Launch Report March 15th 2008

Welcome, Welcome All you exhaust sniffing Rocket Jockeys.
Some of you already know, especially those who came out at Saturdays launch, the 15th or March, that it was an unusually successful event under the forecasted weather circumstances. Weather was forecasted for an early morning rain to pass through with a break before the expected heavy rain storm to come later in the afternoon. We were set up by 11 Am just before the front started to pass through. Ralph was on the phone with someone who was watching it live on a weather map giving him minute-by-minute updates.
Once we got the �All Clear� announcement, about noon, we uncovered the equipment and commenced to fly rockets until the heavy rain front was seen on the weather map and we were given the work to �Pack It Up!�. Course we could see the dark clouds, hear the thunder and see far distant flashes. That was at 3 PM after 3 full solid, assembly line efficiency, hours of launching rockets enmass. We had some clear sky and sun during that time and the winds were quite tame, most landings were in the right front field.
I�m only doing the Saturday launch report right now, cause it was a huge launch in only 3 hours.
We had 32 Cub Scouts and family�s from Pack 214 of Mathews all loaded with rockets and engines hungering to smell rocket exhaust fumes in the morning air.
And two TARC teams wanting to get in as many test and qualifying flights as they could. And those regular ROCC flyers who weren�t assisting the scouts got in a few flights of their own.
The 32 Scouts put up a total of 114 flights all by them selves. Ralph says that is a record in 3 hours.
We had 16 Regular ROCC fliers who only put up a measly 30 flights. Oh the embarrassment of it all.
Keep in mind that Ralph and Todd had rigged it up so we could have 12 Low Power Rods in the front row and 8 Low Power Rods in the second row with only 2 set aside for Mid and High Powered flights. So we could get a lot of flights up per rack, and once the Scouts found out we could do multiple launch�s, IE �Drag Races�, they went Wild.
We got it down to a system of assembly line efficiency with the large racks. Most everybody had either a �Penetrator� or �Triton-X� kit to fly, and many times re-named it, and a few other Lp kits. After each rack it looked like the worlds largest Easter Egg hunt going on out in the fields.
Lost and Found = we found a dark gray fleece jacket and Yoda, Star Wars sunglasses with the name of �Nathen� on the jacket, I will have them out next Saturday just in case.
I�m going to go over all the kids and their rockets quickly here. All Scout had multiple flights.
Adam Christofferson flew a �Black Bandit�. He has nice home made flight slips like his brother-
Nathen Christofferson who had a �US Army Patriot� and a �Chrome Dome�.
Zach Rose flew �Sky Writer�, �Orange Blast� and the �Shadow�. Also had the most flights of 9 for the day.
Sydney Rose flew the �High Fever�, �Sydneys Moon�, �Midnight� and a scratch built and very fast �Rainbow�.
Spencer Brice flew a �Shuttle Express� minus the piggy back shuttles.
Nick Hutchinson flew a �Code Red�, a �Commache 1� and a �Dragonite�.
Jake Hutchinson flew a �Dragonite� (Estes kit), a �Penetrator� and a �Metalizer�.
Even Hutchinson flew a �Triton-X� and a �Blue Ninja�.
Dave Hutchinson (Dad) flew a �Mean Machene� after putting on some buttons so he could put it on a rail.
Alex Hubbs flew the �Purple Missile�.
James Mclelland flew the �Reddy� and a �Penetrator�.
Brad Mclelland flew a �Blue Ninja�.
John Bireley flew the �Gimpy�, a �Penetrator�, the �Fury Tiger� and a �Super Fire�.
Justin Pitman flew a �Penetrator�.
Dan Meyer flew the �Big Orange� and a �Penetrator�.
Jason Meyer flew a �Triton-X�, also renamed �Bob�.
David Meyer (troop 39) flew a �Triton-x� and the macho man special �Super Lollipop�.
Mr Dale Salter flew a �Triton-X�.
Conner Ager flew the �Chipy�, a �Penetrator�, the �USAIR� and the poor �Froggy�.
