February 20th & 21st Launch Report
Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 9:40PM Saturday 20 February and Sunday 21 February Monthly Launch ”.
Saturday was good temperature wise and the clouds were higher than I expected but the winds were back and forth, mild then strong gusts mostly towards the right side fields and sometimes straight down the runway right over us. We had two periods of sprinkles and light rain that passed kind of quickly through.
Everyone was encouraged to take the conditions into account when planning their flights.
Even so, you will see we had 12 flights in the “H” thru “J” motor range.
Sunday was surprisingly much better. Until about 1230 noon it was almost calm, high clouds and spots of blue. Even afterwards it was less windy than Sat until about 3pm when strong gusts came thru until about 4:30 when it was calm-ish again which encouraged some late flights.
Jolly Logic Chute Release System. (check NAR “Sport Rocketry” magazine Jan/Feb 16 issue) You might notice that a lot of the Dual Deployment launchs were performed with the new product from Jolly Logic who first came out with the small Altitude recorder. This device is very user friendly and can deploy as high as 1000ft to as low as 100ft and fit in a BT60 sized body tube. We have been increasingly impressed with its performance. The most notable thing you have to change is how you wrap your chute bundle.
Ken Allen of Performance Hobbies, (the designated target area for out of control rockets)
Ken was only there on Sunday due to his busy schedule but was able meet our requests delivering orders and keeping us supplied with all our rocketry needs.
Jason Pettler had the grill up and putting out hotdogs and burgers by request, chips and drinks. Jason was also busy recruiting people into our new 2016 ROCC Membership.
ROCC Club Membership covers the cost of maintaining the launch equipment, supplies and our association fees with the National Association of Rocketry and the Tripoli Rocketry Association plus covers our insurance.
Remember, any $20 membership (which can cover your whole family) comes with a ROCC Club “T” shirt. Check with Jason on styles and colors available.
LOST AND FOUND. We have=
We would like to get these to the rightful owner, if not we might raffle them off.
4inch (LOC) 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 15 launch.
Rodney Earp flew and lost a black/white LOC V-2 at the Jan 1st 2015 New Years launch, so it could be his.
29mm AeroTech 29/40-120 motor casing. I thought it might be a clone of an AT casing with a solid black finish, but Ralph showed me that the yellow printing has just worn off after long use.
There are also a few small items, as fins and a mini Este motor retainer.
Pictures. Check the Gallery for launch photo’s. We see everyone is taking photo’s.
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@gmail.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.
Saturday, Sat, 20 Feb 2016.
We had 23 fliers , put up 65 flights burning 71 engines with 10 Dual Deployment flights.
4 were Jolly Logic chute release.
That includes all clusters and multi-stage flights
A’s= 5, B’s= 9, C’s= 25, D’s= 2, E’s= 3, F’s= 8, G’s= 7, H’s= 4, I’s= 4, J’s= 4, K’s= 0.
(Remember, what I write is influenced by the penmanship/spelling of the writer.)
Jason Erkman, a former member came back with four Alexander County Schools TARC Teams, one High School and three Middle school teams flying to test times with payloads and design and construction. They flew a F32-5, a F36-11 and a F59-12. One member flew a “LP” on a A8-3.
Brandon Jackson flew his “Purple People Eater-2” on a H112 black jack and his “Aldebaran” flew on a H128 white lighting then drag raced with Ralphs Estes Patriot with his own “Patriot” on a C6-5, I still don’t know who won.
Ralph Roberts drag raced his Estes “Patriot” on a C6-7 against Brandons but your going to have to ask them what the winning conditions were. He also flew “Amandas UFO” saucer on a D12.
Malcolm Smith flew a Flis Kit “Thing-a-ma-jig” on a Quest B6-4. His SimRoc “OSO” flew on a B6-6, the “Odd Lil Rocket Critter” flew on a C11-3 while his “Mini Maxx” flew on a 1/2A3-2.
Roy Potter. I flew my 4in “Union Jack” on a G71-4r which was colorfully noticeable with a British flag chute. I test fired a new “Poop Chute” rear ejection 4in rocket on a G40-4 for a future ROCC Raffle. The fins are too sharp and catch the ground and are easily broken off if dragged backwards. So its back to a standard nose ejection. I did get to fly my “Pepsi” again on a G64-4.
Charles Long flew his “Little Blue” on a cti G131 smoky sam using the Jolly Logic chute release that opened at 300ft. That really cut down on the recovery walk on a windy day. His Estes “Leviathon” flew on a cti G83 also with a jolly Logic deployment at 300ft. His “THE”? went up on a cti I195r with a dual deployment, Jolly again? At a unk posted altitude.
