September 2023
September 2023 Launch Report
Another great summer day on the field. The day started off slowly, but soon we had a big crowd and were flying well past 5PM. Winds also picked up through the afternoon, but didn’t cause too much panic. Still, streamers were a good choice and there were plenty of them.
- Motor totals:
- 7 – 1/2A or less motors
- 11 – A motors
- 35 – B motors
- 36 – C motors
- 9 – D motors
- 06 – E motors
- 05 – F motors
- 2 – G motors
Total of 111 motors on 109 flights. These are the biggest numbers in at least the last 2 years!
It was another very busy day at the pads.
Neil came with some nice rockets, as usual. His “Laserhawk” on a G Redline, and Big Bertha on a G Green Mojave made colorful and impressive flights. His Laserhawk did something that few of us have ever seen. It landed directly on another rocket out in the field. What are the odds?!? Sadly, it landed on Brian C’s “Square Thing” and busted up the fins. But Neil’s rocket looked in fine shape since it had something to break its fall. (Sorry Brian)
It was Marc’s first day of flying rockets, and he launched a couple that he built recently, plus some others he had acquired. All flew well and he made a bunch of flights. Nice job Marc, and welcome!
There were a few other new rockets too. Can’t name them all here (my notes aren’t that good) but they include Jo Ann’s “Retro Rocket”, Diptanshu’s “So Long” (which lived up to its name, even without a booster), Neil’s “Door knob”, and Matt & Vera’s “Goblin” (on a loud E27). Plus, there were a host of high-fliers, even on a somewhat breezy afternoon. Brave souls, but most of them came back.
If you didn’t notice, Raunak is working on his NARTREK qualifications. He’s making some progress I think, so we hope to see him sporting some awards soon. For those who don’t know what the program is, there is info on the NAR website. It is a great way for young rocketeers to learn rocketry through step-by-step challenges.
Maria was, I think, the only one in “back to school” spirit. She flew a couple of “crayons” and a pencil (“Skywriter”). They flew well, so I guess that’s encouraging for the school year ahead. Going against this theme, Eric previewed October with his “Halloween Goblin” for a couple of flights.
And of course, we had a couple of “interesting” flights featuring spirals and one or two CATO’s. There were also a few lawn darts, and separations, and all manner of “less than nominal” flight results. “When a rocket flies well, it’s cool. When it doesn’t, it’s REALLY cool!” But let’s keep an eye on our skills and try to catch problems so we don’t put anyone in harm’s way. Sometimes you can’t foresee a problem, say with a motor failure. But let’s just try to minimize the preventable mistakes. Check your rockets and your preparations carefully.
A video and pictures are in the Gallery.
Next on the calendar is a demonstration at “Wall Kid’s Day America” On September 23rd. This is located close to the field, and involves us demonstrating rocketry and explaining what the hobby is about to interested kids and their parents. Always a fun day, and we get to burn a lot of motors! Details are on the calendar. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to come on out and help. If you have questions, just ask.
After that, our next monthly launch is October 1st. Should be a nice day as the weather is shifting to cooler temperatures. Halloween will be the theme, so start getting your flying goblins and bats, and ghosts, and witch’s hats ready to go. Still under discussion, but there may even be a contest of some sort, with a treat (no tricks) for the winners.
The midnight report! Great! 👍
I was really NOT expecting such a great turnout being that it was Labor Day weekend but what a welcomed surprise. 109 flights shows that it was well attended.
I was happy to see that Daniel finally flew something instead of spectating!
I think there might have been MORE flights had Joe Kopena (Rocketship Games) been there. Several members were wanting for motors. Hopefully, he'll be at the October launch as well as those members who were without motors this launch. I, myself, would have like to have him at this launch. The only F motors I had with sufficient delay times for my Aerotech Initiator were Estes F16s which didn't carry the Initiator all that well. Sadly, all of the better choices had 4 second ejection delay times which were far too short.
Yeah, it was a little late, but a busy day today, so I wanted to get it done last night. Besides, I had to be up to get the meats into the smoker anyway.
If I'd known what you needed I could have looked at my stash of motors. I have almost as many as Rocketship games does!😂 I have a few F's too.
Good news everyone! "Square Thing" is already repaired. After I got home and unloaded the car, I sorted everything out and dealt with my one busted rocket -- even with all those flights, I had successful deployment 100%, and I technically didn't have anything break, but when the other rocket landed on mine, well, that was an issue.
Either way, a little CA, hold the fin in place for 30 seconds and good-to-go. I was briefly thinking of sanding the fins and papering them, but that might add too much weight to this tiny rocket. It's a throw-away rocket, why put more work into it than needed?? Square Thing will fly again... but maybe in December -- next month is going to be many other rockets that haven't had a chance in a while, PLUS, I've now got a collection of some "pre-owned" birds that have never flown under my watch, so we'll try and lose those in the trees as well.
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Quote from Eric Becher on September 4, 2023, 9:34 amYeah, it was a little late, but a busy day today, so I wanted to get it done last night. Besides, I had to be up to get the meats into the smoker anyway.
If I'd known what you needed I could have looked at my stash of motors. I have almost as many as Rocketship games does!
I have a few F's too.
I had F42s and F52s both with 4s delays and an F44 with 5s. None of those delays were appropriate. Maybe, before next launch, I'll get to itemizing the HUMONGOUS cache of other motors I have and get them in my motors spreadsheet. Presently, I only have reloads, both CTI and Aerotech, catalogued from 29mm to 75mm in Apple Numbers. I probably have many appropriate Es, Fs and Gs but I don't know about them. 😉 All I need is ⏱️⏰🕰️⏳.
I keep an inventory also. Updated it last week. It's now obsolete.😂
I think I have an Fxx-7 somewhere. I also have a CTI F36 ??🤔
Quote from Eric Becher on September 4, 2023, 12:13 pmI keep an inventory also. Updated it last week. It's now obsolete.
I think I have an Fxx-7 somewhere. I also have a CTI F36 ??
I started the bigger motor inventory so that I'd know that I had when running OpenRocket simulations. I'm not about to maintain any inventory for the single-use Estes BP motors but I would like to get an inventory going for the single-use APCP motors.
My spreadsheet started as my Estes BP inventory across the top, and my list of rockets along the side. Where the rocket line intersects with suitable motors, the square is X'd. So I can see what rockets fly with what motors and if I have them. But as I've expanded into larger rockets and non-Estes motors, that has become unwieldy. To the side is just a list of the non-Estes motors (thankfully, not that many).