March 19th Launch Report
Monday, March 27, 2023 at 7:56PM
Saturday’s weather was too risky for a launch with Fridays rain and some Saturday morning forecasted rain. That would have make it just a bit too wet. But it did made it a good day to dry out for a Sunday launch.
Sunday, on the other hand was great. I did expect and it did tend to be pretty chilly and outright cold in the morning hours, so the fire pit was fired up and served to keep hands warm, and that little bit of physiological support until the sun filled the fields creating a solar effect that made the pit ill-relevant as the day became quite comfortable. It started breezy with light winds that tended to be at ground level, as flights showed that upper winds continued to become calmer as the day progressed. At 5pm it was almost calm, but we were all worked out and had made all the flights we really wanted, so shut down. Anybody else get a light sunburn?
Hey,
TO All Of Us Who Get the “NAR Sport Rocketry Magazine”.
You also get the periodic issue of the “NAR MEMBER GUIDEBOOK”.
If you just stuff it in the back of a drawer or into a box in your ‘Rocket Closet’, instead, bring them, old or new, to the launch. They are great to pass out to a new flier just getting into the hobby. They can really help them with all the basics.
Ken Allen of Performance Hobbies,
Ken was there and was busy with some beginners along with chatting and telling stories between providing all those things that make our rockets go up .
LOST AND FOUND
HEY, the box is full of various stuff that needs a home.
Most stuff has been in the box for a season or more, so except for anything labeled with a name (Hey Steve), if you need it, use it.
Steve Brown, we found your “Rascal” and your “Rocket Flight Log Book”.
Check the box, we have a lot of un-clamed rockets, nose cones, LP chutes, fins and other odd items.
As a note, when you are walking across the fields, keep your eyes open on the ground for anything. Not all motor casings look alike. Also there are mini altimeters, nosecones, motor retainers, ect.
Pictures. Check the Gallery for launch photo’s. We see everyone is taking photo’s. Lets Get them onto the ROCC Club WEB Site Gallery.
Just contact Doc Russell at rocketrycarolina@gmail.com, “or” as some have done, pass it on a disk, memory card or flash drive
ROCC Club Membership
Membership covers the costs of maintaining the launch equipment, supplies and the expensive Porta-Pot. Membership also pays our association fees with the “National Association of Rocketry” and the “Tripoli Rocketry Association” which provides our insurance.
Memberships run January to January. Membership drive starts in October.
Adult - $20. Family - $25.
ROCC Club “T” Shirt’s, are limited right now but can be purchased as the supplies last until a new source is obtained. Check on styles and colors available at the launch.
Flight Fee Donation Box.
Remember, the Donation Box goes to the Land Owner. Please Donate.
We have been running short on the “Rent” to the landowner the last few months.
Club Members = $10 per day
Non Members = $15 per day
Parent with young child under 12yo = $5 per day.
We had 11 fliers, and flew 28 flights and burnt 29 motors.
This includes all clusters and multi-stage flights
A= 0, B= 2, C= 1, D= 4, E= 5, F= 6, G= 5, H= 5, I= 0, J= 1, K= 0.
Remember, what I write is influenced by your penmanship and spelling.
Girl Scout Troop 274-TARC Team, made practice flights and a flight attempt for score. The “Dragon Fruit” flew one flight on a F42-4 and two on a F76-4. Unfortunately the last flight was for a score, disqualified with chute separation. But they are learning.
The Lenoir-Rhyne Rocket Team, The Space Port American Cup?, (spelling was hard to make out) took most the day to prep and examine the “Breaking Bear’riers” to later fly on a J800 with multiple activities ending with a main deployment at 800ft and a backup at 700ft. But both ejected at apogee instead, otherwise it was a perfect flight and a good landing in the field. Other than finding the wireing mistake that allowed the premature ejection, they were more than satisfied.
Jacob Gray flew his “Rocket – 2” rear eject rocket twice on B6-4’s. The larger “Rocket-2 XXL” flew on a low thrust econo G74-4 that just made enough altitude to deploy and make a safe landing. (It’ amaze’s me how the AT G40 performs much better than the G74). Jacob’s “Performer 29-S” flew on a Q Jet D22-7.
Kevin Green came pre-paired for a Level-1 certification flight with his “Zephyr” (a popular and reliable kit for Cert flights). Kevin did a test flight first to test the flight characteristics and recovery system on a G80-7t. It’s usually done before you risk it all on a Official flight with a untested rocket. The official flight was on a H210-10 for a really nice and successful L-1 certification flight. Congrat’s Kevin.
Scott Pennington always brings out a small fleet. His “Javelin” attempted to fly on a
Estes E12-4 that Kato’d on the stand resulting in mid body damage above the motor. But repairable, a few inch’s shorter, but repairable. His old style (ugly) “Bull Pup flew normally on a E30-4. Then Scott went big with the “Athena” on a H135-7w with a good Jolly Logic deployment at 400ft. Then the “Arrow” on a H550-8t flew also with a successful J/L deployment at 400ft then the “Scoob” flew also on a H550-8t with a good J/L deployment also at 400ft.
Roy Potter, I flew my rear ejection rockets checking which motor is best for each rocket. “White-1” flew on a D12-3 finding that the new Q D22-4 is a perfect match for flight and motor ejection at apogee. The “Yellow-2” flew on a E12-4 (want to try the Q E26-4), “Blue-3” flew on a F50-4. The “Orange-4” again (cursed?) this time suffered a unburnt delay element resulting in the G74-4 not ejecting the chute with a “lawn dart impact”. Going to have to replace about 4 inchs of the upper body tube. And the “Red-5” flew on a higher thrust G40-4 followed by the “Yellow-6” on a G64-4.
Ralph Roberts (Rocket Ralph) had the first wind dummy flight with his Estes “Nike Smoke” on a C6-5 that proved that it was safe. Ralph later flew his “Fire” on a H163 white thunder with a successful electronic deployment at 300ft after a apogee separation and freefall.
Matt Rushing flew a motor cluster rocket “Quick Draw” with three E12-6’s with a J/L set for a 400ft chute deployment. But only two ignited, which would normally carry the rocket safely, but the third remained anchored to the launch stand by the igniter wire long enough to pull the rocket down angled to when the wire broke, it flew horizontal over the rise of the field to the right. Took a while but they found it , didn’t see the level of damage it received if any.
Doc Russell flew his nice “Der Big Red Maxx” on a F76-6 and his “Argent”, a Estes Pro Series-II kit, flew on a F52-5.
David Walter flew a Estes “Black Brant” on a D12-5 that really got some altitude on the “D” motor.
Ella Walter, (daughter of David) flew a “Pink Big Daddy” on a D12-5 and we all saw the ejection smoke but the nose cone and chute did not deploy, so lawn darted. Did not see if there was any damage.
Remember to keep the pointy end up. Keep a check on the Webb site and FaceBook for launch notice’s.