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April 2025 Scheduled Launch

#1 · April 5, 2025, 9:26 am

Attention CENJARS fliers,

Last weekend was a blast for many of us who attended Red Glare 25 in Maryland. Windy but dry conditions for the weekend but not so for our scheduled launch tomorrow.

There are mixed weather forecasts. Various sources show rains throughout the day while others do not. It' is presently 9:00am Saturday. I am requesting that ALL CENJARS members check the CENJARS website for launch cancellation. I am being hopeful and trying to get in a launch tomorrow for several reasons.

It is the last possible day for ARC teams to fly qualification launches because they must submit their data, IIRC, early this coming week.
It's April.; the proverbial April showers... Rescheduling could see another rainout. Also, there's Passover and Easter the coming weekends too.

Currently, KBLM TAF shows thunderstorms and heavy rains this evening. That could mean rather wet field conditions. Winds will be from the southwest and west which means lugging launch kit to the back of the upper soccer/baseball field.

Please watch the main page GO/NO-GO status on our launch tomorrow.

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#2 · April 6, 2025, 7:23 am

ATTENTION CENJARS,

I was holding out hope but the local weather reports have changed to rains this afternoon. As such, I'm going to cancel today's launch.

I'll post soon if and when there may be a rescheduled launch.

#3 · April 6, 2025, 11:36 am

I know weather is bad and for that launch is cancelled. I know there are three ARC team who is requesting can launch be possible for them otherwise they would loose the opportunity this year. They know the consequences that they may loose their rocket and they might not get the proper data. Is there any way we can help them please? Please let me know then I can coordinate with them. My number is 4047177850. Note: Diptanshu and his team are good with data and they already uploaded to ARC website.

#4 · April 6, 2025, 12:50 pm

Quote from Eric Becher on April 6, 2025, 12:50 pm
I do realize, as do the other members of the CENJARS leadership, that cancelling today's launch hurts the ARC teams. The deadline for submission of qualifying data is tomorrow night. That is why we had waited until the very last minute to make the decision based on the latest available information. We want to help the teams, and fly our own rockets too. But sometimes weather and other circumstances affect what we can do. Sometimes it's the wind. Sometimes the rain. Today we also had fog in the morning, and currently have a low cloud deck here (as I write this a plane passed low overhead that I could only hear, not see). (Remember that NAR safety rules require you to avoid flying into clouds and reduced visibility.) Please be assured that Brian's decision was not unilateral. He has been discussing the weather with some of us several times a day for the last few days, and almost constantly since early this morning, even after the decision was made. It was not an easy decision, but one that we all supported. We are all disappointed to not be flying today.

Unfortunately, our hobby is very weather dependent. I have been involved in many sports and activities throughout my life. Some things, like football, can be played in almost any weather. But my sailing and swimming races & activities were often adversely affected by the weather. It's a part of those activities. It's a part of life. Rocketry is probably more sensitive to weather than most other hobbies, so disappointment is something we all have to deal with (including failed, lost and damaged rockets).

But for those competing in ARC there is another lesson to be learned here. When doing something dependent on the weather, have a backup plan, and don't wait for the last minute. In our case, the only backup plan available today is to drive to Nebraska where there are no trees and clear weather. The ARC targets are released in June each year. Teams may register shortly after that. They have all summer to work on rocketry skills. All fall to zero in on the ARC goals. All winter to make their final qualifying flights. Few do that. All should.

We feel bad that some teams were not able to fly with us today and get their last qualifying flights. But today should not have been needed. I know this winter has seen some miserable weather, but we have been out at the field, ready and able to support the teams. The last 2 months we had set up separate pads, and had members who set aside their own flying to assist the teams. We even tried to hold a second launch last month (gaining permission and people committing to it), but again, the weather didn't cooperate. Last month, only 2 teams showed up, one of whom only had 1 person present (other members of her own team didn't even show up). That is disappointing, but understandable. It wasn't good weather. Well, today isn't any better.

So for anyone wanting to compete next year, please come out and fly with us early and often. We'd like nothing better than for you to succeed. But please don't wait until the last minute. Time is on your side from the start, but don't waste it. There are some things that we just cannot control. Some things that we just cannot do.

For those who did get their flights in - good luck. I hope you get to Virginia for the finals. You have our support and best wishes for success.

I do realize, as do the other members of the CENJARS leadership, that cancelling today's launch hurts the ARC teams. The deadline for submission of qualifying data is tomorrow night. That is why we had waited until the very last minute to make the decision based on the latest available information. We want to help the teams, and fly our own rockets too. But sometimes weather and other circumstances affect what we can do. Sometimes it's the wind. Sometimes the rain. Today we also had fog in the morning, and currently have a low cloud deck here (as I write this a plane passed low overhead that I could only hear, not see). (Remember that NAR safety rules require you to avoid flying into clouds and reduced visibility.) Please be assured that Brian's decision was not unilateral. He has been discussing the weather with some of us several times a day for the last few days, and almost constantly since early this morning, even after the decision was made. It was not an easy decision, but one that we all supported. We are all disappointed to not be flying today.

