Golf Cart at LDRS

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Jmhepworth

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Joined
Dec 14, 2012
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Location
Kaysville, Utah
We have looked at the possibility of making golf carts available to participants at LDRS this summer. Is there any interest in renting a golf cart for $100 a day?
 
The idea being to retrieve your rocket via golf cart instead of driving your vehicle off the flight line? Or, just to move around the range head more quickly?

Me personally, I like to walk, even if my rocket lands 2 miles away :)
 
We have people that are flying in and won't have their normal recovery vehicles, they don't want to chase rockets with a 40' rental RV!!!
 
do I need to reserve one prior to arrival?
We’re looking into having a small number of carts for staff use. In a recent meeting, someone suggested that fliers might want to have a rocket recovery cart, particularly if they fly in and don’t have a truck. So we’re trying to see if there is any interest. I suspect prior reservation would be required, but we’re just sorting it out. Based on the few responses here, it doesn’t sound like there’s a lot of interest.

The salt flats are immense, so driving any vehicle to recover a rocket works fine. Unless you get near the edge and suddenly find your tires up to the sidewalls in mud. A golf cart would be a lot easier to pull out than a big truck.
 
Joe, I recently had an email exchange on this topic with Paul Joyce, UROC's new President. He told me that the issue had been discussed in recent meetings, with no firm outcome yet. Speaking for myself, I wouldn't hesitate to chuck a twenty dollar bill into a "tip jar" duct-taped to the sun top of a golf cart so I could use it to recover my rocket. Chubby CheckerPants is a stretched 30-pound LOC/Precision Mega-Magg I will fly on the salt on L motors to 10,000+ feet. Having a golf cart available so this old rocket dawg doesn't have to hike miles in the sun-scorched Bonneville heat would be a real blessing. Count me in!
When you mentioned "$100 a day", what specifically did you have in mind?
Bob Schultz
 
Joe, I recently had an email exchange on this topic with Paul Joyce, UROC's new President. He told me that the issue had been discussed in recent meetings, with no firm outcome yet. Speaking for myself, I wouldn't hesitate to chuck a twenty dollar bill into a "tip jar" duct-taped to the sun top of a golf cart so I could use it to recover my rocket. Chubby CheckerPants is a stretched 30-pound LOC/Precision Mega-Magg I will fly on the salt on L motors to 10,000+ feet. Having a golf cart available so this old rocket dawg doesn't have to hike miles in the sun-scorched Bonneville heat would be a real blessing. Count me in!
When you mentioned "$100 a day", what specifically did you have in mind?
Bob Schultz

Bob, we’ve found a vendor who will haul gas poweredgolf carts out to the salt flats for a daily rental. With daily rental, delivery, and cleaning charges, it’s between $75 and $100 a day. We may offer an opportunity to rent one, but we really wanted to see if there is interest before going to the effort. It might be something a group of fliers could go in on.
 
I like the idea, quick out to your rocket and back. A couple of people go together, 2 or 3 , and the cost is not bad... Keep us posted.
 
Bob, we’ve found a vendor who will haul gas poweredgolf carts out to the salt flats for a daily rental. With daily rental, delivery, and cleaning charges, it’s between $75 and $100 a day. We may offer an opportunity to rent one, but we really wanted to see if there is interest before going to the effort. It might be something a group of fliers could go in on.
 
lawndartman, you raise an important issue about minimizing time to recover rockets that land a good distance away. Especially important if you plan multiple flights in a day. But my main concern in raising the issue was coping smart with the heat. I'm hoping late July on the salt has comfortable highs in the 80's, but I've been told it can soar well into the 90's - and beyond. If it's really hot, having a golf cart to aid in recovery (and moving around the launch area too, for that matter) will be a godsend.
Bob
(P.S. It was two degrees above zero here in Michigan last night, and yes, it does feel surreal to be talking about high heat right now.)
 
I remember one time someone came by and offered me a ride out onto the Salt Flats on his ATV to pick up my rocket. I think the rocket was my 4x OT. It was someone my wife had made friends with in a nearby gazebo. I remember we got to the rocket and back very quickly. It was a Godsend. I like the idea for a "tip jar".

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't hesitate to chuck a twenty dollar bill into a "tip jar" duct-taped to the sun top of a golf cart so I could use it to recover my rocket. Chubby CheckerPants is a stretched 30-pound LOC/Precision Mega-Magg I will fly on the salt on L motors to 10,000+ feet. Having a golf cart available so this old rocket dawg doesn't have to hike miles in the sun-scorched Bonneville heat would be a real blessing. Count me in!
Bob Schultz
 
Seems as if a few carts, with staffed drivers (assigned volunteers), at a central point for hiring, makes a lot of sense. A simple ride out and back for ease of recovery for twenty bucks would be so useful and easy and should cover the rental costs and gas and might even make a great opportunity drawing item.
 
It can be easy to get your truck (or car) stuck. A cart might save you some maga bucks. I like this idea, let's work on this.
 
lawndartman, you raise an important issue about minimizing time to recover rockets that land a good distance away. Especially important if you plan multiple flights in a day. But my main concern in raising the issue was coping smart with the heat. I'm hoping late July on the salt has comfortable highs in the 80's, but I've been told it can soar well into the 90's - and beyond. If it's really hot, having a golf cart to aid in recovery (and moving around the launch area too, for that matter) will be a godsend.
Bob
(P.S. It was two degrees above zero here in Michigan last night, and yes, it does feel surreal to be talking about high heat right now.)
The temps won’t be in the 80’s, except early in the morning. The plan is to open the range at 7:00 and fly until 3:00, when it‘s just too hot. Expect mid to upper 90’s. And bring shade. On the plus side, the golf carts come with shade.
 
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