the ultra-wealthy to grab the spotlight for their glory as they bathe in whatever satisfaction they get from looking down on the rest of us. Expect the video game shortly, if it hasn’t already been released.
Like a remake of an old movie, new actors and updated scenes.
"That’s why to set the world right, some billionaire should buy me a seat on one of these things. You could have no more honest set of eyeballs recording the passing scenery as ya’ll fool around with those science projects. "
I can think of nobody better to do an objective “ultimate pilot report” on a space launch than Paul.
We would get the “warts and all” objectivity missing from the “Gosh–Golly–Gee, look what I DID!” of non-aviation reports. We would also get the deeper MEANING of the flight–Paul’s wry and sometimes acerbic commentary.
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No cartoons??? What the hell? I want the cartoons. One cartoon is worth a thousand witticisms… well, maybe not a thousand but I still like the cartoons
With all due respect, I don’t understand why AvWeb, AOPA, Flying, & other AVIATION news outlets cover spaceflight at all. I own a 1946 Aeronca Champ & two vintage gliders; my flying never even gets close to the tropopause. The only aspect of spaceflight that interests me as a pilot is whether these operations pose a threat to aviation. Otherwise, if I wanted to read about spaceflight, I’m sure I could find many sources of information.
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Paul
Substitute small plane for space x, private pilot for (amateur astronaut or tournaut) and purpose instead of science in your piece and see how it reads.
I hope you are being somewhat tongue in cheek because as an earlier poster said the attitude you expressed towards this flight is often expressed towards GA by those who cannot find the time or money to participate.
I personally am enthused that private space flight is happening since the US government has other spending priorities.
Yeah, I can’t imagine there is any crossover interest between GA and space flight. Possibly as a way to increase revenue the folks at Avweb decided to cover space stories occasionally. Seeing as we’re here anyways probably a good idea to give us another page to click on. GA is way more varied than your 75 year old plane and gliders. A significant number of pilots were hooked on flight by watching Apollo and STS launches and dream of getting the our turn.
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To Daniel Berend:
I’m keenly aware that GA is broader than my Champ & vintage gliders. I’m retired after 44 years as a magazine editor & writer, most of those with aviation magazines. I’ve flown a wide assortment of stuff from hang gliders & parachute canopies to jets. All that has been aviation, not space. I’m glad for you & anyone else who was inspired by space exploration to become involved in aviation, but I respectfully submit that these are two different realms, & I’m not interested in billionaires riding an unwinged object for which the atmosphere is just an obstacle to overcome.
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I know why we cover them. Because readers want us to. Space stories are among the highest read on the site, much more so than electric airplane stories.
To John W:
Sure, I read it, for two reasons:
I think AvWeb has on its staff the two best living aviation writers in the English language—Paul Bertorelli & Paul Berge. Both are brilliant thinkers & superb writers. I will always read every word they publish.
I was curious to see if Paul would tie the billionaire’s space romp to AVIATION. In my view, he didn’t.
FWIW, I love archery—especially traditional archery (longbows & recurves)—but even though arrows “fly” through the air, I’m not interested in seeing AvWeb cover archery, even though some of my most memorable IFR cross-country flights were in a wonderfully equipped Piper Arrow III.
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At least I don’t have to hand prop it.
Wait… let me get you a cart to lean on.
Perhaps you should buy him a ticket.
“Frankly, if it was me, I’d just keep my nose pasted to the windows and to hell with explaining the justification.”
Love it! Cut the pretense.
It’s like those GA guys getting sponsors for round-the-world flights to generate interest in STEM or aviation. It’s crap, you just want to fly cause it’s fun. And you want someone to pick up the tab.
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Don’t know what’s so wrong about a media company wanting to make more money…am I missing something? Or did the 503© certificate at AvWeb expire?
When I saw the title of this blog my stomach tightened in anticipation of the usual billionaire bashing – and the usual libertarian/conservative backlash. Happy to see the Avweb readership rise above that fray (mostly).
