Dare Devil Flat Earther Dies in Rocket Crash

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Of course this community isn't chucking itself into Lego rockets expecting 'miracles' either. That's why this community is still around and he's not. I haven't believed in something SO seriously as to put my life in jeopardy. That comes as a direct result of watching people like this. Perhaps HE should have seen the results of hard impacts.
 
Nobody is putting words in anyones mouth. I was speaking about the community. Reread my post and you will see. The community as a whole is self important. I did not single anyone out. I just think it's in poor taste regardless how anyone feels about the guy to piss on him before he is even room temp. I bet few here have seen the result of an impact like this. I have, twice in fact and it's not exactly the thing jokes are made of.

(goes back to reread posts)

Sure looked like you were putting words in my mouth since since you were quoting me in #81.
 
Nobody is putting words in anyones mouth. I was speaking about the community. Reread my post and you will see. The community as a whole is self important. I did not single anyone out. I just think it's in poor taste regardless how anyone feels about the guy to piss on him before he is even room temp. I bet few here have seen the result of an impact like this. I have, twice in fact and it's not exactly the thing jokes are made of.

But this was self inficted. No auto deployment of the chutes? Mad Mike was an accident waiting to happen. yes, it is sad that it did happen but as Scotty said, Captain, I cannot change the laws of physics. I sure hope no one else does something like this.
 
Nope. Not the intent. I even said “we” referring the the community. You were responding to my question, I was responding to your comment.
 
The beeping you heard was a altimeter for altitude only. The chutes are deployed manually by pulling a cord, which shoots a 4500psi paint ball tank out, which pulls the drogue out, when the main cable is pulled 3 seconds later, the drogue in the air drags the main chute out immediately through a 3 ring setup, and cuts the drogue off, and the air bottle tank comes down on the drogue chute. The drogue is necessary to slow the vehicle down from 450mph to 250mph. If the drogue doesn’t deploy, the main will, but will be too fast and just shread.
250mph still sounds like a pretty fast rate of decent. Whats the actual rate of decent under the main chute?
 
If you watch the rear facing camera from one of the previous jumps? flights? you'll see the chute half-shreds there too. I thought that was a "normal" flight
 
The drogue is necessary to slow the vehicle down from 450mph to 250mph. If the drogue doesn’t deploy, the main will, but will be too fast and just shread.
I'm confused. Nobody would willingly deploy a chute, drogue or main, at 450 mph. At apogee with a near vertical launch the speed should be pretty slow.
 
I'm confused. Nobody would willingly deploy a chute, drogue or main, at 450 mph. At apogee with a near vertical launch the speed should be pretty slow.
Trust me it was near that, our Evel Spirit went 439mph in 3.9 seconds when the drogue came out. Mike kept gaining speed the entire way as it was arcing over, it wasn’t like a rocket where it goes up, looses momentum and comes back, he was going horizontal. Eddie stayed awake for the entire launch on ours and pulled both the main and drogue, but we did have a wireless backup.
 
If you guys want to talk about poor choices, ever consider the BMI of the average rocketeer? Poor choices are made everyday.

hah. Fat smack.

yeah well I might be fat but I got a much better chance of making it to 65 than someone who puts themselves in vehicles with a 33% success rate.

And why again was there no automatic deployment for the chutes? If I am reading some of this thread right it’s all manually controlled? Dont skydivers have automatic releases because they might black out from a flat spin or are otherwise unable to open their canopy?
 
hah. Fat smack.

yeah well I might be fat but I got a much better chance of making it to 65 than someone who puts themselves in vehicles with a 33% success rate.

And why again was there no automatic deployment for the chutes? If I am reading some of this thread right it’s all manually controlled? Dont skydivers have automatic releases because they might black out from a flat spin or are otherwise unable to open their canopy?
There were no automatic chutes because he’s old school, he believes in the cheapest system possible. I bet you he didn’t spend a penny over $10,000 on the whole project. There was no such thing as being right with Mike, he was always the “I know it all, and what you say doesn’t matter” type person.
 
