Airfest XXI

Just got home from another great year at AIRFest! My third consecutive visit; my wife and dog's first visit. I think they both want go back next year. My wife may even try for an L1...

Two launches for me:

• Successful L3 cert on the Ultimate Wildman late Saturday
• Successful first flight of my Punisher on an L1030 to ridiculous heights and speeds. I'll download the data later.

A truly awesome job by the Kloudbusters! Thank you for the hard work and all the effort that goes into making this a fantastic experience for fliers from age 3-99 and motor impulses from sub-A to P. Kudos!

Next year...

I will be more prepared, bring fewer tools and more rockets and meet some of you I didn't get a chance to this year.

Doug

dcbertelsen said:

• Successful L3 cert on the Ultimate Wildman late Saturday

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Congrats!

mannyskid said:

Here's a quick little post with some of my pictures and video of the Team Wildman rocket we flew at AIRfest yesterday morning. 7 motor cluster, a CTI N2600 and 6x L1410 all skidmark for a total installed impulse of 40,045 Ns. The rocket is a 4:1 upscale of a Wildman kit at 12" diameter and roughly 20 feet tall and a little over 300 lbs.


The business end:



The whole team (L to R: Jason G, Mike S, Tim L, John C, Manny B, Wayne C, Sharon C):



Under Main:



Rocket Plow, Jason and I has to wrestle this one a little bit to get the parachute to deflate:



Tractor Recovery:




Flight Video:

[YOUTUBE]HNzmHh7k0ew&feature=youtu.be[/YOUTUBE]

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Way to go Team Wildman! Wish I could have been there at Airfest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNzmHh7k0ew&feature=youtu.be Those were skids??

I had a great time at Airfest as usual. Flew my min. diameter 75mm for the second time on Sat. to 29,700' on a CTI M840. Also, put up my level 3 rocket for the 4th time on a CTI M2250.... and many other flights. Great to meet a lot of new people and visit with the Kloudbuster that I grew up with! For the people that I didn't get to talk to, I was the dude wearing bro-tanks driving a loud Subaru.

I had a blast at my second Airfest. Flew my 54mm scratch build and first minimum diameter on a CTI L935 to 22,360' and recovered it which was quite a rush. I didn't meet as many of ya'll as I probably should have cause I was so busy getting down to flying, but there's always next year!

Also, thanks to whoever found and returned my Minie Magg to the lost and found. I owe you one!

Huge thank you to the KloudBusters club for hosting another great AIRFEST! :clap:
It was great seeing all of you again and meeting new people! See you guys next year!!

Here's some teasers from the weekend (others will be uploaded soon).
https://fotos.nahcpj.com/rockets/2015_airfest

Enjoy!

#1) Wildman's project


#2) AZRT's Daddy Ugly


#3) Chris' Super Crush (?)



#4) NE Team's Purple People Eater

I was out hunting for my two-stager, and I ran across an unpainted 4" PML Amraam. I normally don't pick up rockets, but no one was around and it was near the end of the launch, and the rocket didn't appear to have a tracker. So, I returned it to the LCO area.

Jim

JimJarvis50 said:

I was out hunting for my two-stager, and I ran across an unpainted 4" PML Amraam. I normally don't pick up rockets, but no one was around and it was near the end of the launch, and the rocket didn't appear to have a tracker. So, I returned it to the LCO area.

Jim

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Jim,
The owner showed up and claimed it. He was very happy to have gotten it back.
Bob

SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda said:

A special thanks to my good friend "Don" Claude Paquin who helped me recover (what was left of my precious) Chuck...It wasn't the 100 degree heat that he had to tolerate, the shoveling, the watching me use a four ton pick-up truck chained to a lump...yanking it out of the ground...but, all the dirty jokes and, rambling thoughts i spew forth from my primitive monkey brain...ALL DAY LONG. You deserve a medal dude...

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I was a pleasure. Gus forgot to mention that he also took the time to help me load my rocket on the pad, and then helped me recover it before he started prepping his own rocket. All of that after driving all night.

That's classy, my friend. The special thanks go to you, not the other way around!

I had a great Airfest as well. Many thanks go to the organizers and volunteers. Special thanks to "Camp Wildman" for the hospitality, to Manny for his help on Saturday, and to Gus for his help on Sunday.

If anyone has pics or a video of the Ultimate Wildman that flew early Sunday morning on a CTI O-3400, please let me know . It had a great boost to 21,680 feet and a perfect recovery.

