Ultimate Wildman - L3 Cert Build

I'm thinking about using a Deployment Bag for the Main chute. Read somewhere it's recommended for parachutes 84" and larger. I'm using a 144" chute for this project. Does anyone have any thoughts, opinions, suggests regarding using a Deployment Bag? I have never used one but would try it on the shakedown flight.

Only this, which is what I say to all those I Tapptize for L-3:

"now is not the time to try new flying methods" Stick with what has been successful in the past for you.

Fly like it's just another L-2 flight. Helps keep the nerves calm, and from needless errors due to forgetting something...aka..trying a new method.
You will have enough on your mind to deal with, with out adding to the complexity.

If you have been using a burrito, stick with it. I have done 27ft chutes that way. I nothing against D-bags & if you have the time to do several flights using one, then go for it. But I would suggest using one first, in a smaller rocket or other than your L-3 project. After a few successful flights and your comfort zone is re-attained, then use it in your L-3.

My humble opinion.:wink:

Hi Jeff,

CJ beat me to it...so I'll be brief! I use the Crossfire 144" regularly: love it! I take a 30" or 36" square nomex and wrap it around the chute after it's been folded...burrito style as CJ suggests. Don't much care for true deployment bags...have seen a lot of stuck chutes in them over the years. Fans of the D-bags will say that it's from improper packing, too small of a pilot chute, improperly sized d-bag, etc....to which they're probably correct. My argument there is that that's a lot of variables to get right! I pack each of my chutes, whether 36" or 36' (ok, I don't have a 36' chute) the same way, wrap it in a square nomex "chute protector", and they tend to open quickly in a controlled manner time and time again.

Here's a vote for a square protector in lieu of those evil:wink: deployment bags!

-Eric-

CJ and Eric,
I appreciate both of your opinions. All along I was going to go the square Nomex route but I was doing research and came across the Deployment Bag method. Maybe I'm over thinking it. I always use the burrito method although sometime my burrito looks more like a taco. I'll probably stick with that plan.

blackjack2564 said:

Only this, which is what I say to all those I Tapptize for L-3:

"now is not the time to try new flying methods" Stick with what has been successful in the past for you.

Fly like it's just another L-2 flight. Helps keep the nerves calm, and from needless errors due to forgetting something...aka..trying a new method.
You will have enough on your mind to deal with, with out adding to the complexity.

If you have been using a burrito, stick with it. I have done 27ft chutes that way. I nothing against D-bags & if you have the time to do several flights using one, then go for it. But I would suggest using one first, in a smaller rocket or other than your L-3 project. After a few successful flights and your comfort zone is re-attained, then use it in your L-3.

My humble opinion.:wink:

Click to expand...

+1....
Stick with whatever you're comfortable with and have had much success with.....
Wring the rocket out on a couple of level 2 flights first....
When all is working as you intended,,,
One more flight with just a scootch more impulse will be easy peasy......

Teddy

Yup for Crazy Jim, Eric, and Teddy........

pondman said:

Yup for Crazy Jim, Eric, and Teddy........

Click to expand...

as always, I'm late to the dance... We had a somewhat sarcastic saying in the Air Force that went something like this... "I think I'll try something different on this checkride".

i.e. never, never, never do that.

Deployment bags work great, I love them, but like everything new there is a learning curve to use them properly. As attached photo will demonstrate. TAC-9C in TAC-9C specific bag, what could go wrong. Well when the feet of the chute came out enough to generate drag equal to that of the 24" drogue, there was no longer tension on the line from the drogue to the bag and it stopped pulling. Leaving the TAC-9 mostly in the bag all the way to the ground. Bang!

So, if you have time to fly a few bags in your NEA fleet, go for it. Else, I join the gallery in recommending you wait.

I do want to try deployment bags but won't use it on my shakedown flight or L3. I did order a bag from Fruity Chutes but will use it on my Darkstar 4" DD after my L3. Thanks everyone for the great input.

She's ready for her first flight!

Wow,, gorgeous Jeff....
What a beast.......lol...
That really came out smokin man....

The best of luck with it......

Neil M is the LCO for MDRA ( for those that don't know,, the Red Glare host club in Maryland ),, and he's a great one for sure,,, he WILL make you laugh, that's for sure...
I'll coin a term of his,,,,

Better to be lucky then good.....lol...

Teddy

That's a beautiful rocket!
Do you have a final dry weight on it?
Are you still planning the shakedown on an L1355 next month?
Sorry for all the questions, curious minds need to know....