Most mature sci-fi stories portray spaceflight as routine drudgery. Staples such as hyperspace or even fusion drives are sadly not around the corner, but contractor flight crews servicing permanent outposts may be. I think many observers sense this intuitively, and this is the actual source of Paul’s ennui.
I’m in my mid-50s, and I hope to live long enough to see serious commercial exploitation of space resources beyond telecom and remote-sensing. And to forestall another typical debate, it’s acknowledged that the manned/robotic ratio of such enterprises depends on the state of technology at that time.
If not Space X who? Probably Arian Space. Arian 5, was designed with human flight in mind, and apart from blowing up a couple of times in the early days is still able to take a capsule, and a trunk load of luggage and put it into either low earth orbit, or head straight for the stars.
Cheaper than NASA but not as cheap as Space X, but then it does pay taxes…
Now Arian 6, has been scaled back to be cheaper but does not go nearly so far, and does not have the same space at the top for capsules. Strange world.
Best line. “ The joint is going be hoping like a 7-11 on Friday night.”
GoFundMe?
@Jan
“I think AvWeb has on its staff the two best living aviation writers in the English language—Paul Bertorelli & Paul Berge. Both are brilliant thinkers & superb writers. I will always read every word they publish.”
Well said. Jan W S. I entirely agree with you! (although I do actually find the space reporting interesting - for the admirable engineering achievements).
Bob
The most honest eyeballs? As with pederast priests and Presidents who lie 30,000+ times in four years, be very wary of others declaring THEY are the most honest, ethical, reliable and objective anything.
Bertorelli can spin a colorful (sometimes malapropped) yarn but when he and his copilot were caught 99% heads down/inside during a Bristell light sport demo flight for a half hour or more on a sunny VFR day in busy Florida airspace, he did not 'fess up and promise to fly safer as the reporter expected. Instead (sadly like a certain self-absorbed and vain President) he attacked the messenger/truth-teller in the most vicious insulting terms. When called on that, he refused to retract or apologize. Credibility? Candor? The billionaire could find a more honest pick I’m sure.
Because with the odd exception - the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts were pilots first and astronauts second and we lapped it up then. Why not now?
The early days of aviation weren’t for the common man, either. The first air-mail pilots flew over a majority of countrymen who didn’t have electricity or indoor plumbing. Today we can ride in a cattle car with wings and go to a remote destination for less than the IRS mileage rate ($0.57/mile), assuming it’s even possible to drive there.
In my career, I’ve ridden charter aircraft, both fixed and rotary wing, to remote job sites - I expect something similar will be the first practical use of commercial spaceflight (I’m not counting trips to the orbital 7-11). There still remains the one discovery that will make the commercialization of space a “must” - something that satisfies a human desire similar to the 500 billion dollars spent globally on cosmetics every year. Something that can only be made or obtained in space. When that discovery is made, the gold rush begins.
One other aspect is Elon Musk’s desire to get a fragment of humanity away from Earth - he started out in software, and having backups is a good plan. The idea is nothing new, to quote one of my favorite science fiction authors:
“The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn’t have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don’t have a space program, it’ll serve us right!”
― Larry Niven
Being old and having watched the Apollo moon shots lift off in person I just can’t get excited about launching things into earth orbit. I’ve tried for the last 50 years but I just can’t. Being an engineer I know they are overcoming enormous technical challenges and inventing cool things, but I still can’t get there.
It probably won’t happen in my lifetime but let me know when we are ready to go somewhere besides in circles.
For going to the ISS to do business, I agree. For a three-day joy ride by “tourists,” I disagree.
Of course it’s fun. Why else would you do it?
There’s nothing noble about laying prostrate waiting for the next set of lashes.
I would like to think that Musk is “giving back” but I think maybe it’s more “look at me” kind of thing. But what the hell, he’s pushing us to new adventures and IS expanding space science.
Where can we go from here?
