Launch Report for Whitakers, March 23 and 24, 2002

                Once again, the weather was excellent and a lot of flyers made their way to Whitakers for our monthly launch.  I flew my last Aerotech high-power reload this weekend, but apparently there are still quite a few loads stashed away in people's range boxes:  High-power is down, but not yet out.

                Whitakers is facing one serious problem, however.  The clubs in Virginia and Maryland have begun to schedule their launches on the fourth weekend of the month, the time when we have held our launches since before I got into HPR.  As long as there is another launch closer to Washington, DC, our vendor, Ken Allen of Performance Hobbies, is not going to come back to NC.  We may have to change our launch schedule, or those of you who want to fly high power may have to get LEUP's so that you can mail-order your motors.  I intend to open negotiations with the VA and MD people and try to get our vendor back.  Anybody have any other possible solutions?

                Here is the motor breakdown for Saturdays sport launch and Sunday's Experimental launch:

                Jeff Taylor also had 2 flights and 1 spectacular motor static test on Sunday, but he doesn't fill out flight cards, so I can't give you any details, except that one rocket had a camera in it.

                Although Saturday was quite windy, as is usual for Spring in North Carolina, at least 3 Comanche-3 flights were attempted, with predictable results.  Luckily for 2 young people, sustainer sections were found - one Comanche has a silver nose cone and one has a orange/red nose cone, both have red and gold streamer material.  One is now in my truck, the other is resting in the club trailer.  The high points of Saturday's flying were two successful certification flights, Paul Hoetjes certified level 1 with his beautiful Ringlet on an H97J, while David Cox finally got all the parts for a J460T and certified level 2 with his Magnum.  Congratulations to you both (especially to David, now you can take the Thunderflame course!!).

                Sunday was warmer and calmer than Saturday.  All those who attended had a fine time, except for your loyal reporter.  I was attempting a dress rehearsal for my level 3 certification flight, flying my Spork on an L1500 motor powered by the relatively predictable "SRB lite" formula.  About 2 seconds into a  predicted 3.2 second burn, the motor case melted through just behind the forward bulkhead, destroying everything but the fin section, the electronics bay (Altaac and P6 altimeter destroyed, P2 altimeter will fly again), and the nose cone.  Also, the parachute, which I had borrowed from Jim Scarpine, is still unharmed.  This is another good reason to use deployment bags!

                Stephen Krall finally succeeded in destroying his reinforced EZI-65!   It took a K motor made from his new White-Lightning-like propellant to do it, but it was sho-nuff tore all to pieces!!  Congratulations, Stephen!  Other highlights included Ed Rowe's Sparky formula, Stephen Krall's very hot blue propellant, which flew in his Loc Magnum, I think (data not on flight card), Dave Muesing's flights with a new magnetic apogee detector, and the return of Bill Shamblin's Black Brant.

                Thanks again to all of you who helped with RSO/LCO duties and setting up and tearing down the equipment.

                Alan Whitmore