Wayco said:

That's a beautiful rocket!
Do you have a final dry weight on it?
Are you still planning the shakedown on an L1355 next month?
Sorry for all the questions, curious minds need to know....

Click to expand...

Final weight (without motor or motor hardware) is a little over 33 pounds.

Yes, planing first flight with a L1355 in May or June or both. Cert flight will be with a M2075 in July.

onebadhawk said:

The best of luck with it......

Neil M is the LCO for MDRA ( for those that don't know,, the Red Glare host club in Maryland ),, and he's a great one for sure,,, he WILL make you laugh, that's for sure...
I'll coin a term of his,,,,

Better to be lucky then good.....lol...

Teddy

Click to expand...

Hopefully I'm both good and lucky!

Looks awesome Jeff. I'm totally pumped to see it in person and on the pad. You going to Bong in April?

Great looking project. Good luck with your attempt .

It's heck getting a good photo, when they are that big, isn't it? LOL

blackjack2564 said:

Great looking project. Good luck with your attempt .

It's heck getting a good photo, when they are that big, isn't it? LOL

Click to expand...

Any chance you'll be up in Wisconsin in June or July? I've got a couple rockets just begging for a Crazy Jim drag race.

Rrwjr said:

Looks awesome Jeff. I'm totally pumped to see it in person and on the pad. You going to Bong in April?

Click to expand...

Yes, I plan on being at Bong on April 25th.

jeff2space said:

Finished wiring Electronic Bay.

View attachment 255976

Three pairs of white wires to left and three pairs of white wires to right go to switches.

Orange and Brown wires at top go to Main charges. Blue and Violet wires at bottom go to Drogue charges.

Click to expand...

Love this build thread. I've considering the Ultimate Wildman as one of the options for my own L3 cert build, so this is extremely useful! Thanks for documenting it here!!

I have a question though, what type of connectors do you have at the end of your white wires that go to the switches? I assume there some sort of plug on the back side that matches them for easy disconnect/reconnect when pulling the sled out of the bay?

astrogator said:

I have a question though, what type of connectors do you have at the end of your white wires that go to the switches? I assume there some sort of plug on the back side that matches them for easy disconnect/reconnect when pulling the sled out of the bay?

Click to expand...

Most of the Electronic Bay components came from Dog House Rocketry.
https://doghouse.blastzone.org

jeff2space said:

Tonight I did first pair of internal fillets. Each fillet has three pumps of West System 105 Resin and 205 Hardener with chopped carbon fiber.
View attachment 257754

Click to expand...

Question, How many ml is three pumps on your West System?

webtech said:

Question, How many ml is three pumps on your West System?

Click to expand...

About 30 ml.

Picked up motors and hardware from Wildman today. I have a 6 grain 75mm case with 2 spacers, L1355, and a M2075 which will be my cert motor. Was hoping to fly the L1355 in two weeks but next week I'm having a heart defibrillator installed and may not be ready the following week. Backup plan is to fly L1355 on June 20 or 21 and cert flight July 25 or 26.

Wow,,
You're kiddin Jeff...
You toooo...
One of the young-un's said --
what's goin on around here,, everybody's falling apart at the seams or something....lol..
Best wishes,, thoughts,, prayers are yours my friend...

Teddy

onebadhawk said:

Wow,,
You're kiddin Jeff...
You toooo...
One of the young-un's said --
what's goin on around here,, everybody's falling apart at the seams or something....lol..
Best wishes,, thoughts,, prayers are yours my friend...

Teddy

Click to expand...

Yup, 45 and falling apart. I've had kidney failure since I was 29. Waiting for a second transplant. Now my heart is failing also. But I'm not ready to give up. Still work full time and love my wife and my hobby.

jeff2space said:

Yup, 45 and falling apart. I've had kidney failure since I was 29. Waiting for a second transplant. Now my heart is failing also. But I'm not ready to give up. Still work full time and love my wife and my hobby.

Click to expand...

And love each and every day as it is the gift that it is...
Just live,, love,, laugh,, and enjoy.....

Teddy

Started putting together my NAR Level 3 Certification Package. I'll make a copy available here when complete.

I've been playing around with calculating Center of Pressure by hand. I came within 2% of Openrocket Cp so I think that's pretty good.

About 90% done with Cert Package. Still have to ground test deployment charges and shakedown flight in June. Looking good for July Cert flight.

With the help of my wife I was able to test deployment charges today.

The Drogue charge had 5.0 grams of 4F black powder and everything looked good.