For those that view this as “We did that 60 years ago”–you couldn’t be more wrong. Back then, we sent one person–a military pilot volunteered–into the first space shots. We have evolved to the point where space shots are NOT the exclusive domain of governments.
As long as governments have sole control of “what’s up there”–progress will be stymied. Governments spend FAR more on each shot than private enterprise–and space is reserved for government agendas. Can you imagine if there were no private launches? No constellations of satellites bringing communications to the entire world?
On a more personal level, can you imagine if “aeroplanes” were limited to government designs only? The progress would be slow (and subject to the whims of changing administrations–Russia is a good example). There would BE no “General Aviation”–and even NATIONAL AIRLINES do not have a good record for safety and effective transportation for the masses. Privatization is the reason the U.S. “used to be” the best place in the world for transportation for the masses–but ever-increasing government regulation is choking the life out of that dream. The U.S. “airplane maker for the world” title has been ceded to other countries–where real innovation is still allowed.
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Primitive, low-tech, aviation scrappers educated governments. Governments expanded education, creating a bigger playing field. The ballgame goes on, hi-tech aviation scrappers at bat.
The only thing I disagree with you about is that the early days weren’t for the common man. Actually, aviation started out much like space is now. First it was the scientists and engineers pushing the boundaries (Wright Brothers et al / Goddard), then the military and government got involved (WWI / WWII V2 & Sputnik) advancing the science, but it wasn’t long before the “common man” era began with barnstorming, racing, PanAm Clipper passenger flights, etc., (now Space Tourism).
Government programs will always be large and ponderous. The latest fighter jet, for example, will always be exorbitantly expensive because in peacetime it’s as much about spreading cash to as many Congressional districts as possible as it is producing the next generation of fighter. That’s why I agree with you that this commercial grab-bag of space activities is critical to the advancement of the science. Just like aviation racing, barnstorming, first flight across the Atlantic, etc., had nothing to do with real science but everything to do with advancing the science of flight, so today the commercialization of space is laying the groundwork for advancements that no government program could ever conceive.
Where do I send my check?
And for that I will forever hate him
Several of Trump’s platform items like The Wall And his long-standing enthusiasm for aviation… especially the nude photos of then high-priced Slavic uhm “escort” Melania on a bearskin in the back of the Gulfstream [or was it the DC-99?] convinced me it was worth ignoring his prior negatives and taking a chance on a change
BIG MISTAKE
He quickly revealed himself to be more than a showman, sexist, and political anomaly but rather a demonstrable threat to public health and the fundamentals of democracy .
Instead of a your proposal for just another fat cat brief orbital voyage I’d now rather see him in the Bruce Dern “Silent Running” role = a one-way deep space (NOT"Deep State"] journey tending crops with a robotic assistant
Also next to “best”. A common mistake most decent editors would catch. PB should not have overreached but just left it at "ultimate "
It was free, right? not everyone can afford a subscription to AW&ST
Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, STS, ISS; government did the original basic space R&D on which today’s private human space ventures are and always will be built.
No argument at all that private enterprise is great and the way to go. But I still can’t get excited about launching things into earth orbit. I realize they are doing all kids of cool engineering, but wake me up when we are ready to leave earth orbit and go somewhere. Like we did 52 years ago.
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Patience, Grasshopper. The commercial era will make the things happen old space cadets like us have been dreaming of.
Roger D. : Those elitist’s [sic] what?
I never watch MSNBC since its bias is complete and transparent .
I watch Fox occasionally because they still have a few objective analysts… Very few . And it helps identify where the Delusionals are getting their misinformation …which is why I also hold my nose and watch/read Newsmax & OAN.
I notice you offered NO factual contradiction to anything I said.
Does that mean you concede Trump threatened Pence and sought to undermine democracy with his “Big Lie” simply to salve his ego while, like Abbott and deSantis today, disparaging public health officials thus costing American innocents their lives? Concede or not, he did …and was a big disappointment to me in doing so .