April launch spectacular... report

Aprils Weekend and 2^nd Annual Night Launch Report

April Monthly Weekend Rocket Launch Report for Saturday the 26th, the Saturday Night Launch and Sunday the 27^th.

Sorry it took so long. Lots of things going on right now.

But, as we will be missing our May launch due to the wheat crop, getting the report for this Mega-Launch weekend should help make up for it.

We now have captions with our pictures

You may, or may not have noticed, but starting on the March launch we have been able to put “captions/comments” with the photos. The “captions” don’t show up when you use the larger scrolling option, but if you select the photo category for that launch date and scroll downward you will get the smaller pictures with the captions with information concerning that picture.

You can always go the larger picture, check it out in more detail and then go back to captioned photos.

This was also our “Yard Sale” weekend where you could go around and see what stuff we all have accumulated and trade or buy.

ROCC club 2014 Membership’s.  See our membership officer Jason Pettler.

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.)

Pictures. Check the Gallery for launch photo’s, many now with captions.

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 or as some have done, pass it on a disk, memory card or flash drive. We can always get it back to you. That’s how I do it.

Saturday, 26 April Daytime flights

Weather was good, pretty calm on the most part. So why was everyone so slow to get flights up after complaining the last couple of months about bad flying weather? Go figure.

Everybody set up their camps and cooked dinner between the Day Launch and the Night Launch that started at 8:00pm.

We had 23 fliers who put up 58 flights burning 63 engines.

That includes all clusters and multi-stage flights.

A’s= 1, B’s= 4, C’s= 9, D’s= 10, E’s= 4, F’s= 10, G’s= 7, H’s= 9, I’s= 6, J’s= 2, K’s= 1.

(Remember, what I write is influenced by the penmanship/spelling of the writer.)

Charles Ogino, mentoring UNCC-USLI Engineering Rocket team flew the first flight of the Sat morning with the “Skymine” on a K660 out of a launch tower to check the surveillance of the modulation of the thrust. (sorry messing that description up) But unfortunately the “K” burned/blew out the side of the rocket.

Doug Knight, while mentoring another UNCC team, took time to fly a kinda scratch/kit built “Astro-Bee, kinda” on a G250, but the motor blew out so not enough pressure to deploy the chute so it lawn darted in the field. But his “Werner Von Snow” flew perfectly on a Aerotech single use H135 that had a impressive performance. His Biggie was the big green fixer-upper he named “Kiss my Grass” on a Cessarroni J530 that successfully deployed 5 chutes for recovery.

Caleb Knight flew the “Stinger”, built by Doug, with 13 tube fins, on a Estes F15 then a Aerotech F20. Doug kept it well balanced even with13 tube fins, and it flew straight and true. I think it was also, or maybe another rocket named “Buzzing Tubes of Terror” on a Estes F15.

Mike Hollowell performed a daytime test flight of his night flight rocket, “Super Night Mosquito” on a J540R for a successful flight and recovery.

Roy Potter, I made a few flights between working the LCO. My “Pepsi” made another good flight on a Estes G80, my “Red Arcas” flew on F42’s, my British “Union Jack” flew on a E15 and returned on a British flag parachute. I flew my orange and white “Test III” on D12’s.

Malcolm Smith flew a classic Aerotech “Mustang” on a Estes F15 that performed nice for the old mustang. His LOC “Fantom XL” flew great on a Cti I212SS with a dual deployment at 400ft.

Dave Popkin prepped and flew his orangeish “Chimera 3” with a cluster of three H410’s that successfully ignited but after apogee separation there was no main ejection so it got a 6inch core sample. After digging out the dirt there was no damage and is ready to fly again.

Scott Pennington flew a clone “Mars Snooper” on a C6, a LOC “Mini Magg” on a G250, a new Estes “Cosmic Interceptor, Cosmo” on a E9, the tall, skinny blue/yellow “Harpoon” on a E9 and a Launch-Pad kit, “Nike Ajax’, a very nice lightweight 16.5 ounce kit on a cluster of three D12’s of which one kato’d burning the rocket in half. Real shame.

Grayson Long, a junior flyer, flew a “Orbital Transport” deploying 2 gliders on a B6, a Estes “Amazon” flew on C6’s and a “Big Dog” on a D12.

Rodney Earp flew a RC controlled rocket glider, the “Delta Star” on F22’s. His “Hyper Loc 835” flew on a I245G with a successful dual deployment at 300ft. He also flew a two stage “222” that boosted with a cluster of two G250’s and air-started a H178 Dark Matter with a dual deployment at 300feet.

