January Launcicles

Welcome to the Great January 20014 R.O.C.C. Rocket freeze out.

Well it sure felt that way to me. I felt cold all day, even keeping the fire pit going while drinking hot coffee.

It was sunny in the upper 30’s, maybe low 40’s, but the wind (yeah, it was pretty windy) dropped the wind chill to the mid to lower 30’s and just cut through me.

The forecast for Sunday was for warmer temperatures but also stronger winds brought in by those warmer temperatures. So this turned into a Saturday only launch.

We did have some “H”, “I”, and “J” flights. A couple turned into a “Search and “Rescue” effort.

NAR’s Sport Rocketry Magazine. A great article on the ARLISS rocket competition where “K” and “M” flights deploy robot gliders or ground robotic rovers that track as close as possible to a GPS target location. One deployed ground rover actually made to the GPS target.

New ROCC Membership Officer. ROCC elections were held and the only change was the inclusion of Jason Pettler as the Club Membership Officer. (Poor guy).

See Jason for your membership renewals. If you are paying by check, you will need to make it out to Jason.

Pictures.

I don’t know if anybody was taking pictures, maybe afraid their camera might freeze.

Remember, for our embarrassment and your entertainment, any pictures you have from this or any recent launch that you would like to get posted on the web site for everyone to see, just contact Doc Russell at rocketry carolina 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.

ROCC club 2014 Membership’s.  See Jason Pettler.

We have the drive going for the new 2014 flying season.

Membership funds go to the NAR and Tripoli association fees and insurance and cover the costs of maintaining the launch equipment.

 ROCC “T” shirts. ( Any $20 membership comes with a ROCC T-shirt.)

We went through the gray shirts, then the tie-dye shirts and now by request we will be offering a tannish brown polo shirt with collar and then assorted solid colored shirts.

All with the colored ROCC logo.

Saturday, 18 January 20014. A one day Launch.

We had 15 very determined and yet cold  flyers.

This month’s launch theme was “Mosquito’s”, so you should see a few listed.

Malcolm Smith, had one of the “Mini Mosquitos” that flew on a 1/4A3 and a small mini Semroc “Mark” that flew on a 1/2A6

Joe Pettler, one of our Jr fliers, flew a Estes “Gold Strike” and a “Der Red Max” on C6’s.

Kaitlin Pettler, kind of showed up a number of us with successful ignitions on the first try.

She flew a “Pink Mega Mosquito” on a E9 then a E15, a Estes “Mongoose” on a B6 then a C6, the “Freedom” on a C6 and her “Mini Mosquito” on a mini A3.

Steve Brown, who was able to pick up his lost Quest “Cobalt”, after being lost again, flew it again, not losing it this time, on a B6. He also flew the “Runt”, not so runty, on a F12 then a F24 and then a nice MadCow kit, the “Squat” on a H123 and safely recovered.

Alexandria Fountain, a new Junior flier here for the first time with her brother, flew the “Amazon” on a B4.

Asher Fountain, brother to Alex, flew the “Shooting Star” also on a B6. Both were good low level flights. We expect to see then again during the flying season.

Dave Popkin, flew a Mini (not so mini) “Toy Box” on a CTI F120, and then a real nice 5in, 13lb MadCow “V-2” on a J1055, dual deploy with main deployment at 300ft for a great flight.

Dave and Michel Strunk flew a Mini “Mosquito” on a mini A10, a Estes “Baby Bertha” on a B6 and then a C6. The “Silver Needle”, very like a javlen, flew on a F59. Then a “Mega Mosquito” on a D12, then a E9 and then a E18. Now that is working up the power.

Jerry Dahlberg. New to our field, I believe, took time to prep a L-1 cert flight on a H238, I don’t know the results. I think this was the flight where the chute appeared to stop at the neck of the body and came down fin first past Mr. Simpsons tree line, maybe across the road.

Charles Ogino, team leader of the UNC Charlotte team, flew a ½ scale “UNC Experimental” off a nice launch tower on a I123. It took about 4 tries to ignite, but once it lit, it was great. Thinking ahead, they had brought a radio tracker cause it deployed high and drifted far.

Ralph Roberts came out to play with his daughter Amanda’s, rockets. He flew Amanda’s “UFO” saucer on a D12 and “Big Bertha” on a B6.

Doc Russell flew his “Grass Hopper”, aptly named, on a D12, the “Blue Ninja” on a D12 and a Upscaled  “Sprite XL” on a D12 and then a E9.

Robert Stone also took time to prep a L-1 Cert flight on a “Hi-Tech 45” on a H123, with unknown results, it could have been his I described with Jerry’s flight. Nothing was noted on the flight cards.

Ryan Bergsmith flew a “Seeker” on a B6.

We put up 37 flights burning 37 engines.

4 A’s.   7 B’s.   7 C’s.   5 D’s.    5 E’s.   4 F’s.  O G’s.  3 H’s.  1 I.  and 1 J.

Hope everyone had fun and will be looking forward to our next launch, till then, remember to keep your exhaust nozzles clear.

Roy. ROCC Sec.