David, Michael and Nancy Strunk flew a really nice “Rapter” on a F29-7 then his 1st place “Gold Mosquito” won in the “Golf Ball Loft” contest. It flew on a E9-8. Michael and Dave both flew a Estes “Viking”, Michael’s on a C6-7 and Daves on a B6-6 in a drag race, again who knows who was suppose too win, but Dave had the bigger grin.
Eddie Haith, a old timer to the hobby, flew his Estes “Super Alpha” on a C6-5, his “Big Red” on a F38-6, a Estes “Big Bertha” flew on a C6-5 and the “Teachers Pet” (a story here?) on a F32-6.
Michael Hollowell flew his “Super Mosquito” (previously as a LED lighted night flyer) on a J540r dual deployed at 300ft but he still had to chase it down to successfully recover it. He also test flew/compared the flight characteristics of a kit built “Quin Star” spinning flying star to his 3D printed duplicate. Both flew well on C6-5’s and now his plan is to upscale the 3D design.
Steven Batten flew his Movie Themed rockets. The “Thrust Side Story” (a Canadian Arrow) flew on a H151-8r with a Jolly Logic deployment at 400ft, while his “Captain Air-America” flew on a H90 with a dual deployment at 500ft, Jolly again?
Cheryl Batten flew the “Pinky” (crayon?) on a B6-4.
Doc Russell flew his nice “Nike Smoke” on a F32-6 that for reasons we have yet to devine, turned left off the rail into the tree line. His Estes “Duces Wild” went up perfectly on a two cluster of C6-5s. The “Herc” flew on a C11-5. A really nice red and white “National Space Plane” on a D12-5.
Curtis Jackson flew a Estes “Big Bertha” on a B6-4 that got higher than I expected and then the “Black Widow” flew on a G106 skidmark.
Randy Hewat flew a “Black Brant” on a E31 white thunder while the “Dark Knight” on a C6-5. A mini “UNK Fighter” (it looks familiar) flew on a mini A10-3t.
Avery Walden flew a “US Army” on a C6-5, a “Astro Jr” on a mini A10-3t then a Estes “Mini Bertha” on a C6-5, a “Bumble Bee” on a C11-5. A “mini LOC-IV” on a C6-5 and the “Broken Fin” flew on a C6-5. Self explanatory?
Jason Pettler did two ground ejection tests on his new 51/2inch “Big Peta Pig” then after getting the ejection charge right launched the Piggy on a J315r that after motor deploying at apogee had to be hunted down and successfully recovered with a broken hind leg (fin) to fix.
Joe Pettler flew the “Mini Eagle Claws” on a F59 and the “Lil Bitter” on a G79 smoky sam.
Tim Tulowitzky flew his Estes “Comanche-3” three stage twice on a C11 to B6 then a B6-6. All parts recovered and only a broken fin on a booster to deal with.
Jim Hendricksen flew his impressive “Punisher-3” on a I229-t, 1 grain 54, with a dual deployment at 500ft. His “Punisher-4” flew on a J275-w-at with a dual deployment at 600ft with a back-up at 500ft.
Eli Brooks flew a Estes “Big Bertha” on a C6-3.
John Bergsmith flew the “B.S.’s Revenge” spin recovery on a C6-5, his LOC “Fantom” flew on a J350 with a dual deployment at 500ft. The “Carbon Cowboy” flew on a I245 with a failed dual deployment that darted into the edge of the far side of the tree line on the left side of the field, but when found it was with minimal damage.
Ryan Bergsmith flew his Duck Dyanasty inspired “Duck Commander” on a E20-4w
Charles Ogino flew his “Meco” on a I115 fast jack with a dual deployment at 700ft and not ended up needing the electronic tracker.
Sunday, 21 February, 2016.
We had 26 fliers , put up 60 flights burning 62 engines with 7 Dual Deployment flights.
4 were Jolly Logic chute release.
That includes all clusters and multi-stage flights
A’s= 8, B’s= 2, C’s= 13, D’s= 4, E’s= 7, F’s= 9, G’s= 8, H’s= 6, I’s= 4, J’s= 0, K’s= 0.
(Remember, what I write is influenced by the penmanship/spelling of the writer.)
James Brockman flew his Estes “Ventris” on a F59-7 and the Estes “Solar Warrior” went on a D12-5.
Robert Brockman flew his Flis Kit “Watch-a-ma-call-it” twice on a 1/2A3.
Michael Brockman flew his “Watch-a-ma-call-it” also on 1/2A3.
