Launch Report, September, 2005

The weather for this launch was extremely un-September. It was hot, humid, and a surprisingly stiff wind was blowing all day. At least one Easy-Up was blown down and rockets under parachute were driving almost sideways. Even so, the turnout was good, we had 3 successful level 2 cert flights, and several flyers visited Whitakers for the first time.

Here is your motor use summary:

One of the finest flights of the weekend used the smallest motor. Dave Morey flew a small Tilus Rocket Glider on a ½ A3 that had been trimmed perfectly! The glider (which was totally “ballistic” and used no electronics or radio control) swooped around the launch area, delighting all the observers as it caught the breeze and drifted left and right, eventually landing almost at Dave’s feet. Clearly the highest fun:power ratio flight of the entire weekend!

I have never seen an Estes Wacky Wiggler rocket before, but 2 were flown on Saturday on B6 power and the recovery phase is quite hilarious.

Ken Parker flew 3 different boosted gliders, including a very exciting new Ladyhawk, a 24” wingspan dart that coasted in VERY fast after a boost with a D11P.

The Thompson family joined us for the first time this month, with Ryan, Jordan, and Mark Thompson making several flights. Mark Thompson flew a very fine Space Shuttle model on a C6-5 that performed well.

Joe Harasti was back with another totally scratch-built rocket called Pee Chuter II. The flight card carried the oddly self-contradictory notation that “there are no rocket parts in this rocket.” This might have been true before the flight, but certainly not after, (which was entirely successful on a D12-3).

Eric Brown brought a fine assortment of small rockets down from Virginia, most of which had a fascinating variety of fin and tube-fin arrangements. Eric just cannot stand to make a plain, boring rocket with 3 or 4 identical fins.

The big news of the weekend is the 3 successful level 2 certifications that occurred on Saturday. John Hobson flew his Wild Blue Yonder on a J350W to 1835 feet, Mark Yeager aced his written exam and then carried off a perfect flight with his ASP on a J420, and then Rik Faith made a fine L2 flight with his Tux II on a Loki J528. Congratulations to all of you on jobs well done. Three L2 certs in one weekend may be some sort of record for Whitakers, and all of the prefects are absolutely ecstatic over this performance. Great job, guys!!

The ‘best rocket name’ of the weekend award will have to be shared this month: The awardees are Eric Brown’s Vumble Bee, which flew on 2 D12’s, and Tim Watts’ Pulsating Pooh-denium. There may be a story behind that last name, but I’m pretty sure it will never be published in this forum.

On Sunday the weather was much better, the clouds lifted, the humidity slacked off a little bit and the winds dropped a lot. The major problem remained: The wind direction was in the worst possible direction for Whitakers – directly toward the green hell briar thickets behind the church just across SR 33. As usual, I will address all of the Sunday flights alphabetically by flyer.

David Cox arrived late and got very busy. He flew his Mirage on a 2 grain 38mm copper oxide formula to 1200 feet, the Big ‘Orng saucer on another 2 grain 38mm H motor, his Magnum on a 3 grain 54mm motor catalyzed with manganese dioxide (to 2600 feet), and the Little John on a 2 grain 54mm motor made from the same propellant formula. All flights and recoveries were perfect.

Mike Harris was also very busy at the hybrid pads, mainly helping other people get set up and launched, but he also had 2 flights of his own. Mike flew Ignorant of My Destiny twice, first on a J240 using the Hypertek tank and a modified PVC pipe fuel grain, and then again on a K240 that involved the same Hypertek tank and some cast fuel grains involving some PBAN and ZnO powder. This latter rocket attained 2920 feet with some very fine flame and smoke (or so I am told, see below).

Jim Livingston has migrated back south for the winter and showed us all why he is the undisputed master of big motors and big rockets. After 5 months away from rocketry, he brought out the Carbon High, loaded her up with a very stout high solids L1700 3” motor and made a perfect flight to the 7500 foot region, and recovered the whole package just inside the gate to the pasture!

Jim Robertson made his first EX flight this weekend. He made a very novel paper/aluminum foil/iron filing grain for the AT 54/1280 case and hooked it up to the Hypertek 440 tank for a very flashy and completely successful J motor flight. A very fine introduction to EX and many thanks to Mike Harris for helping out.

Alan Whitmore flew the Smooth Green Snake on a 6 grain 38mm I motor with a smoke grain. The smoke grain burned out long before apogee (which occurred at 6002 feet) and the rocket got completely lost, as usual. Also as usual, the Walston brought her home. Then, Whitmore flew Red Rudy on a 2 grain 76mm K motor made from the same formula that David Cox used for his Magnum and Little John flights. The parachute came out at apogee (operator error) at 3100 feet, and the rocket landed in the tops of 4 very tall pine trees in the hellish briar-choked pine scrub underbrush just southeast of the church that sits just across the graveyard on SR 33. About 30 minutes of Walston work located the rocket and another 2 hours and 45 minutes of heavy labor brought all of the pieces down without damage. Many thanks to Jim Livingston, Paul Hoetjes, and Reed Goodwin-Johansson who helped in location and recovery.

Alan Whitmore, Prefect, Tripoli East NC, Sep 27 ‘05