Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 8:02AM Roy's HUGE February launch report is in and it's great stuff. Lots of flights, great attendance and some pretty good, albeit windy, weather made for a great launch weekend. Click the READ MORE link to get the straight skinny.... Thanks Roy!
Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 7:59PM Big thanks to all who came out and flew with us this weekend. Lots of folks braved the winds of Saturday, clocked at over 25 knots right down the road in Locust, and had a much easier time on Sunday, and to top it off the Gaston Day School's TARC team flew a qualifying flight with a score of 3... that's fantastic.
Keep an eye out for the launch report...
Cheers, DR
Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 7:53AM Update for Sunday...
Winds look to be more favorable, from the south heading toward the right hand field at about 6 MPH, unlike yesterday's 15 to 20 MPH recorded.
While you're out, John Metcalf has lost an altimiter, it's out toward the deep right field as you're looking down the runway, it's got an orange flag on it, so keep an eye out if you would. There's more in the disscussion section.
I't predicted to be in the upper 50's, so dress accordingly.
See you there!
Looks like we're a GO, normal 10:00 set-up, 11:00 launch, tear-down at around 5:00 or so depending on light. Right now the weather is looking great, 60's and mild winds, Saturday looks to be out of the North at about 8 mph, turning to easterly as the afternoon goes on. That will put recovery into the south field or farther down the runway.
Saturday AM wind update, starting out of the north, moving north-northwest at 8 mph by late afternoon, then swinging around 180 degrees by Sunday to be southerly at 6mph.
Ralph will be fixing Hot Dogs (Yeah!)
Roy sent me info on an ROCC (almost) spring raffle: $1 per ticket. (You do not need to be present to win) Two drawings at February Launch, remainder drawings at March Launch. (weather and schedule permitting)
Winner has Choice of one of the following:
One of Three Built, ready to fly “Extended Big Daddy’s”
( E9 low level flight, E15 for higher)
(painted, but can be repainted your way)
OR
A 3 foot, Estes, 1/5th Scale, in the package,
D-Region Tomahawk Sounding Rocket.
( D12 low flight, E9 for higher, E15 for out-a-sight.)
OR
One of two medium sized plastic “Crayon” banks.
(very popular to make into rockets)
Ken Allen from Performance Hobbies will be there both days.
I've gotten several postings in the comments about folks being able to take a shift or help with set-up, and thanks for doing that. If you can post please let me know when or what you'd like to do and we'll see about some kind of scedule. I don't have a way to do a sign-up sheet on the site right now but we'll try and get a way to do that.
Renewals & memberships... please consider joining and/or renewing. We love to have folks come out and enjoy the launch but if it's a regular part of your life, please think about it. It's very inexpensive and it helps us provide you with a great experience by allowing us to keep up the equipment and the facilities. It also gets you log-in privileges on the website.
Elections... We will be voting on the following slate of officers, 2 PM on Saturday afternoon. Right now we have folks who are willing to serve in all the posts, but if you're wanting to take a more active role in the club, PLEASE, think about letting us know at the February launch. We're more than willing to step aside and let someone else have a go! Right now, our proposed roster for the 2011 year is:
President - Brad Shea
VP - Doc Russell
Treas. & sec. - Roy Potter
Asst. treas & sec. - Louise Ferrell
Tripoli Prefect - Ralph Roberts
NAR Advisor - Bob Bernatchez
Tripoli secretary - Dr. Doug Knight
Volunteer... If you can sign in to the website, please post your availability for set-up and tear-down, RSO and LCO duties. If you can't log on, consider sending us an email at rocketrycarolina (at) gmail (dot) com. We need several folks for set-up and some more for tear down, and the RSO/LCO jobs are about 2-hour shifts each day. They really go faster than you think. Remember that the only jobs you need a cert for are the RSO (L2) and LCO (L1).
That's about all for now, we'll see you at the pads!
