I'm not real clear on the proper procedures for documenting my L3 build, prior to a certification flight. I'm about a five hour drive from the launch site/the local club that will have the TAP's available for examination of the rocket and perform the certification thing. Can I simply document my build, via photo's and written text, then show up at the launch, unannounced, with rocket and documentation in hand... or, must I go about this L3 certification build/documentation thing in a different manner?
You are going to get a pile of answers on this. NAR seems to want a candidate to get "prior approval" of a project before building. I've been told in TRA that may not be absolutely necessary if not doing something other than a standard DD project or
single deploy for that matter. Depends on the TAP. What I gather is if you are in an isolated geographical area is to approach TAPS (email or phone) and if they consent, send all your build details, documentation, pictures etc. to them for perusal and make arrangements beforehand. Sure a little biography/CV of what you've done and flown before could be helpful too. Flown a fiberglass rocket with an L to 10k' and successfully recovered? That should
carry some weight as opposed to someone who has only flown J350's in cardboard rockets only. Tip: Setup a video camera of you doing something like epoxy work with the centering rings or a shot of the inside of the fincan before you
epoxy the last ring on. I have some videos using a keychain camera and they're quite viewable.
Showing up at a launch completely unannounced I believe is very poor form. If a TAP is geographically nearby, by all means take advantage of their advice during building but if that's not possible I don't think that's a very big deal. Heck if they're nearby, I'd be proud to show them directly the rocket way beforehand away from the pressure of a launch to point out my "superior" craftsmanship and "excellent choice" of adhesives. If that's not possible, as long as they've seen your paperwork beforehand, they like it, you can show them the rocket and its features onsite. All the required TRA or NAR paperwork has to be completed. Show up on the appointed day with TAPs/L3CC people who are familiar and it should go smoothly.
Some of them might want every piece of fly poop that is on the rocket documented. Example: A screw is not a screw. Is it nylon, plain steel, blue steel, aluminum, stainless steel and if stainless steel what kind? 304? 316? 410? 430?. What are the ratings? Some of them can be very pimpy so that's where contacting them beforehand can be helpful. If you find they're a jerk. See if you can get someone else.
I hate to sound so harsh but I've known of situations where someone indeed has showed up cold at a major launch, was able to get the paperwork perused quickly, rocket inspected and have a successful L3 attempt.
Seemed to me that was way too simple but the project indeed looked capable. Ok by me.
I also have known a fellow that their TAP made them travel long distances 7 times during the build process for "inspections". That really was stupid and no it wasn't NAR it was TRA and I will say it was about 9-10 years ago.
That is outrageously asinine and I hope no one has had to do that in the recent past.
Also, find out what they consider a "success" is. There are TAPs who totally will not accept electronic verification that a flight was nominal ie. GPS and/or altimeter data for a completely sight unseen attempt. They need to see it under the main chute at some time during the descent. They won't accept walking/riding out the recovery site with you to get first sight and inspect. As long as we're on the topic of sight unseen, one needs to be cognizant of the waiver radius. If your candidate rocket is a 4 inch diameter screamer, you better go to a venue with a radius more than a mile 'cause even if your rocket performs perfectly, if it lands at 1.1 mile away with a 1 mile waiver radius it's a failure. That's the rules. If you have an accommodating "official" maybe they'll wink and look the other way. But then again maybe it's $300 to $400 of propellant wasted. A baby M can push something like that up pretty high unless it's "weighted down". The rules are the rules in that regard and I'm not arguing that.
Gives meaning to the contention to do an L3 attempt with something large, heavy and low. L3 with a bucket rocket anyone? Don't laugh, its been done successfully. Sure if you live way out west with a very liberal waiver, shoot for 30k' on the L3 flight. Live any place else and one needs to be more discerning.... Or willing to travel for that screamer rocket they want to certify on.
BTW, I am totally incredulous of those who feel we should make everyone do a Mach screamer dual deploy for an L3 flight attempt for many of the reasons I state above. It should be up to the candidate which route they wish to
pursue as already accepted by both organizations (and not likely to change thank heavens) Kurt