Charles Long flew a “Art Apple White Saucer” (that’s what it looked like on the flight card) on a F32 then a G54r. A “Art Apple White Stealth Pyramid” flew on a cti G60r. The “Little Blue” flew again on a G88 smoky sam with a Jolly Logic deployment at 300ft. His Estes “Leviathon” flew on a cti G88 smoky sam again with a Jolly Logic deployment at 300ft.
Julia Amell flew a LOC “Onyx” on a F50-9 that turned into the left tree line getting caught. Bummer. I like the Onyx.
Chris Amell. It just wasn’t his weekend. He flew a LOC “Forte” twice for a L-1 cert flight attempt, first on a H120-14 but lost the nosecone and then recovered it from a tree to replace the nose and try again on a H110 but the chute fowled and failed to deploy. Don’t worry, he will be back and after finding out what works for him, will get that L-1 certification.
Cheryl Batten flew her “Go Tigers” twice on a F32-6t using the Jolly Logic deployment at 300ft.
Steven Batten flew the “Thrust Side Story” on a Loki I110 using the Jolly Logic deployment at 400ft. The “Snow Flake of the Apocalypse” flew on a C11 using a air drag return. The “Pup Fiction” (a Estes Bull Pup) flew on a B6-4.
Roy Potter, I flew the “Poop Chute” again on a G40-4 and confirmed the possible damage to the fins if it got dragged backwards. Yep, one fin popped off when it was dragged backwards.
The “Pepsi” went up on a G79-4 and made a perfect Standing Landing almost right in front of Kens trailer.
Malcolm Smith flew a “Art Apple White Cinco” on a C11 with a tumble or air drag recovery.
Pete Brennan flew a “Dark Star” on a C6-7, a Estes “Big Daddy” on a E9-6 and the Estes “Flip Flyer” on a C6-7 with the helicopter return working as advertised.
Matthew Stecher flew a Estes “Argent” on a F52-8, the “Go Mets” flew on a F30-6 for its first flight. A “M-104 Patriot” flew on a E18-8 then a cruise missile looking LOC? “Carbon Cruiser” going up on a I566 v-max with a dual deployment 500ft.
Scott Pennington flew a “Star Chaser” on a E9-4. His “Old Glory” flew on a H133-7 blue streak, a AeroTech “Archer” scale missile on a F50-6 and a good looking and difficult to make “Cosmo” on a E12-6. A space fighter looking “Satelitte Chaser” flew on a C6-5, the also good looking “Screaming F15 Eagle” on a C6-5 and a Estes “Mercury Red Stone” on a D12-5.
Joe Pettler flew his “Formula 54” on a G100 skidmark.
Kaitlin Pettler flew a Estes “Code Red” on a C6-5.
Jason Pettler flew a Mad Cow 3in “Honest John” on a H178 dark matter with a dual deployment at 500ft. He flew his “Carbon Cowgirl 54” on a I195r in a drag with Charles Space Cowboy.
Barb Tobin test flew her NAR competition Helicopter rockets. “Test Copter I” flew on a C6-3, where “Test Copter II” flew on a A10-3t. She flew her scale competition “Black Brant” on a D12-3.
Patrick York flew a “Red Maxx” on a C6-5.
Doc Russell flew a “Maxi Mossi” (looks like a giant Mosquito) on a E24 that darted after the chute failed to deploy with minimal damage. His shiny “National Space Plane” flew on a D12-5.
James Duncan flew his “Home Run” on a C6-5 which was way to effective, and got knocked out-of –the-park and gone far away.
Billy Duncan flew a Estes “Exo Skell” legged lander twice on a C6-3. The “mountaineer” flew on a A8-5 then the “Water Guard” on a A8-3.
Ryan Bergsmith flew a upscaled Estes “Crayon” on a G79-4w, a “Nelix” on a E9 and his “Duck Commander” on a E15-4w.
John Bergsmith flew his mad cow? “Bat Ray” on a F40-7.
Charles Ogino flew the “BS Lube Machine” on a C6-3. His larger and more powerful “Meco” flew on a H999 (otherwise known as a “mortar” round) with a unk dual deployment. His “Space Cowboy” on a I229 was in a drag with Jasson which was really impressive no matter who won.
Brittney Lambert showed up just in time as the day was winding down to prep and launch her L-1 cert attempt with a nice unpainted all fiberglass rocket, the “Liberty-3,” that flew on a H123 that after a long trip and searching, recovering and returning, after inspection, received her L-1. Yeay.
Holly Breman flew a Estes two stage “Solar Flare” on a B6 to a A10-3t.
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.