March 25th launch report

Check out the latest news on all things ROCC from our launch on the 25th. Thanks Roy!!

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Sunday March 26 scrubbed

Due to weather outlook for Sunday the launch has been scrubbed for Sunday the 26th. We will try to get another day in if possible between now and our regular April launch.

jb via dr

February 2017 launch report

What a beautiful weekend for February. There were shorts and flip-flops out and T-shirts were the norm! We got a bit of rain on Saturday afternoon but what a wonderful launch! Glad to see so many folks that have been absent too long and get a chance to catch up. Here's Roy with all the 311 (do folks still say that?) dr

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Our (late) January 2017 launch report

Our much rain delayed January launch finally got underway on the last weekend of the month, with a lot going on. We had many flyers, some nice weather for late January, the SLI teams from 2 different higher institutions and first contact with the TARC team from out in Monroe, NC I believe. Lots happening! Here's Roy to tell you all about it...

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Jan 21st & 22nd scrubbed, moved to 28th & 29th

Well folks the weather gods aren't smiling on us this weekend...  predictions are for dense fog, rain, and then on Sunday more rain. 

Even the fog would be enough to kill it as the FAA really frowns on us not being able to see our own airspace!

Pray for nice weather next weekend and we hope to see you all out on the 28th & 29th. 

dr for jb

12/31/16 New Year's Eve launch report

Lots of folks showed up on a cold and grey day for our 4th (?) annual New Years Eve launch. It was well attended, with 24 flyers and lots of spectators, & many Christmas presents yet to be built so we have all those new flyers to look forward to!! Roy couldn't be with us this launch (Happy Anniversary Roy!) so here's my launch report in his stead....

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Return to Flight November 2016

It seemed like we were destined never to fly again... between weather, crops, drought, fire and plague (OK, maybe not plague exactly...) but finally, after a long hot summer, we were BACK, Baby! Here's Roy's take on all the goings-on from our November 2016 launch. Thanks Roy! dr

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Hey kids, we need your input!

Hey everybody. I got an email from Brian Dilger, a ROCC alumn who's now working at Black Hawk Hardware. He's got a request, I'll let him tell it:

"Good evening. My name is Brian Dilger. I am a former member of ROCC. I am currently working for Blackhawk Hardware here in Charlotte. The owner and I have been discussing bringing into the store Hobby Supplies for building models. This would include a variety of supplies including paints and essential tools for building both plastic, wood and metal models of all kinds including rocketry.

My question to you and membership is what “Brand” paints, tools and other supplies would you like to see if you ever considered purchasing locally? Our goal at Blackhawk Hardware is to inventory the most wanted (popular) of these for our loyal hobbyist customers.

If you and the membership of ROCC would be so kind as to provide me with a small listing I will do my best to ensure that these products are included in our inventory. Brand names are most important.

Most sincerely, Brian X. Dilger"

So send in your lists! Now that most of the Hobby Town USA's have closed we're running short on local merchants to support! (Gosh, I really miss Science Hobbies!) If you want to just use the email link on the site I'll collect 'em and send it over to Brian.

Thanks, dr

The Charlotte Mini Maker Faire

The 2016 Mini Makers Fair was a great success even with Hurricane Matthews dumping rain all night and day, until about when it was time to break down at 5pm. Some of the attendees were coastal evacuees staying at a local hotel looking for some diversion. Turned out they picked a great weekend to be stranded in Charlotte and everyone was trying to look after them.

Doc Russell, myself (Roy) and Laura Owens-Bailey, who had to travel up from SC right along with the weather front the whole way, set up a really good display next to the Rain Garden site by the stairs to the lower level. We really hope to get the same site next year. It provided more space and working area than we would have had restricted to the tent outside. And we really had the crowd when they had to pass right by our display anyway when going further inside.

Laura brought a lot of "give-a-ways" for the kids and a couple of her rockets. Doc and I had a good selection of low power, mid and his big High power to show the range of rockets that we can fly out at the farm.

Our booth turned out to be a terrific site after being moved inside due to the forecasted weather.

Doc had a few hundred ROCC informational fliers made up and we must have given out a couple of hundred of them to a lot of interested spectators. Of course this was essentially a Science Geek convention so most everybody there was into the sciences in one form or another so most everybody was wanting to talk and tell stories. Most had dabbled or flown rockets as kids or while in school so were all potential "Reborn Rocketeers". Many conversations were had with kids about how they could participate and a good number of parents seemed like they would come and fly with their children. We may get a number of visitors this season if only to bring a picnic lunch and watch the show. Some may get the bug again.

We hope to see everybody soon, and everyone's looking toward a November "return to flight"!

Remember... Keep those exhaust nozzles clear and be ready.

rp & dr

New River Valley Rocketry invite

Hi all;

Steven Batten (he of such punny rockets as Strakes on a Frame, Spark Knight Rises) wrote to us to convey an invite from our old friend and former ROCC member Bob Schoner, president of the New River Valley Virginia rocketry group to come to their July 25th & 26th launch. 

From Steven:  "The NRVR club wanted me to make sure all of us ROCC folk know that there is a two-day launch up in Virginia next weekend the 25th and 26th. There will not be a vendor on-site, but they are taking motor orders from Wildman for delivery at the field on launch day. Check out NRVR.org for details and directions. Oh, and did I mention the current forecast says the high temperature should be in the low 80's?"

It looks to be a pleasant drive to their SITE near Blacksburg, Va., and they usually have a waiver about the same as ours, with call-ahead altitudes to about 6K.  

dr