Feuruary (in March) post-flight report...

Welcome to the post- launch report for the Month of February.

And after a week of Ice, then a week of Snow then a week of Rains, we were able to get our February launch in on the first weekend of March.

We think giving the grounds Saturday to continue to dry made the difference for a good Sunday launch on the 8^th.

Ken Allen of Performance Hobbies, though could not be there did have a shipment of ordered supplies delivered to the launch.

Jason Pettler had the grill up and putting out hotdogs and burgers by request, chips and drinks. Jason was also busy getting our new 2015 ROCC Membership drive in gear.

LOST AND FOUND.

A 4inch (LOC?) round tip nose cone, heavily weighted, painted black and white like I would see on a V-2 nose cone was found at the 31 Jan- 1 Feb launch.

Rodney Earp flew and lost a black/white V-2 at the Jan 1^st New Years launch, so it could be his.

2015, Annual ROCC ROCKET RAFFLE.

The “Long Sword” a single 24mm, was won by our own Prof Doug Knight last launch and was able to pick it at this launch.

The Three remaining rockets, the “Three Seas” with a three 18mm motor cluster was won by Gary Pfister who was not there but can pick it up later.

The Estes “Executioner” a single 24mm mount was won and taken home by Randy Hewat.

The LOC “Graduator” with a single 29mm mount was won and taken home by Logan Wood.

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who participated. The funds go into the club treasury to help cover the operational costs, this month was maintaining the Port-a-Pot.

Pictures. Check the Gallery for launch photo’s, sometimes 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 at: rocketrycarolina (at) gmail (dot) com, 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.

  Sunday, 8 march, 2015.

The conditions were actually very good. The ground had firmed up nicely. Skipping a Saturday launch might have made the difference in allowing the grounds to dry and firm up more. Winds were very light to calm till about 3 or 4 PM then light with a few gusts. Temperature was T-shirt warm and sunny all day.

We had  37 actual fliers  who put up  117 flights burning  128 engines.

That includes all clusters and multi-stage flights.

A’s= 6,  B’s= 28,  C’s= 33,  D’s= 7,  E’s= 10,  F’s= 23,  G’s= 12,  H’s= 4,  I’s= 3,  J’s= 1,  K’s= 1.

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

Joe Pettler had some rockets that his dad Jason had prepped previously ready to fly. A “Tomahawk” flew on a F29, the “US Air Attack” flew on a E9-6, the “US Army” flew on a G107, a “Der Red Max” flew on a C6-5 and the LOC? “Aura” flew on a E15.

Jason Pettler flew a “Carbon Fiber Rocket” on a H410 vmax for a successful dual deployment at 400feet, very cool. His “Formula” went on a G88s smoky-sam and the “38 Special” went up on a F22-7.

Kaitlin Pettler flew her Estes “Der Red Max” on a C6-5, a “Space Eagle” on a D12-5 and a camouflaged “Camo” on a C6-5 that surprisingly Kato’d. No real damage but first C6 to Kato that I heard of.

Doc Russell, when not the acting RSO flew the “3 FNC” on a F44-6, His upscaled “Sprint XL” flew on a E12-6 and then a E15-7 with a streamer return. A “Stealth Fed Ex”, made from a Fed Ex box flew on a F20 with a air brake return. His new Estes “Dragon Fly” boost glider went up on a C11-3 and even though it had a tight circular turn, it glided well making a runway landing.

Siri Chadalawada flew her fathers Estes “Hi-Jinks” on a B6-4.

Sathvika Chadalawada also flew the “Hi Jinks” on a B6-4.

Nagendra Lingutla flew a Estes “LGM’ (Little Green Man) on a B6-4.

Puneet Lingutla also flew the “LGM” on a B6-4 but did it twice.

Steve Brown was very busy getting a fleet of rockets up into the air. A Estes “CC Express” two stage went up on a C11 to a D12-5, a Quest “Cobalt” went up on a C6-5 making a spiked fin landing. The soil was soft enough that fins impaled the ground. Hopefully he will get his pictures on the Web Site. His LOC “Fantom” flew on a I115-10w, that was cool. Speaking of cool, how about that colorful and huge LOC “Big Nuke” that went up on a I245-7g that put out a nice emerald green flame. He also flew a LOC “Forte” clone on a G61-7w trailing white smoke for its first flight. A Mad Cow kit “Squat” flew on a H148-9r burning a ruby red flame. And then his “Runt” flew on a F24-6w.

John Bergsmith took his time to prep his big bad extended OD Green “Door Knob EXL” for a fantastic loud and smoky flight on a K590 with a successful dual deployment at 500 feet.

Kim Bergsmith flew a rocket named “Purple Rain” on a C6-5. A Prince fan?

Ryan Bergsmith flew a Flis-Kit Triskelion named “Star” on a C6-5.

Charles Long, an experienced new flyer to our area, though not big on rocket names had some nice ones. His “#-1” flew on a F50-6 while “#-2” also flew on a F50-6, both good performing flights. A tubular rocket with 6 or 7 round tubes as fins named “Big Blue” flew on a G40 perfectly. A nice red and white V-2 looking Estes “Big Daddy” flew on a D12-5 and a classic Estes “Alpha” flew on a A8-3.

Owen Teague, flew  a Estes Pro Series II “Ascender” single stage on a E15-6 and a F15-6.

Steve batten who is suspected of being a “punster” of movie titles, flew a Estes Plasma Probe named “ Ignite at the Museum” (get it?) on a B6-4 than a C6-5. His Aero Tech Strong Arm named “Strakes on a Frame” (Get it?) flew on a G77-7r with a red flame and then on a G80-7 skidmark/sparky.

Cheryl Batten flew a Estes Chrome Dome named “Top Cat” on a couple of B6-4”s and a Estes “Pinky” Crayon on a B6-4.

