Quote from Eric Becher on October 2, 2023, 1:53 pm

October 2023 Launch Report

Fall didn’t seem like it had arrived, as it was warm and sunny. Welcome weather after a miserable week of rain. The field was a little sloshy, but we set up on a fairly firm spot, so it wasn’t too bad. A little breeze needed to be accounted for, but it wasn’t too bad.

Motor totals:
4 – 1/2A or less motors
7 – A motors
5 – B motors
26 – C motors
6 – D motors
5 – E motors
9 – F motors
7 – G motors
Total of 69 motors on 68 flights.
View Launch Statistics

So, for this early Halloween launch there were plenty of Pumpkins, Candy Corn, Goblins, Ghosts, and Skeletons about the field (one skeleton was even walking around). It was an interesting sight to see at times, and plenty of fun. Note that flying pumpkins (or gourds) is not an easy thing to do, even if they are foam or hollow plastic. Pumpkins simply have poor aerodynamic qualities. Everything else however flew well, especially the Goblins, both large and small.

For the contest we decided to have a simple raffle, the entry requirement was just that you fly something “Halloween-ish”. That included the above-mentioned categories, or just about anything else that was orange. The winners were Charlie, Marc, and Manav, who shared in some Estes swag and a Flutter-by kit and tube marking tool. Congrats to all. (At least you didn’t win a “Mars Leaper”!!!

With the nice weather we seemed to all get ambitious. While C’s were the motor of choice, there were more G motors than anyone can recall. A fair number of F’s as well. Most of them flew well, and I believe we got everything back, except half of Dan’s Flutter-by, which seemed to disappear over the parking lot. Too bad he didn’t win the kit as a replacement. Neil brought a few nice big rockets, as usual. Jo Ann flew her first G powered rocket, and Don his first F. Both going high and fast! Brian S.’s Cherokee looked great on the pad and in the sky. Jeff’s Katana Jr. also looked sleek and flew nicely.

A TARC team was on hand for a little practice. Despite their simulations, there seemed to be a little stability issue. The issue being there was too little stability! That’s why they practice. A lesson for everyone is that the Simulation programs (RockSim or OpenRocket) are great, but not perfect. Err on the side of caution, and check your rocket weights, and center of gravity to make sure they align with the simulation. Perform a string test if there is any doubt (or even if there isn’t any doubt).

Rocketship Games arrived a little late, but was a welcome sight. Joe always treats us well, and his selection of kits and motors are perfect for our field and more. Joe - Thanks for making the trip over to see us!

Lots of pictures in the Gallery. I’m sure there will be 1 or 2 videos too. While you are on the website, be sure to look around. Our Webmaster Brian has been hard at work making lots of little improvements. Look for the hidden Easter eggs and animated features while checking out the information and updates (including weather at the field and calendar of events). Make a Forum account and ask questions and stay up to date on the latest discussions by subscribing.

Next launch is scheduled for the 5th of November. That is Guy Fawkes Night, so…
“Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot
For there is a reason why gunpowder and treason should ne'er be forgot.”
Let’s try to NOT blow anything up, but only to send things up!