Launch Report April 19 2008

Welcome All Rocketeers, where were you April 19th?
It was a challenge of a weekend this time. Saturday the 19th of April was
off and on light rains, one good but short rain that we got a telephonic
warning about. In these case�s we just quickly covered over the equipment till it
passed through the area. And it was a bit more breezy than we expected.
Sunday was a lot clearer and better, but we did get a bit more wind than was
forecasted.

Saturday, 19 April. Streamers, small and chocked chutes were used a lot.
We had 28 actual fliers, and a lot of visitors, which accounted for the 74
recorded flights for the day.
Lost and Found= Brad Shea and Bob Bernatchez, while across the creek
successfully retrieving one of Bob�s rockets returned with a white Mustang with kit
decals, black nose cone and red nylon streamer. I took it home and after
braking and cutting up the disposable engine to get it out, the rocket was dried
and cleaned, and is, I think, in good enough shape to fly again.
Low Power flights= LP. Mid Powered flights= MP. High Powered flights=
HP.
Brandon Jackson flew his �Bellatrix� on a MP white lighting engine.
Curtis Jackson flew a �Big Bertha� and a sale �Patriot� on LP, then a kit
bashed rocket called the �Black Widow� on a MP redline for it�s first
flight. A real nice black widow paintjob.
Tori Jackson flew a nice looking �Canadian Arrow� LP.
Doc Russell besides getting the site set up, got in a flight with his �Airel
� on a MP blue thunder engine.
Steven Ayers flew a �Aries�, the �Argosy Type� and a �Snapshot� camera
rocket, all on LP.
Thomas Ayers flew the �Moon Rocket� on LP for its first flight.
Roy Potter got in a number of flights with the new �Union Jack� painted
like the British flag, the American �Stars and Stripes� and the also new �
Thumper�, all on MP.
Wayne Hill flew a printer paper rocket �V-2� and a paper rocket �BBZ� on
LP. He flew a flying �Saucer� for a good height on MP. His �OSO� flew on LP
with one of the new tiny altimeters to record the height. His �Boost Glider�
flew a test flight on LP and the �MR-1� flew on MP.
Brad Shea spent most of the day prepping his shot to be flown at dusk for a
spectacular HP Spitfire engine. The �Teranadon� was the last flight for
Saturday and it was beautiful flight but did drift over to land on the Simpson
farm dirt pile but was easily recovered.
Doug Knight flew his �Attack� and the �Callisto� on HP. His �Mustang�
and Loc/P �Aura� flew on MP redline motors.
Tony Stitt first flew a scratch built amram style rocket out of two Storm
Caster kits that he called the �Sim-Ram� on LP. He also flew a old Estes
designed �Fire Hawk� and a �Space Plane� on LP while his �Mustang� flew on
MP.
Charlie Ogino had a number of flights, early in the day he flew his �TARC 3�
rocket on MP redlines, a small �Spool� rocket on LP and a �Black Dog� on
a MP redline. The rest of the day he was prepping and awaiting good
conditions to fly the impressively huge and beautifully black and white painted �
Dichotomy� for its first flight on a big HP engine. The lift off and flight was
impressive awing, but the delay was to long allowing to much fall time that
when the chute ejected the sudden jerk was to great for the chute and blew the
seams out cutting the chute in half causing a hard landing, even on the soft
ground resulting in some body seamline compression. He thinks it can be
repaired without replacing the body tube.
Bob Bernatchez also had a number of flights, and a few walks to retrieve
them. His 20-year plus old NCR scale �Patriot� flew on MP along with his NCR �
Quasar� and �AGM 78� missile. His �D Region Tomahawk� flew on LP.
Tim Durbin flew his reliable �Chester Cheetah� on Mp to a computer
estimated 1600 ft altitude.
Paul Cunningham flew a �Baby Bertha� on LP.
School class members flew scratched built rockets all on the same powered
MP engines on timed flights.
Leslie Norman a class member flew the �Tiny Tot� on MP timed flights.
Teresa Henry, class member flew the �Lighting� on MP timed flights.
Shaniera Jordan class member flew the �Thunder� on MP timed flights.
Brian Couch, class member flew the �Red Rocket� on MP timed flights.
David Bennett, class member flew the �Can and a Half� on Mp timed
flights.
Mark E Eastery flew a �Aspire� and �Horizon� both on MP redline motors.
Keith Biddinger flew his �X-Calibur� on MP.
Macey Biddinger flew a �Fire Streak� on LP.
Todd Haring stuck with HP motors for the day flying the �Risky Proposition�
with altimeter chute deployment at 400 feet and the �Madster� also with a
400 foot deployment that he drag raced with Ralph Roberts �Fear Factor�.
Technically Todd won. Ralph deployed at apogee resulting in his to drift off
draping high across trees.
John Bergsmith prepped and flew his Cert-1 flight with a � scale �Patriot�
on Hp for a successful flight. Then he flew a �Strongarm� on MP and a �
Eliminator� on LP flights.
Paul Phillips flew the �Don�t Blink� on MP and got it back. His Battle
Star Galactica inspired rocket resembles the Battle Stars upgraded �Viper Mark
VII� space fighter replacing the veteran model Viper mark IV. Ok, you have to
be a fan to appreciate this. It flew on a MP redline. Some stability issues
to be resolved but it has great potential.
Will Rinaldo flew a �Tidal Wave� on LP motors.
Ralph Roberts helped a lot of people out and conducted club business and
took his time to prep his �Fear Factor� for a late launch when we expected the
winds to be the calmest. The �Fear Factor� flew a drag race against Todd on
Hp. It was a great flight his chute deployed at apogee when the nose cone
came off and apparently pulled the chute out when the motor stopped. The
ejection charge went off correctly at 3oo feet. With the chute out at apogee and a
good breeze going, will the Fear Factor remain draped across the treetops
decorating the neighbors trees? Corky, where are you? Hopefully it can be
recovered.
OK, that�s how Saturday ended, with Brads spectacular dusk shot with his
Spitfire motor it was closed off as a over all good day of flights.
Sundays was a better flight day, no rain but some winds. That report will
come out later.
Till than, get ready for the NAR Nat Sport Launch 3 day weekend Memorial Day
weekend in Orangeburg SC, at the end of May. Due to crops, we are using the
Orangeburg launch as our monthly launch for May.
More information to come. Check the Orangeburg website for info.
We live to serve.
Roy, ROCC Sec.