A 91原创 entrepreneur is launching 芒鈧�� literally 芒鈧�� a new method of getting commuters across the Fraser River without paying tolls on the Golden Ears Bridge.
A.F. Feste says he will have his new TrebuLink system set up for free demonstration rides today, April 1, at the old ferry terminal on MacMillan Island.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s all about speed and service,芒鈧� Feste said. 芒鈧揌ow can we get people around gridlock? How can we do that cheaply, efficiently, and without burning fossil fuels? The answer is trebuchets.芒鈧�
Feste plans to use the trebuchet 芒鈧�� a type of medieval catapult once used to shatter the walls of European castles 芒鈧�� to launch commuters from Fort 91原创 to Haney.
芒鈧揥e all miss the ferry service,芒鈧� Feste told the 91原创 Advance. 芒鈧揑t was free, it was quick, and it was easy to use. I want to bring that kind of service back to Fort 91原创, but at a fraction of the cost to maintain and operate.芒鈧�
Feste said he has been inspired by competitions such as the World Championship Punkin Chunkin, which sees a variety of backyard inventors build devices to send their pumpkins hundreds if not thousands of metres.
芒鈧揑 thought, if you can do that with a pumpkin, you can do that with a person,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s just simple physics.芒鈧�
The trebuchet 芒鈧�� which he named TrebuLink, a nod to the Lower Mainland芒鈧劉s predominant transit authority 芒鈧�� will be built on the dock, with a swing arm about a hundred metres long attached to a counterweight. When the release is pulled, the arm will swing up and forward, drawing the passenger, sitting in a bucket seat scavenged from a 1983 Fiero, into the air.
Passengers can bring their own parachutes, or borrow one with a $10 deposit from Feste芒鈧劉s operation.
The Fraser River TrebuLink will start full operation later this month, and will have staff on hand to show new customers how things work.
A similar trebuchet on the Haney side of the river will launch customers back at the end of the day.
芒鈧揈ventually, we won芒鈧劉t need so many staff members,芒鈧� Feste said. 芒鈧揑f things go well, I hope to add a second trebuchet on each side, and make them coin-operated. I think it could be fun for people to launch themselves 芒鈧�� kids will love it, it芒鈧劉s great for those little family day trips. Just remember to pull the chute release as soon as you hit apogee, and you芒鈧劉re fine!芒鈧�
The trebuchets will not run on particularly windy days, as there芒鈧劉s a chance the passengers could drift too far away from the landing zones.
TrebuLink芒鈧劉s third and fourth trebuchets are currently being built in Germany.
芒鈧揥hat can I say, they outbid the local guys!芒鈧� Feste said. 芒鈧揟hey芒鈧劉ve been using these things in Europe for years on the Danube and the Rhine, and there芒鈧劉s government support for the industry.芒鈧�
If successful, Feste plans to expand and set up another TrebuLink site near the Port Mann Bridge to allow commuters to avoid the tolls there.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉ll be cheaper than crossing in a car, that芒鈧劉s for sure!芒鈧� he said.
However, the larger trebuchets needed there may necessitate passengers being registered as light private aircraft, as they may go above 500 feet in altitude during the launch.
Feste plans to charge between $0.50 and $1.25 for his launch service.
芒鈧揃ased on weight,芒鈧� he said.
