April 15th Launch Report

Saturday, 15 April, 2023, Post- Launch Report.

We finally got a Saturday launch !

The weather Saturday was great as far as it worked for us. (Sunday proved too risky with projected wind changes and the damage we were doing to the crop fields). A light wind kept moving around from ground level to about 200ft, but upper up it wasn’t too bad. 

What light winds we had kept getting less as the day progressed to the late afternoon when it was teasingly almost calm.

 We did get one tree landing but the rocket just chose to go that way, and there just wasn’t enough wind to bring it back to clear the trees down range on the left.

It was hot, a bit humid and sunny. But walking into and through the oats and barley was like walking through deep tidal water, it wore you out.

Did anybody else get a light sunburn? Face and arms for me. I’ll bring water next time too.

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 obligated elsewhere

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 and donated items.  Really, if you need something, use it.

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  8   fliers,  and flew  25  flights and burnt   25  motors.

This includes all   clusters and   multi-stage  flights

A= 7,   B= 2,   C= 3,   D= 2,   E= 3,   F= 1,   G= 5,   H= 2,        I= 0,   J= 0,   K= 0.

Remember, what I write is influenced by your penmanship and spelling.

Girl Scout, Stella Russell, of Troop 274 made flights to learn the basics from Ralph and Mark Bart. She flew flights of a Estes “Honest John” on mini A3-4t’s and the “Nathan” on B6-6’s. Last month Troop 274 Tarc Team made practice and a qualification attempt flights.

Ron Crosier flew a Jim Z Clone version of the classic Estes “Big Bertha” on a B6-4 to avoid a crop field landing. His scratch build “Bigger Big Bertha” flew twice. First on a E12-4 with a good medium altitude flight, but the ejection charge only blew the nose off leaving the chute bundle at the front of the tube. The 3 foot tall oats saved it from damage. The second flight went up also, I think, on a E12-4, it seemed to go higher, and again only the nose ejected. This time it got totally lost in the 3 to 4 ft tall oat field. We criss-crossed back and forth, but just could not find it. (the gophers pulled it underground for some devious purpose). Ron also flew a Estes “Constellation” on a C6-3 and a Quest, 18mm, D16-4. The Q 18mm “D” motor can really get a regular Estes “C” motor class rocket up there.

Patrick Glazier. Who recently moved with his son “Eli” to the Raleigh area from Florida, flew a really nice “Zepher”. ( which seems to be a popular kit for Level Qualification flights and just all around flying for the fun of it). It first flew on a G115-9 just to get the feel of the launch field. It flew straight up with a Jolly Logic chute deployment sys set at 400ft, which, with a 9 second delay fall time resulted in a ejection with a deployment both at the same time for a safe deployment and landing. Feeling good with the first flight, the second flight went with a H120-9 with a J/L deployment again at 400ft, but it angled off the rail flying high but down range out over to the left tree line resulting in our only tree landing for the day. Patrick and Eli took a walk but even with a good idea of where it should have entered the tree line, and with full leaf development it could not be seen and located. It’s happened to the most of us, my “Canadian Flag” and “Pepsi” both retired to the tree line.

Eli Glazier, Son to Patrick, flew a Estes “Cross Fire ISX” a couple of times on a low altitude A8-3 with a streamer recovery, so was easier to find on the runway or close by in the field. He adopted a Egg Lofter from the Lost and Found box and renamed it the “ELS, Egg Launch System” and flew it on a C6-3.

Michael Hollowell waited till the later afternoon and flew a modified novelty 4inch Crayon Bank, “Bank My Crayon” on a H148-? With a J/L chute deployment at 400ft. Then, flew One of the best flights of the day, which was the flight of Michaels DynaSoar “Auroa Clipper” space glider. It launched on a very very long burn G12 motor  with a Futaba 18SZ R/C glider transmitter. It was a great and graceful flight and smooth landing in front of the spectator line.

Roy Potter, as usual, I flew my Poop-Chuters. Numerically in order, The “White-1” flew on  a Quest D22-4. (better than the D12-3), the “Yellow-2” flew on a E12-4, and the “Blue-3” on a AeroTech F32-4. (The “Orange-4” is still laid up after last month where the delay element did not burn, so no ejection). But the “Red-5” flew very well on a Aerotech G40-4. My old “T-4” usually flies on a “H” motor but I had a Pro-29 G131-5 that I tried and it got a decent medium altitude to look cool. But I could only shorten the ‘stock’ 14 second delay by 9 seconds leaving a 5 sec ejection delay which everyone thought was going to be just a bit too long, there was gasps and ooh nooo, but it ejected the rear chute just in time.

Ralph Roberts flew a Estes “Patriot” on a C6-5, that I think was lost in the field. I understand there were two field landings that were lost. But Ralph’s Monty Python themed “Cosmic Staff of Azul” made a good flight, and landing not too far off the runway from a flight on a  G76-4 Mohavi Green motor.

Barb Tobin is active in the NAR Competition Programs and comes out to test fly and time her rockets where she has more field room. She made three flights of the “Parachute Duration-1” on 1/4A3-4t mini motors. And two flights  of the “Streamer Duration-1” on mini A10-3t’s checking the times by stop watch. Her best time was by one of the streamers over the chute duration.

Remember to keep the pointy end up. Keep a check on the Webb site and FaceBook for launch notice’s.