DR
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 8:26PM A big THANK YOU goes out to Roy Potter for the new post launch report from our 22nd/23rd launch weekend. Click the "Read More" link for the whole thing....
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 8:41PM I got the videos from Sandy to upload at long last (I don't know why they didn't want to go, but it's taken me several tries to get 'em up there) but they're up now and there's some great slo-mo footage, as well as some great shots from "Crazed Pink", a 2 stage flight. Check 'em out on the ROCC YouTube Channel link.
Now the gentle reminder. Please consider renewing or joining the ROCC ranks by paying your dues. It's not much, heck, $20 bucks get's you a membership and a regular T-shirt! (The long sleeves are $5 more by the way, they cost us more to make)
We use these funds to supply the porta-john, keep the equipment in working order, make the signs and pay for the expendable supplies like wadding and launch slips. We try very hard to use them wisely. If you've already "re-upped", a big THANK YOU. If you're a new member, a HUGE THANK YOU!
We're looking forward to our February launch, remember that we'll hold "formal" elections, if you'd like to nominate someone please let us know. We've spoken to all the current folks and they've all agreed to stay if no one else wants the job(s).
Lastly, think about volunteering for set-up, tear-down, LCO & RSO. If you want to do RSO you need to be L2, LCO can be L1, and for almost anything else, you just need to be willing to do it.
Thanks to all who make this a great section/chapter. You make me want to keep showing up even if I don't get to launch anything!
See you in February!
DR
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 7:14AM Friday 8:30 pm....
So far the weather looks like it will cooperate, it doesn't look like the predicted rain for today is going to happen, if it does it's not supposed to be much. Ralph has checked in with Kip and we are a GO!!
Please, remember to drive along the sides of the runway as much as possible. It's important that we don't chew up the ground as it thaws out during the day.
Times are our normal 11:00 till 5:00 or so, depending on field conditions and daylight. Set-up folks should be there by 10:00 so we can get a good start.
I emailed Ken from Performance Hobbies and he's planning to be there, so you can get pretty much anything you might need on site.
We'll probably set up in our normal configuration, with the flight line near the ditch, since the house isn't occupied, but that could change with rain and wind, so keep an eye towards what folks are doing when you get there. Winds are predicted to be from 050 at 10 am, 360 at about noon, and 330 at 4 pm, between 4 & 8 mph. This puts it heading away from the Simpson's side and toward the trees on the other side. It does look like it will only get into the high 30's or low 40's so dress appropriately. Roy, if you could bring your fire pit this time it'd be welcome. If someone colud bring some extra wood to keep it going that'd be great. I have a bucket of scraps from the shop but if you have a couple of pieces to contribute it'd keep it going for a while.
That's all for now, See you THERE!
DR
DOC R.
COLD!!! But, a great day, 3 L1 certs, TARC got several flights in, Mitchell College's USLI team got in a few flights, all in all a really big day.
Remember to dress warmly tomorrow, it's supposed to be a few degrees warmer but not much.
If someone has a few sticks of firewood please bring it for the pit. Remember to drive on the edges of the runway. It's in fair shape, lets work hard to keep it that way.
DR
DOC R.
Monday AM
Congrats to Sandy on his successful L2, and condolences to Louise for the incineration of her MiniMag. Big thanks to all who made it a great weekend, Roy will have the complete wrap-up shortly I'm sure.
Start working on February!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 7:21AM This just in at 4:30 PM Friday, per Ralph, Brad & Kip:
"We are a NO-GO for this weekend.
Kip says the runway is too soggy for even foot traffic. Even the relatively packed area near the house is squishing water as you walk – kip doesn’t want to run the risk of rutting the runway and so we will have to wait a week and hope the runway dries out more. Some light rain is predicted mid-week but cross your fingers and hope it’s not enough to keep the runway soggy."