Jack Ager flew the �Governor Spitzer Special� (honest) and the �Orange Crush�.
Matthew Walker flew a �Bandit� and a �Triton-X�.
John Walker flew a �Patriot�.
William Greene flew the �Deadly Missile� and the �Deadly Nuclear Rocket�.
Jordan Hall flew a �Triton-X�.
Cooper Lee flew a �Outlaw�.
Nick Hethcote flew a �Triton-X� and the �Dart�.
Joshua Wyland flew the �Robot Hat�.
Neil Garrison flew the �Mexican Flame�.
Ian Garrison flew a �Penetrator�.
Ed O�Donohue flew the �Hot Dog� and a �Penetrator�.
Josh O�Donohue flew a �Triton-X�.
Gavin Pitman flew the �Round One� and a �Bandit�.
Those were some busy scouts, and the launch control crew earned all the hot dogs, chips and drinks they wanted.
Regular ROCC fliers were.
Steven Ayers a Paper rocket, printed on paper, cut and folded, glued together and can be flown, a copy of my sci-fi �Pulse Space Fighter� for its 1st perfect flight on LP. Really great job. And the �Gemini�s Forge� also for it�s first flight, also great.
Thomas Ayers flew the �X-Flier #1� for its first flight, and a recycled, former pyrotechnics fireworks rocket, the �Black Arrow� on LP.
Doc Russell braved the 3 hour window to fly his Level 2 Certification HP attempt with a �Pterodactyle� to separate and free fall from apogee with main chute deployment at 400 feet. A Really great flight that had a lot of the Scout Dad�s dropping their jaws and drooling. He also flew a �B-Streamer� on LP to test for future contests.
Keegan Beachem (sp?) TARC Team flew the �TARC Celebration Flight� on MP.
Charlie Ogino, TARC Team flew the �TARC 2� and TARC 3� on MP test flights. With a 45 sec target, he got a 42.5 and a 45.5 sec flight. I understand the target altitude was very close also.
Vance TARC Team, ROTC Team, flew �My Teenager� and �My Child� on MP for 45.9 sec flights with 2 eggs. One flight was badly scrambled when the cargo section separated.
Maddy Haring, our little Rocket Princess, flew the �Pok-A-Dot Mania� �Stripes� Pink stripes, and a �Patriot� on LP.
Justin Beall flew a new Estes novelty kit, �Pop Fly� that looks like a baseball bat with a baseball on the top, on LP. The baseball free falls after deployment. Run, Catch the bat and hit the ball before it hit the ground.
Jordan Beall flew a �Sky Writer� on LP.
Ashly Borgsmith flew a �Metalizer� on LP.
Ryan Borgsmith flew �Thomas�s Rocket� on LP.
John Borgsmith flew his �G-Force� on MP.
Wayne Hill flew a �MR-1� on MP and a nice looking printed paper rocket of �Evel Knievel�s Canyon jumping Sky Cycle� on LP.
Terry Baucom wowed the Scouts with his large �Dura Cell Battery� rocket on HP with a 30 inch drogue chute at apogee with a 60 inch main chute deployment at 400 feet. Great shot. He also flew his �2-Up� with a two LP engine cluster.
Kelly Jenkins flew a really nice looking Giant Leap �Talon-2� on MP that, I think whipped off the rod and went over trees but was recovered with the 35 foot extension pole. He also had a �Storm Caster� on LP.
Brian Eagle flew a �Nuke� on MP.
That, ladies and gentlemen, was a very fun filled, and a bit hectic, Saturday launch in only 3 hours.
At 3 PM we packed, stored or covered everything for the night so we could reset it up Sunday. Sunday is to be dry, clear and sunny with less powerful winds than originally forecasted.
That will be on Post-Launch report Part 2.
Note, we are having a special launch opportunity this Saturday the 22nd as a make-up for ROCC fliers and the last chance for the TARC Teams to get their qualifying flights in.
Take Care, and remember to keep those exhaust nozzles clear.
See you on the flight line.
ROY ROCC SEC.