TIV

[Sean Casey]

Hey Sean, do you guys have a ballpark estimate of what the new TIV will weigh?

Were you guys required to stop at weigh stations in the past with the original TIV?

TIV2 will be around 18,000 lbs. The load on the front tires is our achilles heal. We can't counter balance off the rear tires becuase we want a good approach angle for driving into ditches.

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

1. Sorry for the invasive questions, but how did you get around the LEGAL ISSUES with putting this thing on the road? Craig Maire and I were wondering that aloud over the phone.

2. Can your cells contact anyone in case you're the only ones on a particular storm, so that it will be reported? I missed the show unfortunately so I don't know whether your gear would interfere with such communication.

3. I saw a short scene on youtube where some kind of claws were deployed. It looked like they'd either do little but show some entertaining footage to make the audience believe you were going to be okay, or damage the roads I'm, errr, paying taxes for How do those claws work exactly (if they don't do anything but exist for show it's okay) if you're on paved roads?

4. How big has the (borrowing Dr. Doswell's terms but using it in my own definition, as local "chasers" who don't know a thing about storms) Yahoo train been? Do you discourage them from following you if they don't know who you are, as being a standout vehicle designed to INTERCEPT a tornado would likely be dangerous for those zombies?

5. Finally, have you thought about ever using this vehicle to intercept a hurricane via finding a nice spot and anchoring long-term? Could there be enough patience, food/water, and crew chemistry to make it through, as well as ... uh ... some decent method of ... errrrrrrr ... "waste disposal" shall we say ?

Feel free to say "wait 'till you watch the show" to any (or all) of these questions since I'm planning to get my hands on the docu whenever I get the chance.

Best wishes and STAY SAFE - you know the variables might not pan out and you could easily get whacked and roll in this. Hope TIV2 comes out soon.

Best,
D.R.

 

[Jason Foster]

Some additional thoughts

It may be a conflict between media companies, but thinking ahead to a possible TIV3....I'd try to hook up with the guys on Extreme 4x4 on the Spike Channel. I tried contacting them about building a chase vehicle (although not an intercept vehicle). They were not interest saying they had too many projects at the moment. But with the existing credits and following, the TIV team may get better interest.

As for the hurricane question. I'd worry more about the surge than the debris. I'm sure the TIV would far OK, but you could drown with the high surge. I myself prefer to find a structure or place to "hide" the vehicle will in anything above a Cat 2 hurricane. When I filmed outside in Hurricane Charley it was a real scare, and I don't know if I'd want to be in Cat5 without being someplace high, and extremely well protected (more than what the TIV could afford).

 

[Sean Casey]

1. Sorry for the invasive questions, but how did you get around the LEGAL ISSUES with putting this thing on the road? Craig Maire and I were wondering that aloud over the phone.

2. Can your cells contact anyone in case you're the only ones on a particular storm, so that it will be reported? I missed the show unfortunately so I don't know whether your gear would interfere with such communication.

3. I saw a short scene on youtube where some kind of claws were deployed. It looked like they'd either do little but show some entertaining footage to make the audience believe you were going to be okay, or damage the roads I'm, errr, paying taxes for How do those claws work exactly (if they don't do anything but exist for show it's okay) if you're on paved roads?

4. How big has the (borrowing Dr. Doswell's terms but using it in my own definition, as local "chasers" who don't know a thing about storms) Yahoo train been? Do you discourage them from following you if they don't know who you are, as being a standout vehicle designed to INTERCEPT a tornado would likely be dangerous for those zombies?

5. Finally, have you thought about ever using this vehicle to intercept a hurricane via finding a nice spot and anchoring long-term? Could there be enough patience, food/water, and crew chemistry to make it through, as well as ... uh ... some decent method of ... errrrrrrr ... "waste disposal" shall we say ?

Feel free to say "wait 'till you watch the show" to any (or all) of these questions since I'm planning to get my hands on the docu whenever I get the chance.

Best wishes and STAY SAFE - you know the variables might not pan out and you could easily get whacked and roll in this. Hope TIV2 comes out soon.

Best,
D.R.

1. Nothing, the TIV is completely road legal. I think you would be impressed with how lenient the DOT is to what vehicles require to be road legal.