Sorry everybody. Lets all keep our fingers crossed for next weekend.... DR
Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 8:41PM Welcome all Rocket Dudes and Dudettes to the 1-1-11 post-launch report.. We at ROCC want to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperious New Year. I want to again thank those who provide us with photos of our launches. If you have any and would like to get them posted on the web site for our embarrassment and your entertainment contact Doc Russell at rocketrycarolina at gmail dot com or as some have done, pass it on a disk or flash drive. We can always get it back to you. These last two one day holiday launch’s were small and informal, but when we return this year to our larger launch’s we will be continuing with our Range Safety standards by making specific assignments of a RSO=, Range Safety Officer to pre-inspect rockets before flights and the LCO=, Launch Control Officer to check range conditions and control the launch’s in a timely and efficient manner. So far this has worked fine with little to no effect on launch flow. Check both the WEB site and at the launch’s for info on volunteering for LCO (Cert Lv-1 preferred, but any responsible and experienced adult can apply) and RSO (Cert Lv-2 required) shifts. It’s great for anybody who isn’t flying that day but wants to take part anyway. And it’s fun. Click the read More link for the blow-by-blow report....
Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 9:06AM Many thanks to all who came out and helped ROCC bring in 2011 with the sound of (whoosh!) ROCKETS!
The weather held out for us fairly well, with the foig burning off and the first rocket off the pad shortly after 11:11 and then closing in about 3 pm with the predicted rain and lowering ceiling. We had a couple to punch the cloud deck and when the rain came it was the prudent thing to do to close down.
Thanks for making the trip Ken, I hope folks flocked to your doorstep and bought lots of stuff, you seemed busy all day and that's a good thing! Thanks and welcome to all the new faces, and all who renewed their memberships. I think there were about a dozen or so, plus a few from the last launch, that we'll get processed in the next week or so and get your log-ins set up.
Start planning for the 15th & 16th of January for our regular launch, weather permitting it'll be normal times and back at the farm.
Happy New Year everybody, and to all peace and prosperity in 2011.
DR
Monday, December 27, 2010 at 6:51PM Hey Rocket Dudes and Dudettes..!! Happy New Year! The “Almost last Minute” Pre-Launch Update for the mystical 1-1-11 New Years Saturday Launch.
Setup = at 1030 with launch to start as soon as setup is complete, about 1100.
Teardown = to start at 3:00, or there-a-bouts while we have plenty of light. (rain not forecasted till late afternoon or early evening). Waiver open from 11:00 - 3:00 Check the ROCC Web Site for any last minute changes.
I’ve heard that I’m not the only one too old for all that drunken revelry new years night so I expect that a few others plan on being awake and sober Sat morning.
It is NOT CONFIRMED but fairly certain that Ken will be there.
Parking = We expect soft ground so keep vehicles to the sides and no parking beyond the Port-a-pot. Sign-in table = to be setup in line with the port-a-pot with the Launch control table in front of that. We still recommend that you dress in layers. Its forecasted to up to the 60’s by the afternoon. So you can take off a layer or put on a layer as needed. But you will still need some good outdoor type shoes to keep your feet warm and dry. There is liable to be some soft moist ground out there.
Yeah, those who have commented about it, I agree that we will not need the “fire Pit” this launch. Some hot coffee or cocoa in a thermos would still be a good idea in the morning. Bring some drinks and snacks to keep your strength up. Try to keep it simple and easy on yourself for a one day launch, bring only what you need to fly what you want without rushing yourself by trying to do more than you have the time and resources for.
Remember it is ROCC Membership season, it runs Jan to Jan. See Louise. ROCC officer elections are also due. Usually done in Nov and Dec. If interested in getting more involved, just ask any of us. Even if you don’t have much to launch, it is a lot of fun to run the Launch System and help make things happen.
Again, hope to see you out at the pads..and remember... Keep those exhaust nozzles clear.
Roy.
DOC R.
Weather right now is looking like rain is due by 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Cloud cover will be considerable, so I don't think the waiver will be in danger of being broken. Winds during most of the launch are predicted to be from the south at 7 mph. Temps in trhe mid 50's. We should be OK as long as the rain forcast holds to be accurate.