Doc Russell test flew his night flight rocket “Night Flight” on a H123 successfully, and flew his “Ariel” on a H166.

David Strunk flew his all fiberglass “Bigger Bertha” on a I215R with a dual deployment at 500ft. His super thin 29mm “Needle 29.2” on a G75 that even had a dual deployment system that successfully deployed at 500ft.He also did a daytime test flight of his “Tall Boy 54” night rocket on a I223 skidmark with a dual deployment at 500ft.

Stuart Samuels had the almost best conditions to fly his “200% Maple Seed” on a C6 that was really cool. His “Mega Mosquito” flew on a D12 with two chutes, a C6 motor “Bottle Rocket” flew and recovered with a streamer. His Mono-Copter, the “24mm Helix” flew on a E9 which surprised everyone who had yet to see one.

Bryson Smith flew the “Kerbal Screamer”, built from a Estes Patriot kit, on a F26FJ. That shot straight up and fast.

George Truett flew a small “Endeavor” on a Cti H410.

Shawn Becigneul, a junior flyer, flew a Estes “Der Red Max” on a B6 and a “Mega Mosquito” on a D12 and a really nice Estes “Black Star Voyager” on a D12 that flew a lot straighter that I thought it would with its design.

Larry Becigneul flew a Estes “Skywriter” on a C6, a tiny “Gnome” on a mini A3T and a better looking in life than on the kitbox, Estes Pro Series II “Ventris” on a F22 reload.

Barb Tobin made the last flight of the daytime period with a Estes “Streak” on a B6, before that she also flew a Estes “Yankee” on a C6 and her first attempt at a flying soda bottle with the “Diet Coke” bottle on a C6 with a successful chute deployment.

John Bergsmith, his Madcow? “Bat Ray” flew on a I435 with a dual deployment at 475ft.

Isiah Knox flew a Estes “Big Daddy” on a D12 painted US Army in OD green that failed to eject the chute darting on the hard unforgiving runway. His “Sky Hawker” flew on a C6 just fine.

Brittney Lambert flew the “Liberty-3” on a H128 for a L-1 cert flight. Results unknown.

Dewey Greer, UNCC, flew the team “Sub Scale” on a I125 also for a L-1 Cert flight.

Devon Tomkinson flew a LOC “Onyx” on a G126.

Night Launch, 8 – 9 PM, Saturday night 26 April.

At ground level it was quite calm, not too cool yet and pretty nice. BUT, we discovered that above  about 300 feet, there was a strong cross wind that took many flights deep into the wheat field or into or past the Simpson farm.

We had 12 fliers who put up 18 flights burning 21 engines.

That includes all clusters and multi-stage flights.

A’s= 1, B’s= 6, C’s= 4, D’s= 3, E’s= 1, F’s= 0, G’s= 2, H’s= 1, I’s= 2, J’s= 1, K’s= 0.

Barb Tobin with a mix of glow stix and other methods flew the “Photon” on a C6, a long slender snake skin painted “Snake” on a D12, the “Blue Minion”, a cool looking delta glider on a C6, a “Super Blue Bertha” on a D12 and the last night flight with the “Phantom” with a cluster of three B6’s. OK, I think its just a guess, but I think she really got into it.

David Strunk flew his very “Tall Boy 54” lit up the length of the fiberglass body on a I285R with a dual deployment at 500ft.

Doc Russell flew his “Spiral Pulsar” with lights wrapped up the body on a H123.

Charles Ogino flew the “Diab-Glo” on a I225FJ with fully lit up nose and body.

Jason Pettler flew the lit up “Red White and Blue” on a E20.

Stuart Samuels flew the “Orange Pyramid” outlined in glow sticks on a G64 and a two stage “Frick-n- Frack” on a C6 to a A8 just at dusk.

Michael Hollowell flew his “Super Night Mosquito” covered in light strips on a J540. WOW.

Cora Chapman flew a small “Flash” on B6’s, the only repeat night flight.

Ryan Bergsmith flew his “Musido” on a C6.

Roy Potter, I flew my Estes “Night Flyer” on a B6.

Ralph Roberts had the 1^st night flight just at dusk with his “Cosmic Staff of Azul” when his Cti G106 Sparky would look its best.

Keath Biddinger flew the “Mystic” on a D12.

Sunday, 27 April flights

Weather was again good, even more calm on the most part.