There were no automatic chutes because he’s old school, he believes in the cheapest system possible. I bet you he didn’t spend a penny over $10,000 on the whole project. There was no such thing as being right with Mike, he was always the “I know it all, and what you say doesn’t matter” type person.


Oh Boy! We are all in trouble.
 
Mike was also facing 20 years in prison for extortion, so who knows, at 64 years old, this might had been the best way to go. He had a $650,000 bond while awaiting trial, and the Flat Earth Society bailed him out for 10% time ($65,000). Basically he was out waiting for the verdict. This could’ve been his way out.
 
Nobody is putting words in anyones mouth. I was speaking about the community. Reread my post and you will see. The community as a whole is self important. I did not single anyone out. I just think it's in poor taste regardless how anyone feels about the guy to piss on him before he is even room temp. I bet few here have seen the result of an impact like this. I have, twice in fact and it's not exactly the thing jokes are made of.

Look its unfortunate he died, but based on his previous flights and mishaps he had in the past, he should have taken things into consideration and maybe had some type of auto safety backup on deploying the chutes. And tes
There were no automatic chutes because he’s old school, he believes in the cheapest system possible. I bet you he didn’t spend a penny over $10,000 on the whole project. There was no such thing as being right with Mike, he was always the “I know it all, and what you say doesn’t matter” type person.
just like the earth is flat?
 
Mike was also facing 20 years in prison for extortion, so who knows, at 64 years old, this might had been the best way to go. He had a $650,000 bond while awaiting trial, and the Flat Earth Society bailed him out for 10% time ($65,000). Basically he was out waiting for the verdict. This could’ve been his way out.
Life insurance policies??
 
Life insurance policies??

I doubt life insurance would cover this. A special rider, maybe, but would be expensive. Maybe even some issues with network insuring them. I had a hell of a time getting life insurance due to my job...something like this wouldn't be underwritten.
 
I doubt life insurance would cover this. A special rider, maybe, but would be expensive. Maybe even some issues with network insuring them. I had a hell of a time getting life insurance due to my job...something like this wouldn't be underwritten.
Surprised they would even have a question on the application, "Do you fly in hobby rockets?"
 
Surprised they would even have a question on the application, "Do you fly in hobby rockets?"

It is hard to lie about activities when you televise them and promote them online. He might have gotten away with it before the first attempt, but would certainly be dropped after the fact.
 
In addition to the criminal proceedings, I found records online of him suing Mark Zuckerberg. The last record on that case, entered at the end of last year, is a message from the judge telling Hughes to withdraw the case and refile it in Palo Alto where the defendant lives.
 
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It is hard to lie about activities when you televise them and promote them online. He might have gotten away with it before the first attempt, but would certainly be dropped after the fact.
Guess I don't understand. Most exclusions on life insurance end after the policy is in effect for a period of time (typically 2 years), e.g., payout on suicide. To get coverage, they ask you specific questions on dangerous activities such as being a pilot, skydiving, rock climbing, etc. Even then you can get coverage, albeit at a higher rate.
 
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There were no automatic chutes because he’s old school, he believes in the cheapest system possible. I bet you he didn’t spend a penny over $10,000 on the whole project. There was no such thing as being right with Mike, he was always the “I know it all, and what you say doesn’t matter” type person.

There was something a bit sad about the whole thing, he would set up at a cafe down the road from our launch every month with either the limo or the limo and the rocket. He had a sign on the limo saying "Mad Mike Hughes the world's most famous limo driver" and a small set up selling t shirts. He was a nice enough guy but seemed oblivious to the risks he was taking.
 
It is hard to lie about activities when you televise them and promote them online. He might have gotten away with it before the first attempt, but would certainly be dropped after the fact.

I think he probably has had trouble getting life insurance for a long time. After he wrapped himself in bubble wrap to jump a stretch limousine into a pile of tires, I don't think any insurance companies would talk with him.
 
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