New Century Rocketry - Cloudy But Calm, August 19, 2007 Launch

Cloudy But Calm

August 19, 2007

This afternoon was cloudy but fairly calm, with breezes of around 5 MPH or so. Justin and I decided to launch a few of our rockets, including some of mine that had never been launched as well as a few that hadn't been up recently. I set up three launch stands, one with an Electron Beam controller, one with my metal 12V launch controller, and one with my new wooden 6V launch controller.

Here's the first "rack" of rockets... Estes Patriot, Estes Alpha, Centuri Sky Devil.

The first to go up was supposed to be Justin's Estes Patriot, on a B6-4, but it wouldn't ignite. I held it off for later.

The official Rocket Recovery Crew, returning with the Alpha.

The first actually launched was my Estes Alpha, on an A8-3, and it was a beautiful and perfect launch and recovery.

Next we launched my Centuri Sky Devil on an A8-5. The flight was nice, but the parachute was damaged (two shroud lines inexplicably cut, no burn marks) and the rocket came down hard. However, it was undamaged, and will fly again.

The second "rack"... Estes Patriot (still), Estes Bullpup, Estes Alpha.

"Didn't ignite, eh? Try a new igniter."

We set up another rack and went again, and again, Justin's Patriot (with a new igniter fitted) failed to ignite. Again, I held it off a bit.

The Bullpup launches!

I launched my Estes Bullpup on a B6-4. This was its first flight, and it was a nice one, with a perfect deployment and recovery.

Justin's Quest Flash was launched next, on a B6-4, and it turned in another excellent performance... and lost a fin on impact, again. This time we have the fin, and again we will repair the rocket. I'm thinking we need a parachute with a small spill hole instead of a streamer for this rocket.

At last, the Patriot launches!

I got out a different controller (for this was one of the Electron Beam controllers, of which we have three), and using the same (second) igniter, Justin was able to launch the Patriot at last. Excellent flight, good recovery. Need new batteries, obviously.

I had planned to launch my modified Black Vulcan on a C6-3, but I found that the modified launch lug installation was binding on the rod; so I skipped this one.

The ThunderBee launching.

I launched my Semroc Thunderbee on a 1/2A3-2T. Good flight, but the streamer didn't slow it enough and it broke a fin. I think I'm going to see if I can get the fin replaced under warranty on this one.

Update: Semroc not only replaced the fin under warranty, they sent me a replacement streamer AND a parachute! They ROCK.

Last was my Estes Sprint on an A8-3. This high-flying rocket once again surprised me, trying to drift out of the field and into some trees. Amazingly, it threaded the needle between several rocket-eating trees and landed at ground level.

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