We had quite a few campers this year. We all kind of rolled out and hit Mike Hollowells “Coffee and Krispy Kreme donut bar”. Bless the man.

We had 25 fliers who put up 53 flights burning 66 engines.

That includes all clusters and multi-stage flights.

A’s= 2, B’s= 2, C’s= 10, D’s= 19, E’s= 5, F’s= 5, G’s= 10, H’s= 6, I’s= 3, J’s= 1, K’s= 3

Ralph Roberts flew his new favorite, the “East Side Thug” a new kit from a year ago that caught his eye. It Flew on a H123WL. He also flew “Amandas UFO” on a D12 which was the first flight Sunday Morning.

Dave Strunk flew his “Bigger Bertha” again on a I218 this time on a dual deployment at 500ft. He also flew his “Needle 29.2” on a G126 with dual deployment that came down behind a treeline requiring a long walk. His “Rapter” flew on a F120.

Corky Story brought out his upscaled “Gooney Bird” collection. Couldn’t get them all up but he did get the 22lb “Sky Shriek” up on a Aerotech K780 making a impressive landing within a close walking distance. The “Buzz Bomb” also flew on a K780 that he angled a little more away from the crowd, which landed further away but easy recovery. His simplest flight was his “Black Brant” on a Aerotech I357 with a dual deployment at 600ft.

Roy Potter, I flew my “Coke Cola” on a G40 then a G71R with only one tangled chute and a very forgiving soft wheat field to be glad for. The “Stars and Stripes” flew on a slow burn H97.

Michael Hollowell, besides providing coffee and donuts, flew his big red “Big Bruiser EXP-3” on a K695R with a dual deployment at 500ft. He flew his Estes “Heli-Cat” on a C6 with the body returning by chute and the nose by helicopter return.

Grey Long flew the “Pretty-n-Pink” on a C6, a “Big Dog” on a E11, a upscaled “Silver Mosquito” on a E11 then the “White Lighting” on a B6.

Ashleigh Biddinger flew her “Rascal” on a C6.

Kaylee Biddinger flew her “Cartoon Network”, neat decals, must have been a kit, it flew on a C6. She flew a Estes “Monarch” also on a C6 and her “Hi Jinks” on a B6.

Doc Russell flew his upscaled “Sprint XL” on a D12 and E12. He flew his “Ariel” again on a Cti H166.

David Reid has a good looking scale surface to air missile, a “USAF Bomark”, not a East Coast kit, but nice flying on a G80 with a two chute recovery. He also flew a “Mega Mosquito” on a D12, the “Lilly Bomb” on a D12, a LOC “Mini Magg” on a G185, a classic Aerotech “Arreaux” on a F27 and for the fun of it, a Estes “Cork Screw” for a twisty flight on a C6.

Shawn Becigneul flew his dads Estes Pro Series II “Ventris” on a F52 and the “Argent” on a G53.

Larry Becigneul flew a Estes three stage “Comanche 3” going on a D12 to a C6 to a C6. It flew fine but the second stage mount basically blew apart when kicked away. A easy replacement.

Marcas Harmon flew a LOC “Ultimate” on a cluster of a H115 Dark Matter to air-start two D12’s just to look cool as it kept going up. He also flew a big “Spool” on a long burn G25.

Chuck Bracey flew his classic upscaled “America-1” on a Cti H110WL and another classic SemRoc “Omega Cineroc” two stage on a D12 to a D12, so very cool when it works.

Stephen Rhudy flew a Mad Cow kit “L-II” kit on a J250 with a dual deployment at 500ft.               

Brad Shea flew his “Motor Pod # 1” on a F120. Didn’t that have tubular fins?

Sandy Houston flew his Estes “Blue Ninja” on a E9  then a E12 and his “Green Ice” flew on a A8.

Tony (Evan) Boone flew the “Kit” on a A8 with a streamer return.

John Bergsmith flew a LOC “Mini Magg” (that is just a popular kit) on a I600R.

Greg Bullock flew a Aerotech “G-Force” on a G64 and then a H123.

Ryan Bergsmith flew a Estes “Big Bertha” on a C6 and, I think, “GBU-24” on a C6.

Rodney Earp brought out his RC controlled “Delta Star” rocket glider from Saturday and boosted it up on a F22 again.

Last flight was a Drag Race with:

 Brad Shea with his “Miranda” on a G185. VS.

Marcas Harmon with a “Big Brute” on a G64. Slow off the pad but got higher I think.

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.