Viewing Rocket Launch Airborne

[JordanGrant]

Friends:
I'm hatching a plan to go watch a Falcon Heavy launch from Cape Canaveral and thinking I can get a good view from 10,000' in my RV-6. Has anyone tried doing this? Looks possible, based on the restricted area and TFR airspace in the area. Has anybody tried it and are there any gotchas?

Jordan

 

[Bruce]

Jordan,
They travel NE and SE.
SE in the winter months.
Might help with your high orbit plans out
Of the TFR.

I winter in Punta Gorda and watch them go to SE.
Very cool to see the 2 boosters from the heavy go
Back to the cape.

Also, KPGD is 115NM and can see pretty good on clear day.
They leave a great contrail.
Boomer

 

[RV8iator]

Friends:
I'm hatching a plan to go watch a Falcon Heavy launch from Cape Canaveral and thinking I can get a good view from 10,000' in my RV-6. Has anyone tried doing this? Looks possible, based on the restricted area and TFR airspace in the area. Has anybody tried it and are there any gotchas?

Jordan

Easy and worth the effort. I timed my takeoff to pass by on the minute.
Controllers knew launch times and the day I did it when the countdown was a minute out they gave a heads up. Lots of planes at different altitudes. We were at 10,000 feet and timed it right and didn’t slow down at all. Amazing view and it happens FAST.

 

[MElstien]

Rocket Launch Viewing from the Air.

I live in Florida on the east coast. Last year I did this exact thing. It was a Falcon 9 night launch. The TFR ended just over the intercoastal waterway. We flew to Titusville TIX after sunset and landed. KTIX is just west of Kennedy. The controllers asked us where we wanted to go and we told them we wanted to orbit the field during the rocket launch. They kept us informed of the launch status and told us when we should take-off. They allowed us to orbit at 3,000 and we remained just west of the TFR before heading back to Spruce Creek.

It was great.

I do believe the heavy launches have a larger TFR and KTIX is probably within the TFR.

Mike

 

[Steve Crewdog]

Jordan and all,

I'm incredibly jealous of you seeing a launch from above, but don't discount seeing it from the ground if you're airplaneless. Watching an 18 story building come plummeting down fron space, lighting it's engine(s) off and make an automated landing has to be seen and heard to be believed.

I saw the Falcon Heavy launch/landing during a SeaRey build research trip in November, Pirep link below.

Pirep, Falcon launch viewing from Jetty Park.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=57563.0

Unlike the Shuttle, you're 99.9% guaranteed to see a launch if you go. (No offense, Iron Flight.)

 

[Marlonyoung]

launch viewing

Friend did that here in California, had another pilot flying. got a great zoomed in picture but from a distance. Flightwatch dropped them because there were to many others in the air trying to view also, and would not take responsibility. Keep your eye peeled as there will probably be others doing the same thing

 

[n82rb]

saw a shuttle launch years ago from the flight deck of a 757 at fl390. we had a total undercast, was wild to see. the undercast just glowed orange, then the shuttle came through it and climbed away.

bob burns
rv-4 n82rb

 

[GalinHdz]

Over the years I have had the pleasure to watch several of them, sometimes planned other times coincidence. My favorite was the time we (wife & I) saw the FalconX during a night launch.

Depending on the launch, the airspace can get real busy with others wanting to watch. I recommend use flight follow from Daytona Approach/Center depending on your altitude. They are normally quite helpful and sometimes even call out when the launch has happened or if there was a delay/cancellation. And yes, it happens fast.

 

[Dugaru]

+1 on the FAST

I watched a relatively small launch from Wallops Island VA a few years back while circling nearby. Not sure what I was expecting in my ignorance -- some sort of stately slo-mo Saturn V liftoff with loud orchestral music playing? -- but holy cow it basically looked like somebody shot a flare out of a cannon.

Well worth the effort.

View attachment 35274

Easy and worth the effort. I timed my takeoff to pass by on the minute.
Controllers knew launch times and the day I did it when the countdown was a minute out they gave a heads up. Lots of planes at different altitudes. We were at 10,000 feet and timed it right and didn’t slow down at all. Amazing view and it happens FAST.

 

[krwalsh]

Friends:
Looks possible, based on the restricted area and TFR airspace in the area. Has anybody tried it and are there any gotchas?

I've never tried this, but it definitely makes for good photos. I work on the other side of this scenario and am on comms when my company launches. I would suggest that you pay a lot of attention to the TFR, and don't even LOOK like you MIGHT bust the TFR. The range is in constant communication with mission control for the launch, and if they have a target heading toward the TFR they may pre-emptively have the range go red. We have yet to have this happen for an aircraft, but we've had it several times with boats violating or looking like they might violate the NOTMAR. I assure you our launch days are stressful enough, and we don't need to add an airplane busting the TFR to the mix.