2. Josh's team handles the calls, usually it's the DOW navigator.

3. The effectiveness of the claws, or the entire vehicle for that matter, is hard to quantify. I don't think wind tunnels can accurately create the fluid dynamics of a real tornado. The claws have 12,000 lbs of pressure, so I imagine they can only help. And no the claws don't go through concrete so your tax dollar hasn't gone to any of our claw marks.

4. I believe they know what we are trying to do, so I don't feel the need to stop people from following us.

5. TIV wasn't designed with that mission so I'm hesitant to go after hurricanes. They don't interest me as something visually beautiful, just a big mess in my opinion.

 

[Sean Casey]

It may be a conflict between media companies, but thinking ahead to a possible TIV3....I'd try to hook up with the guys on Extreme 4x4 on the Spike Channel. I tried contacting them about building a chase vehicle (although not an intercept vehicle). They were not interest saying they had too many projects at the moment. But with the existing credits and following, the TIV team may get better interest.

As for the hurricane question. I'd worry more about the surge than the debris. I'm sure the TIV would far OK, but you could drown with the high surge. I myself prefer to find a structure or place to "hide" the vehicle will in anything above a Cat 2 hurricane. When I filmed outside in Hurricane Charley it was a real scare, and I don't know if I'd want to be in Cat5 without being someplace high, and extremely well protected (more than what the TIV could afford).

Yikes! TIV3! I don't think I have it in me. The one problem is that I've signed a contract with the Discovery Channel so for me to approach a different media outlet, there'd be some issues.

But I'll keep it in mind as we've really tried to make TIV2 an offroading machine. Ten wheels of locking drive, 20" of clearance, and nice approach angles.

If I was going to go after hurricanes I'd look into something like a surplus military amphib. TIV2 is better suited for a hurricane mission.

 

[Clive Taylor]

Sean,

Any pictures of TIV2 that you could post would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Greg Stumpf]

20" of clearance

Sean, TIV1 had a pretty low profile, presumably to avoid wind getting underneath the vehicle. With a 20" clearance, does the TIV2 have "low-rider" height-adjustable suspension to achieve the same desired profile?

 

[Rockwell Schrock]

First of all, I'd like to thank you, Sean, for taking the time to answer all our questions! You must spend so much time focused on the TIV, and then to spend even MORE time voluntarily talking about with us... Anyway, I really appreciated reading your replies.

What do you think of the way in which Twister Chasers portrayed your mission? From simply watching the shows, the whole mission came off, to me, as somewhat clueless and without much forethought (no offense meant at all!). I'll watch all the storm footage I can, but I just couldn't watch more than a few episodes of that show. From reading your responses here, though, I've found that you really do know what you're talking about, and that so much thought went into everything. I thought the rule that you abort if you can't contact Josh for twenty seconds was especially sensible. I guess important things like that just don't make for interesting viewing for the rest of the TV-watching audience.

 

[Sean Casey]

First of all, I'd like to thank you, Sean, for taking the time to answer all our questions! You must spend so much time focused on the TIV, and then to spend even MORE time voluntarily talking about with us... Anyway, I really appreciated reading your replies.

What do you think of the way in which Twister Chasers portrayed your mission? From simply watching the shows, the whole mission came off, to me, as somewhat clueless and without much forethought (no offense meant at all!). I'll watch all the storm footage I can, but I just couldn't watch more than a few episodes of that show. From reading your responses here, though, I've found that you really do know what you're talking about, and that so much thought went into everything. I thought the rule that you abort if you can't contact Josh for twenty seconds was especially sensible. I guess important things like that just don't make for interesting viewing for the rest of the TV-watching audience.

Our portrayal in "ST" is adjusted for a general audience by filmmakers that are not storm chasers. What did you expect they'd come up with?

 

[Kelley Austin]

Sean,
I just read an interesting artical in the Jan. 10 edition, page 31, in Machine Design Magazine, (machinedesign.com) This artical may be of interest to you concerning how much wind TIV2 can withstand. The artical describes how Gillett Everham Motorsports and Dassault Systemes, (3ds.com) uses 3D CAD and CFD computer programs in the design of their speedway cars. The programs that are used calculate lift-to-drag ratio, side force, and aerodynamic loads. It can simulate wind tunnel tests to a point. After telling them your story and what you are doing,they might try to help you out with some info.