Unfortunately, our hobby is very weather dependent. I have been involved in many sports and activities throughout my life. Some things, like football, can be played in almost any weather. But my sailing and swimming races & activities were often adversely affected by the weather. It's a part of those activities. It's a part of life. Rocketry is probably more sensitive to weather than most other hobbies, so disappointment is something we all have to deal with (including failed, lost and damaged rockets).

But for those competing in ARC there is another lesson to be learned here. When doing something dependent on the weather, have a backup plan, and don't wait for the last minute. In our case, the only backup plan available today is to drive to Nebraska where there are no trees and clear weather. The ARC targets are released in June each year. Teams may register shortly after that. They have all summer to work on rocketry skills. All fall to zero in on the ARC goals. All winter to make their final qualifying flights. Few do that. All should.

We feel bad that some teams were not able to fly with us today and get their last qualifying flights. But today should not have been needed. I know this winter has seen some miserable weather, but we have been out at the field, ready and able to support the teams. The last 2 months we had set up separate pads, and had members who set aside their own flying to assist the teams. We even tried to hold a second launch last month (gaining permission and people committing to it), but again, the weather didn't cooperate. Last month, only 2 teams showed up, one of whom only had 1 person present (other members of her own team didn't even show up). That is disappointing, but understandable. It wasn't good weather. Well, today isn't any better.

So for anyone wanting to compete next year, please come out and fly with us early and often. We'd like nothing better than for you to succeed. But please don't wait until the last minute. Time is on your side from the start, but don't waste it. There are some things that we just cannot control. Some things that we just cannot do.

For those who did get their flights in - good luck. I hope you get to Virginia for the finals. You have our support and best wishes for success.

Admin and tjkopena have reacted to this post.

#5 · April 10, 2025, 7:36 am

Quote from Admin on April 10, 2025, 7:36 am
Thank you Eric for that post!

I truly hate canceling our launches but, as Eric stated, weather and related conditions are out of our control. Rescheduling launches in the past was a simple email request; however, now it means I need to complete a Facility Use form and submit it to the Wall School board along with the CoI (Certificate. of Insurance). We're very lucky to be able to use the Wall Athletic Complex and my requests for alternative dates are almost always granted. Understand, though, that it takes time to get all of the approval signatures.

Someone had asked me if the Monday after the scrubbed launch would be possible. Not likely! I submitted a request that Sunday afternoon but the school board doesn't meet on weekends. That said, I was informed by about 10:00 Monday, via email, that the Monday was out of the question as there were some athletics on the fields. I doubt they actually did use the Complex because the weather was just as poor Monday. Please note too that you should never use the Complex outside of our sanctioned launches. Doing so could jeopardize our relationship with the Wall schools to use their Complex. You are not indemnified by the club's insurance outside of our approved/sanctioned launches either.

Quote from Eric Becher on April 6, 2025, 12:50 pm

So for anyone wanting to compete next year, please come out and fly with us early and often. We'd like nothing better than for you to succeed. But please don't wait until the last minute. Time is on your side from the start, but don't waste it. There are some things that we just cannot control. Some things that we just cannot do.

Sage advice! ARC teams, pass the word along to your progeny and to others you may know considering ARC. FWIW, I had received about a half dozen requests from new ARC contacts before our Sunday's launch — One was at nearly 22:00 (10:00pm) Saturday evening! Procrastination is probably the worst thing any ARC team can embrace because there's no guarantee of a launch when bad weather refuses to procrastinate too. 😉

Thank you Eric for that post!

I truly hate canceling our launches but, as Eric stated, weather and related conditions are out of our control. Rescheduling launches in the past was a simple email request; however, now it means I need to complete a Facility Use form and submit it to the Wall School board along with the CoI (Certificate. of Insurance). We're very lucky to be able to use the Wall Athletic Complex and my requests for alternative dates are almost always granted. Understand, though, that it takes time to get all of the approval signatures.

Someone had asked me if the Monday after the scrubbed launch would be possible. Not likely! I submitted a request that Sunday afternoon but the school board doesn't meet on weekends. That said, I was informed by about 10:00 Monday, via email, that the Monday was out of the question as there were some athletics on the fields. I doubt they actually did use the Complex because the weather was just as poor Monday. Please note too that you should never use the Complex outside of our sanctioned launches. Doing so could jeopardize our relationship with the Wall schools to use their Complex. You are not indemnified by the club's insurance outside of our approved/sanctioned launches either.

Quote from Eric Becher on April 6, 2025, 12:50 pm

So for anyone wanting to compete next year, please come out and fly with us early and often. We'd like nothing better than for you to succeed. But please don't wait until the last minute. Time is on your side from the start, but don't waste it. There are some things that we just cannot control. Some things that we just cannot do.

Sage advice! ARC teams, pass the word along to your progeny and to others you may know considering ARC. FWIW, I had received about a half dozen requests from new ARC contacts before our Sunday's launch — One was at nearly 22:00 (10:00pm) Saturday evening! Procrastination is probably the worst thing any ARC team can embrace because there's no guarantee of a launch when bad weather refuses to procrastinate too. 😉

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