Jonathan Batten flew a Estes Sky Trax named the “Neon Deon” on a B6-4 and a Estes “Snap Shot” on a B6-4 minus the pictures?

Dave Popkin flew a colorfully colored new pyramid on a succession of motors to test it out. First the “Pyramid-2” flew on a G118, to a G138 skidmark, to a G250 as the final stress test which all were successful all returning in a smoky air brake return impaling the soft ground. He flew his (PML?) “Tempest” on a cti J1520 with a successful dual deployment at 400feet with a really nice multi-line donut chute. Way to go Dave.

Barb Tobin. I think she is going to be our new “Mad Rocket Scientist” with her new creations to include shooting potatoes into space. Yes “Mr. Potato Head” is joining the space program making test flights on B6-4’s and C6-3’s but Mr Potato has yet to learn how to steer himself.

Her “Silver Silo” flew on a D12-3 and made, I think, the closest landing to the Simpson farm without going over the line. “Gold Finger” flew on a A8-3, the “Spin Fin” on a B6-4 then a C6-3. A old Estes? Quest? Futuristic “Aero Space One” space liner flew on a C6-5 and a Custom Rocket Company kit “Equinox” flew on a D12-5.

James Anthony signed in as team leader for the GDS, Gaston TARC rocket team which made test flights and a qualifier flight on F36 smoky sam’s.

Scott Pennington brought out a lot. He flew a Estes sci-fi “Cosmo” on a E9-4, an Estes “Ascender” that he drag raced with Liam Thrower’s, on a F15-6, The sci-fi “Black Star” flew on a E9-4, a old classic North Coast Rocketry “Archer” flew on a F50-4 while the “3 Amigos” flew on a cluster of three C6-5’s, all lighting perfectly. His “Green Dragon” flew on a H166-7 white thunder. The popular kit “Interceptor” (not the Estes) flew on a C6-5 while his “Weasel” flew on a F15-6.

Prof. Doug Knight, mentor to the East Alexander Middle School TARC team flew the “Pink”, the “Green” and the “Orange” TARC test rockets on F36 blue streaks with eggs measuring time duration and altitude.

J.R. Devine flew a rocket named “Phoenix” on E-6’s, a Estes three stage “Commanche-3” on a D12 to C6 to C6-5. Everyones multi stage flights were recovered that day. The “Black Knight” flew on a C6-7.

Andrew Lewis flew a Estes two stage Mongoose “Purple Pirate” on B6’s to B6’s with the third flight on a B6 to a C6. One flight did not ignite the sustainer lawn darting but the soft soil saved it to fly later. The “Black Panther” and Estes “Big Bertha” both flew on a C6-7.

Liam Thrower Flew his Estes ”Ascender” in a drag race with Scott on a F15-8, don’t know what the wining goal was. He prepped a PML “Miranda” with a cessroni H133-9 for a successful Level-1 certification flight. Welcome to the ranks liam.

Stuart Samuels flew a “Rack Rocket” seen in a copy of NAR’s Sport Rocketry Magazine. It’s a multi stage design where you just stack each motor on top of the other in a open frame instead of enclosed in a rocket body. It was a 4 stager with a C6 to get it going, then to a A8 to A8 to B6-4. His upscaled design of a typical “Bottle Rocket” went up on a C6-3 with a streamer return. But the impressive flight was his 400% upscaled “Maple Seed” that went up on a F39-3 that separated into two spinning helicopter returned segments looking just like a spinning maple tree’s seed. The best flight seen out here yet. It does require the best of conditions to work perfectly.

Keith Biddinger flew a PML? “Endeavour” on a v-max CTI I800 for a very loud and faster lift off with a successful dual deployment at 500feet.

Shawn Becigneul flew a Estes “Sky Writer” on a B6-4, a Estes “Der Red Max” on a C6-5, a Estes “Alpha” on a B6-4 and a “Mk-109” on a B6-6.

Larry Becigneul flew a nice looking Estes Pro Series II, “Ventris” on a F52-5t, a classic Estes Upscaled “Mega Mosquito” on a E9-4 and a Estes Pro Series II “Argent” on a G53-7 fast jack.

Avery Walden also brought out a fleet of rockets to fly. His “Star Light” flew on B6-4’s and a C6-5. A old small Estes “Scout” flew on a A8-3 and a B6-4 that was to tumble recovery but the motor kept ejecting so it did a ballistic landing instead. But it is small and light and the ground is soft so no damage. A “Space Explorer” flew on a C6-5, the “Mad Scienco” on a B6-4, the “Little Alien Man” on a C6-5, a “Metalizer” on a C6-5, the “Transtar Carrier” on a B6-4 and a little “Bandito” on a mini A10-3.

Spencer (Walden?) flew two pro-29 motors with bad results in his 4inch phoenix looking “Waldo”, first on a G54-7 that kind of looked like a blow-by to a early ejection, that after a fix-up went up again to about 100feet on a G118 that kato’d blowing the entire fin section apart. There was a rupture in about the middle of the metal case. He might get replacement with the pictures and documentation of the damage. Aero tech  was very good with my similar situation.

Courtney Tomkinson flew a Estes “Super Alpha” on a C6-5.

Devon Tomkinson flew a “Maxi Streak” on a D12-5 with a streamer return. A Quest? “Big Betty” flew on a C6-5.

Emily Bell brought out her Estes “Rip Tide” again that flew again with a parachuting passenger, this time a pink chuted army soldier on a C6-5.

Sydney Sherwood flew a old (re-released?) Estes “Alien Lander” on a C6 that made that rare standing three legged landing.

Presley Sherwood flew a Estes “US Air Force” on a B6-4.

 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.