The information you could get from this may help you determain how strong a storm you really want to get into.

Just trying to help a little. I think if it were me and my TIV2 and my crew I would like to know pretty close just how much we could stand. JMO

Good luck this season. We will see you in the Plains.

 

[Sean Casey]

Thanks Kelley,

I'll look them up and give them a call to see if they want to deal with us. But thanks for the heads-up!

sean

 

[Bill Tabor]

I doubt a computer simulation of speedway car forces would adequately model the forces of a tornado on a TIV. As I understand tornadoes have varying dynamic forces /winds, and pressure changes not to mention likely some lift component, combined with blown debris. Whereas a speedway car is mostly heading forward and facing head on wind the winds from a tornadic encounter will change as the tornado passes (on a direct hit). With a stronger torn potentially carrying debris you have to be able to survive such hits. A bigger threat would be a strong tornado or very rapidly intensifying tornado that could lift the TIV. Do you recall the Pampa tornado video of the vehicles flying through the air? If the TIV encountered such an event and was carried hundreds or thousands of feet upward / outward could it (and occupants) survive re-contact with the ground? As I understand this is what DOW does for you by determining the strength before making contact, but storm forces can be unpredictable. I assume they can rapidly change from a weak torn to a strong or severe torn in a matter of minutes if not seconds.

I recall Tim Samaras's probes were of an aerodynamic design that actually forced them onto the ground when the tornado approached. IMO the best TIV design would take this concept into account. You also likely would want to lower the TIV all the way to the ground to prevent wind getting underneath, and likely also perhaps some type of explosive bolts deploy into the ground to stake it in. Thoughts?

 

[Kelley Austin]

Bill,
After they digitize TIV2 the computer programs can determine what forces are exerted on the vehicle at any angle. Front, side and rear and also how much lift the wind will have due to the hight above the ground the vehicle has. IMHO just like chasing the more information you have at the time the better chance you will have getting on the storm. In this case the more information you have the better chance you would have staying on the ground and not becoming part of THE debris.

 

[Sean Casey]

I doubt a computer simulation of speedway car forces would adequately model the forces of a tornado on a TIV. As I understand tornadoes have varying dynamic forces /winds, and pressure changes not to mention likely some lift component, combined with blown debris. Whereas a speedway car is mostly heading forward and facing head on wind the winds from a tornadic encounter will change as the tornado passes (on a direct hit). With a stronger torn potentially carrying debris you have to be able to survive such hits. A bigger threat would be a strong tornado or very rapidly intensifying tornado that could lift the TIV. Do you recall the Pampa tornado video of the vehicles flying through the air? If the TIV encountered such an event and was carried hundreds or thousands of feet upward / outward could it (and occupants) survive re-contact with the ground? As I understand this is what DOW does for you by determining the strength before making contact, but storm forces can be unpredictable. I assume they can rapidly change from a weak torn to a strong or severe torn in a matter of minutes if not seconds.

I recall Tim Samaras's probes were of an aerodynamic design that actually forced them onto the ground when the tornado approached. IMO the best TIV design would take this concept into account. You also likely would want to lower the TIV all the way to the ground to prevent wind getting underneath, and likely also perhaps some type of explosive bolts deploy into the ground to stake it in. Thoughts?

I completely agree about trying to test the TIV with some sort of pre existing wind model would have limited success. But how many different scenarios would you have to run and who has the ability to do so. Maybe that is what I should be seeking... so who knows who might be the best person to seek out?

I do think there is value to testing a 3D model with straight line winds as some tornadoes do not contain significant lift at ground level.

Explosive bolt? Love it! How many do you got? and how much do you want for them?

 

[Bill Tabor]

Well I agree if it was my A$$ on the line, I'd use any and every simulation possible if I thought it was somewhat valid.

Not sure how to implement the explosive bolts or stakes. Perhaps some sturdy arms deploy from vertical to horizontal (near ground) position and then use intense compressed air (or some other pressure source) to drive metal stakes downward into the ground. Hmm....not sure if the highway department would like you after deployment though - after you leave the holes in the pavement.