Launch Report, December 17-18, 2005

With the holidays just around the corner, poor weather predictions and only a few volunteers on the list, I expected very few people to show up for this months launch. Upon arrival I found the ground to be quite soggy from the previous days rain and standing water covered a good portion of the field. The high thick clouds prevented the suns warming rays from penetrating the blanket and giving any real degree of warmth all day. Eventually low 40's were reached but with the damp conditions and slight breeze it chilled one to the bone.

This month’s motor use summary looks like this.

That's got to be some kind of record for a December launch at Whitakers!

Saturdays Launch Highlights

The large number of flights this month is due in part to Boy Scout Troop 153 out of Rockridge, NC launching with us this weekend. It's always a pleasure having troops out with us. Great excitement for all. We got most of them to be LCO for the flights adding to their excitement.

Natalie Harrell flew a rocket called "Bad to the bone" quite a few times and with a little encouragement, we finally convinced her to operate the launch control box for one of her flights as well.

Gary Nance and daughter Sarah had a number of flights this month totaling 13 with a variety of scratch built and kit rockets. 

The creativity in naming a rocket is often overlooked. A few names jumped out at me this month but the best one in my opinion was "Question of Life" flown by Kevin Collins.

Failures are inevitable in our activity and no one should feel shame or embarrassment due to one. It eventually happens to all of us. After all, this is rocket science! 

We had our share of failures this month ranging from lawn darts to motor failures. The most interesting one to me was an Estes E9 that both the forward plug and nozzle let go at ignition like they weren't secured. We also saw an Aerotech G54W with an aft "O" ring failure resulting in a case burn through this month.

As usual Dave Morey had some interesting and great flights. My Favorite flight of the day was his "Sinister 38" loaded with two I300's and then air starting two H210's and an I285.

The launch fees were suspended this month as a seasonal present to all flyers. We have such a great group of people and wanted to say thank you for your support. I'd like to take a moment to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and a safe, healthy and happy new year.

Paul Hoetjes
Prefect: Tripoli North Carolina

Sundays Launch Highlights

The field was 50% covered in standing water 1/2" to 5" deep. A damp, clammy 15MPH wind out of the northeast, carried cold mist, gelid drizzle, and chilly rain showers in our ears and down our collars. Dreary gray clouds hung in dispirited clots between 1000 and 2000 feet above our heads.

David Cox flew the Big Ornj twice on Everclear and Polish Rojo H motors and suffered a very, very serious chuff on the third flight and burnt the Ornj to a crisp. Very sad, actually, but that didn't prevent everyone from laughing their butts off. He followed this up with good flights of the Mirage and the Magnum on smaller motors.

Evan and Stephen Daniel attempted 2 static tests with their all-PVC hybrid designs with "mixed" results. Iffy plumbing resulted in a lot of nitrous loss before the fire started. One of the motors looked really good until the burn chamber melted through on the side. The other one smoked and flamed a long time with no real thrust produced, then the tube to the nitrous tank burned through and the NO2 blew out the fire. Maybe there's a reason most people make these hybrid motors with mostly metal parts? But what do I know, I'm an AP guy.

Much was learned, however, and these scientists will take the data back to the lab and improvements will be made.

Alan Whitmore
Prefect, Tripoli East NC