Fantastic AIRFEST - as always!!!! Greatly appreciate the hard work of the KLOUDBUSTERS in putting on one of the country's premier launch events in one of the best launch venues anywhere!!!! Great flights, good times with friends and great open recovery space. Already thinking about next year.....Andy

Forgot to say that this was my 16th AIRFEST....And like many things, they just keep getting better and better with age....

PropellantHead said:

You speak truth!

Great meeting you today, Ted! I hope your journey home is safe and full of cool sites & Americana.

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It was great meeting you too Glen...
Was that an insane event ??

Manny the flight that you guy's all put so much hard work into was so worth while...
Epic is not enough......

The pic of it plowing the field is too much..
My 4" rocket SteamPunk did the same thing,,
I couldn't believe how far it went below grade... lol...

The club KloudBusters-------
Welcoming,,,,
Friendly,,,,
Hard working,,,,
Accommodating,,,,
You guys are just way over the top...
You put on an event that few could pull off,,
and made it look easy at that,, and I know it was far from....
I just can't say thank you enough,, each and every one of you....
I will never forget this past weekend.......... ( till next year,,, lol... )

My hat is humbly off to you all....

Teddy

I just made it home from Airfest. Kloudbusters runs the best event in the country! I hope to see everyone next year. We are already discussing a project...

We just got home a couple hours ago .
I want to thank the Kloudbusters Lance, Bob, Jay,Jim, Steve, Mike, Terry, Chris, Roy and all of the others I am sure I am forgetting once again for putting on one of the best launches in the country and showing us all how it can be done, From Land owner communication to parking layout.
I know Wildman's will be there next year. If you have never been to this launch you need to go

rcktnut said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNzmHh7k0ew&feature=youtu.be Those were skids??

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Yes they were but when you put that much propellant together the flame was so hot it burned it all before exiting the flame trail.
Look at how bright the flame is that's all of the ti burning off

BBrown said:

Jim,
The owner showed up and claimed it. He was very happy to have gotten it back.
Bob

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Well, if the farmer for the field north of the launch area ever shows up with a white Minie Magg w/ a black nose cone and white 'chute, please let me know.

Just walked through the door; what a whirlwind week that was! Thank you to all the Kloudbusters for putting on a grade A+ event. Your hard work and hospitality is very much appreciated!

Pics and videos coming soon...

WOW!! that's all I can say. This was my first Airfest and by far, the best time I have ever had in this hobby. I will be making this trip again for sure.

I can't say thank you enough to all the Kloudbusters. And a Special thank you to Amy "Who the hell are you" Howell. You were a savior with almost every one of my recoveries, driving me around and helping out.

My combined flights added up to well over 100,000 feet. Hats off to The Kloudbusters, I will see you all again!!

-Jason Griffin

Well..... just another senior moment here. Can't remember how many I have been to, but after my L-3 years ago at the "pasture"in O'4, I consider it my favorite launch of the year. Not just because it's one of the best places to fly....but more so due to all the fine folks running the event & the wonderful land-owners who graciously permit us there.
Even if you don't fly a single rocket,more fun than adults should be allowed to have.

A party, where rocket launch breaks out.

Thank you one & all Kloudbusters for a job well done.

And to anyone with a complaint.....go try running an event this scale yourself or better yet...go jump off a cliff!:grin:

jmwiese said:

I had a blast at my second Airfest. Flew my 54mm scratch build and first minimum diameter on a CTI L935 to 22,360' and recovered it which was quite a rush. I didn't meet as many of ya'll as I probably should have cause I was so busy getting down to flying, but there's always next year!

Also, thanks to whoever found and returned my Minie Magg to the lost and found. I owe you one!

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Was that you who was looking for your black and white Minnie Magg while I was out looking for my red and white Little John? Nice to meet you!

PropellantHead said:

Well, if the farmer for the field north of the launch area ever shows up with a white Minie Magg w/ a black nose cone and white 'chute, please let me know.

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Or maybe it was you that I met.

Heck, I met a LOT of people and still missed a whole bunch of you.

I had a blast.

Probably close to 2200 miles in 30+ hours of driving and worth every minute.

Many, many thanks to all the fine folk from Kloudbusters and all the other volunteers from all over who made this thing happen. It was awesome. Pictures and more stories to follow as I rest up and get a little time this evening.

