For those of you with a certification - what was your goal?

[skybuster]

had to answer with the last one as I don't have a certification, however, if I was to do it, I would probably try to go all the way to L3, just because or if I wanted to build a really high power rocket I could do so

 

[EeebeeE]

Starting my L3. Fantasy goal is to have a rocket go over 100,000' up. Don't know if I get there or not, but I am going to try. My L3 attempt will easily go higher than a mile and I have an L2 rocket that should push 10,000'.

 

[Fishhead]

Chicks.

 

[JPVegh]

There wasn't any levels when I certified. My only intention was to launch bigger rockets.

I seriously don't have the money to burn on a L3 rocket and even if I did I think that I would be a nervous wreck launching that much mass and money. I hope to get level 2 eventually since I have the 54mm RMS hardware and I would like to put it to use someday but even that is a bit too expensive for me now.

Really though, I am content to launch Cs and Ds most of the time and occasionally put up a G.

 

[Dad Man Walking]

I started flying with one of my sons, who got bit by the bug at a LUNAR launch with the cub scouts when he was 9. We flew black powder for a couple of launches, but he really (really, really, really) wanted to fly one of the mid-power birds that can fly at Moffett Field (G motors/under 1000'). So we got an Aerotech Initiator and let that one rip on F's at Moffett. And then (this was my mistake) we went to fly it at the LUNAR launch at Snow Ranch. It was overcast that December morning, and we were able to fly the Initiator on F's to where the rocket just kissed the cloud cover, disappearing for just a second and then reappearing right at deployment. But when the skies cleared and the big boys started flying...well, it was over in a second.

We built a Darkstar Junior that winter and flew that for L1 on an H/motor deploy, then added a Raven and started flying dual deploy on H's and I's, and then a year later flew the same bird on a J to 5700 feet at October Skies to pick up the L2 certification. We now have a 3" Darkstar and fly that on J's, and for now I think we are done accumulating the high power birds. I am directing his energies back into projects he can build and fly himself, so that he's flying his rockets, not mine. But he's not happy just buying 3FNC kits and building them, so he's gotten into scratch building, kit bashing, card stock projects, and the like. Junior L1 is definitely in the future for him.

And along the way, if/when I pick up another high power project for myself, I'll probably try to do something that is technically challenging to build and fly, maybe a clustered project where we can experiment with air starts on L1 and mid-power motors, and keep the flying costs reasonable.

 

[stantonjtroy]

My preferred builds are scale. I like my rockets to look real, be full of detail and of moderate size (3"-8"). I also like to see the whole flight, 1500'-3000' is typical. Scale builds, especially man carriers, tend to be "Dragy" aerodynamically. This, by it's very nature, requires Hi Power thrust levels and burn times. L1 & L2 fit this bill nicely. L3 is too much for my interest level. Too Big, too high, too fast and too expensive. This is me, I'm a builder first. Truth be told, of the dozen or so motor cases I own, none are larger than 38mm (Though max size for 38mm) and most are 29mm. I have no beefs with those who fly L3, quite the opposite. My wife is a power junkie. She too currently holds a L2 and once we get out of the appartment I have no doubt she'll go for L3.....and I'll be more than happy to support her efforts any way I can.

 

[jef955]

Basically so I could legally use the G138 in my 29/40-120 casing with perhaps an occasional H single use.

 

[cwbullet]

Figured I would top out at L2.

L3 seemed so far away in complexity and skillz that it might as well have been on the moon.

All the best, James

That is what I used to think. I have been level 3 for over 2 years withg multiple flights. I think it is a step up. I do a check list and every flight has been smooth so far.

Most of the failures outside of CATOs are due to failed recovery - did not turn on electronics, failed to hook up shock cord, forgot the parachute .

The next largest group I have seen is too powerful of a motor. The "if it fits" syndrome. Which is usually followed by another fit of foul langauge.

 

[Coop]

In thinking about it, the goals didn't start coming until I had the certification. L1 goal was to get basic build techniques down. I figured I was ready for L2, so I incorporated all I'd learned up to that point (with a healthy dose of ambition) and built my L2 bird, which I flew last October at The Sod Farm.

There's some really cool motors in this impulse range. Just hoping I don't make them into "Really Cool" flights! Heh.

L2 goals: getting the hang of fiberglassing, tracking/telemetry, and 75mm motors.

L3 will come eventually. I don't know when. This year? Probably not. Maybe next. Or the one after. Who knows? I have at least three fairly complex L2 birds I want to build, and a few L3 files I've been playing with. We'll get to them.


Later!

--Coop

 

[DizWolf]

Just cert'd this weekend. I've spent a couple years launching MPR and gotten comfortable with it. I planned to do L1 to be able to fly G138/G104's etc. it's still a bit odd mentally now. Before there were ten or twelve motors in my world, and I knew what they'd do in all my rockets. The world just got a whole lot bigger.

I already have kits that would take L2 motors. I really love to build. Within the next year Ill likely take a shot at it just for the challenge. L3? I'll worry about that later. For now I'm just focusing on better igniters and enjoying the wide range of options. Another big concern for me has been the weight limit for MPR. Being able to go over that now is really cool

 

[CarVac]

Before there were ten or twelve motors in my world, and I knew what they'd do in all my rockets. The world just got a whole lot bigger.

That's really one of the more interesting parts of HPR: there's always something you haven't tried yet.

 

[DizWolf]

That's really one of the more interesting parts of HPR: there's always something you haven't tried yet.

It's really something I didn't expect. I've simed out a bunch of the HP motors, I knew they existed, but it was kind of like they really didn't. It's almost the same kind of feeling as the day I learned Estes wasn't the only rocket company. First order of business of course is to see if a couple G138's tear the fins off Quick and Dirty...