Red glare 2023
I'd suggest you have them prepped and ready to fly because if the rain waylays flying on Saturday, Sunday will be a very active day. Get your L1 cert flight out of the way Friday if you can!
I'm bringing the HV-ARCAS — unpainted as I couldn't get it scheduled for a paint booth — as my primary concern to fly. I may strap Daedalus on the roof too. I prepped the ARCAS yesterday. All Kevlar harness rolled and taped, parachutes tucked into deployment bags, transmitter's battery charged full up, etc. I won't drive with deployment charges in the wells, so that's the only thing I need to do at the field save for loading the motor — an Aerotech DMS L875DM. I'm going to get brand new Eveready Ultimate Lithium 9V (LiMnO₂) cells for the deployment electronics today.
I'll post a photo later today of the ARCAS CAR-COPHAGUS. The weather made its construction a little slow going but I did finish it yesterday after doing some routing in the rain.
I'll make an Icarus run this afternoon too. I'll see if they got a new space themed beer to bring for end of day on-field debriefings. 😉
It looks like more hat launching weather!! Today is my last day I can cancel my hotel reservation. I'll make the decision later on today but right now I'm thinking just bring the rain gear/boots and have fun. Early Friday and Sunday are looking like the best options but hoping the weather forecasts are off and the rain/wind shifts to overnight. 70 degrees + rain/wind is better than 40 degrees + rain/wind!!
There are always a few people who will launch anything in any weather, which can be good fun if it isn't your own hard work launching into a rainy, 30mph gust! 😄
Friday and Sunday are looking good. Saturday looks like maybe (not definitely) a wet start, but not a total washout regardless. If the wind is just a little more moderate for a few hours, we'll be ok. That may be a tall order in an open field though.
Backup plan - there's a small Maritime museum further south that I could check out on Saturday if I have to. I'm sure Joe also has a list of hidden tiki bars and micro brews we could visit. We'll figure out something to do.
I'm seeing a significant improvement in the forecast for Saturday. Now 20% chance of rain in the morning, and winds 17 - 20mph, which is much lower than earlier guesses. Good enough to fly in. Fingers crossed for more improvement, but stay tuned!
We're off to Red Glare! See you all there!
I hope to be there Saturday, rain or shine. I'm leaving the house at 7:30, so figure I won't be there until 10:30 or 11am, hopefully it's dry by then, and folks are launching. I can only stay until 4pm and then need to head North again. Then on Sunday I'm helping Charlie with CEANJARS... What a weekend.
Quote from Brian C. on March 30, 2023, 1:43 pmI hope to be there Saturday, rain or shine. I'm leaving the house at 7:30, so figure I won't be there until 10:30 or 11am, hopefully it's dry by then, and folks are launching. I can only stay until 4pm and then need to head North again. Then on Sunday I'm helping Charlie with CEANJARS... What a weekend.
M and I are checked in at the Holiday Inn. Room number 415 right across from the elevator. I parked next to the ancillary entrance because I can see the car from my room.
I staked a claim and erected the frame of my popup (gray steel with orange nylon ratcheted tie-downs). I've reserved two additional claims next to it with my table in one and my hitch shelf and chairs (in black plastic bags) in another. The cover is NOT on the popup, only the frame is up! We're on the south side (red side) of the launch field a couple of parking berths south of the MDRA trailer.
The launch pads are east of the parking/flight line. That means sun in the eyes in the morning.
Red Glare Saturday April, 1…Canceled. Not an April Fools joke!
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Quote from Ken Golomb on April 1, 2023, 9:23 amRed Glare Saturday April, 1…Canceled. Not an April Fools joke!
The gang went out for breakfast and now, we're back in hotel. I'm watching clouds quickly scurrying across the sky. I'm hoping this mess clears out quickly!
Quote from Ken Golomb on April 1, 2023, 9:23 amRed Glare Saturday April, 1…Canceled. Not an April Fools joke!
Wish I had gotten that notice a little earlier..... I drove down there, got to the field at 10:30, found Brian's "frame" with the orange tie downs, and sat out there in my car for a little over an hour... and then gave up and came home. Didn't see a single human at the site, although I got a close-up look at all the launch pads. Well, maybe next year.