I had a great time as always at Airfest, and who wouldn't...... The KLOUDBusters are one of a handful of groups you can contact if you need quality information for help in pulling off a large launch. As others have said, they make it look easy. I'm hoping I can come back in November for some really good/cool weather when the winter wheat is ankle high. The entire place looks different, and even more inviting. For the most part, everyone there was polite, cordial and made it another event full of good memories.

I got to meet a few new and old EX'ers and was able to help them where I could with their questions. I even saved Greg M. from spitting a nozzle and wasting a load when I happen to notice he had a snap ring that wasn't fully seated on an assembled motor while talking to him in his prep area. I was there just long enough to notice it before I had to leave.

The one thing I wanted to do at Airfest was to burn a test motor for material evaluations. The X grade liner looks great and the single use nozzle looks and performed great as well. Not that Loki Blue runs all that hot, but it's a good formula to start out with in a short burn time motor having a moderate peak Pc of =/>1,300psi. I hope to have a red with one more grain ready in November if I can find time to make the trip. I'll be shooting for a baby O in the 8% range.
The N-4550 pulled 23 G's and mach 1.8 in Mark Cole's Broken Arrow 5 XP reaching a GPS altitude of 24,311 feet under a 3.6 second boost of about 16,600Ns.


I've got some photos from the weekend posted to the Loki Research Facebook page here. https://www.facebook.com/LokiResearch/posts/409040339285455

I'd also like to add that I saw several commercial motor failures at Airfest, but I am proud to say that not a single one was a Loki Research motor. However, in the remote possibility that there was one I missed, I'm sure someone will let me know. ;-) See you all again next year!

Just got back from my first AirFest and have to say wow! and Thank you to the Kloudbusters for putting on a great event!
I'll definitely be back and flying the next time. Flew in to visit family a few hours away and took advantage of a couple of days of exceptional rocket launch.
If anybody ever has a few extra hours we found an aerospace museum a couple of hours away. Check out the Cosmoshpere in Hutchison it's worth the trip.
Hope to see many of you again next year.
Kevin

GRIFFIN said:

WOW!! that's all I can say. This was my first Airfest and by far, the best time I have ever had in this hobby. I will be making this trip again for sure.

I can't say thank you enough to all the Kloudbusters. And a Special thank you to Amy "Who the hell are you" Howell. You were a savior with almost every one of my recoveries, driving me around and helping out.

My combined flights added up to well over 100,000 feet. Hats off to The Kloudbusters, I will see you all again!!

-Jason Griffin

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Wow,,
No kiddin Jason..
She helped me too..
I couldn't have gotten my 4" flight in the air without her help...
Man you guy's are 100% right..
The people are what make the launch...
Just Unfreakinbelievable,,,
May I ask,,
What other launch of the entire year anywhere
does everyone leave contemplating a special build just for this event next year.......
Now you tell me that ain't the truth..........
Each and everyone,, I met so many people before that I have spoken to for years....
You could just go on and on...
It is impossible for anyone to understand what this event is that hasn't been there.....

Kloudbusters,,,
I humbly thank you.........

Teddy

onebadhawk said:

What other launch of the entire year anywhere
does everyone leave contemplating a special build just for this event next year.......
Now you tell me that ain't the truth..........

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Not me... Nosirree....

Ok, ok, that was a lie...I've actually got multiple ideas bouncing in my head... LOL!

Late Friday, after 4:30 and almost bumping into 5:00 pm, Scott Klausmeyer launched his "Jitter" rocket on an N1900 motor with 14000 N-sec of thrust. It was expected to apogee between 35.000 and 38,000 ft. It had at least two onboard trackers in it but after the launch it seemed as if the two persons with the tracking antennae never found a solid lock.

Does anyone know if it was ever found?

Peartree said:

Late Friday, after 4:30 and almost bumping into 5:00 pm, Scott Klausmeyer launched his "Jitter" rocket on an N1900 motor with 14000 N-sec of thrust. It was expected to apogee between 35.000 and 38,000 ft. It had at least two onboard trackers in it but after the launch it seemed as if the two persons with the tracking antennae never found a solid lock.

Does anyone know if it was ever found?

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Steve Klausmeyer? All white rocket up late in the day Friday.

We found it right along Dixon (road east of the launch site and just 1 mile south of the highway. It wasn't a horribly difficult recovery, but was in a nasty patch of really tall weeds.

Everything worked well and recovered intact. If I remember correctly, it went over 37,000'.

--Lance.

Here's Steve's rocket. It was an excellent flight. Great job Steve. These are a bit blurry, but better than nothing. ;-)