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Rocket airplane building cost

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oriol

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
1,466
Location
Barcelona, Spain.
Hi everyone!



I was surfing the net and I found out that the cost of manufacturing or converting/modifying from conventional aircraft to rocket racer (for the rocket racing league) is 1 million dollars worth per airplane.


It s extremely expensive!
I´m not saying that an old quicksilver could do the trick but, the rocket racing airplanes aren t supersonic. I don t know maybe you need to reinforce them or do some modifications for weight and balance. You may even need to build them from zero even if there s no difference form outside if you compare it with the conventional aircraft with reciprocating engine.



Now if we consider the engine costs design, without entering on difficult maths, thermodynamics. It s like the ramjet engine, an engine without moving parts. So it s a lot easier to build than a, for example 2 stroke engine.
I ve seen many rocket bikes on the net, this guys don t have very rich sponsors supporting them, they are not the NASA.

Maybe the data I red on the net about the rocket racer was wrong. I think those airplanes have enough fuel for a 4min flight. Is it that hard to do it? Is it that expensive because of insurance costs?



I know the germans did that during the war but, they we re so desperate during those days they took all the chances, many pilots were killed testing those airplanes.




I would apreciate any comments from you,


thanks!


Oriol
 
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