DARS Launches - Dallas Area Rocket Society

Poker, how'd your Airfest flights go??

pyrobob said:

Poker, how'd your Airfest flights go??

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I flew my Tomach 54 on an AT K2050ST to 9800' in the blink of an eye. Great motor and perfect flight, recovered about 500 yards away.

I also flew the six fin Widow Maker on an AT L1150R. Reached about 4800', single deploy at apogee. Somehow the shock cord became tangled with the shroud lines. Chute opened but still came in fast enough to put a nice dent in the nosecone.

I had prepped the 75mm MD (Psycho Killer) to fly on the AT M1297W but one thing after another went wrong so I scrapped that flight until another day.

I have an Airfest album on my profile page for more pics.

Going up to Pawhuska OK Friday for the High Frontier, 2 day launch. I may fly the M1297 in the Widow Maker, they only have a 20K' waiver and the 75mm MD sims to about 23K' with that motor.

Great picture of the Widow Maker! I was really sorry to see such a beautiful rocket get dinged up a bit. In fact all your rockets look far better than anything I've ever done.

The launch was a lot of fun and it was great to see so many folks I hadn't seen in a while. It was nice being around so many north Texans (and some former north Texans) who made the trip to Argonia. Kloudbusters really knows how to put on a great launch.


Tony

manixFan said:

Great picture of the Widow Maker! I was really sorry to see such a beautiful rocket get dinged up a bit. In fact all your rockets look far better than anything I've ever done.

The launch was a lot of fun and it was great to see so many folks I hadn't seen in a while. It was nice being around so many north Texans (and some former north Texans) who made the trip to Argonia. Kloudbusters really knows how to put on a great launch.


Tony

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That is a great pic of the Widow Maker, although it is far beyond the capabilities of the camera on my phone. Photo credit for both of those pics goes to Chris Bender.

Airfest is definitely my favorite launch and this years event was the best one yet. Really great turnout of people in the "Texas Compound" many folks I haven't seen in quite some time. It's too bad the date is so close to BALLS or there would be a lot more people there.

Very nice pics. And wow, the K2050 Super Thunder propellant has more smoke than I would have guessed. Very cool.

pyrobob said:

Very nice pics. And wow, the K2050 Super Thunder propellant has more smoke than I would have guessed. Very cool.

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I was a little surprised by the amount of white smoke too, what a great motor though. Here is the video

[video=youtube;CyVsXiWZXyo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyVsXiWZXyo[/video]

PokerJones said:

I was a little surprised by the amount of white smoke too, what a great motor though. Here is the video

[video=youtube;CyVsXiWZXyo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyVsXiWZXyo[/video]

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Sounds like me rendering the sound track PG on that flight...sorry, but it was genuinely surprising how fast that thing got out of there.

Cl(VII) said:

Sounds like me rendering the sound track PG on that flight...sorry, but it was genuinely surprising how fast that thing got out of there.

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I did a small edit for you Chris :clap: Apparently I have too much time on my hands



[video=youtube;O2MDukMIfnM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2MDukMIfnM[/video]

PokerJones said:

I did a small edit for you Chris :clap: Apparently I have too much time on my hands



[video=youtube;O2MDukMIfnM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2MDukMIfnM[/video]

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Nicely played.

I was shocked when there was a pic of that thing...dumb luck. Zoomed out about 2-3x from the cropped pic you showed, the frame before was a little smoke, and the frame after was a smoke trail...just gone. Those new blue thunder motors light and pressurize if you yell at them. I'm convinced you could light them with angry thoughts alone.

Cl(VII) said:

Nicely played.

I was shocked when there was a pic of that thing...dumb luck. Zoomed out about 2-3x from the cropped pic you showed, the frame before was a little smoke, and the frame after was a smoke trail...just gone. Those new blue thunder motors light and pressurize if you yell at them. I'm convinced you could light them with angry thoughts alone.

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I'm hoping they expand the line beyond the H550 and K2050. They could come up with some angry 75mm L & M loads if they try.

PokerJones said:

I'm hoping they expand the line beyond the H550 and K2050. They could come up with some angry 75mm L & M loads if they try.

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Yes, very much. There is so much potential for nastiness with that propellant. Think of the booster motor on a 2-stage you could have with a 75 new blue...yikes.

I guess it hasn't been widely announced yet, but Aerotech has increased prices. Their website hasn't been updated but a quick glance shows mid power motors have gone up $1 to $2 each; DMS $3 on smaller stuff and upwards of $30 on the M; $2 to $5 on 38mm to 54mm RMS; $0 to $10 on 75mm RMS; and $0 to $15 on kits.

pyrobob said:

I guess it hasn't been widely announced yet, but Aerotech has increased prices. Their website hasn't been updated but a quick glance shows mid power motors have gone up $1 to $2 each; DMS $3 on smaller stuff and upwards of $30 on the M; $2 to $5 on 38mm to 54mm RMS; $0 to $10 on 75mm RMS; and $0 to $15 on kits.

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I'm beginning to think this isn't the cheapest hobby I could have gotten into. Thanks for the heads up though.

Cl(VII) said:

I'm beginning to think this isn't the cheapest hobby I could have gotten into. Thanks for the heads up though.

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Yeah, I've contemplated Bingo....

It's real cheap when you don't fly for a year. I need to change that, when's the next mid to high power launch?


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grouch said:

It's real cheap when you don't fly for a year. I need to change that, when's the next mid to high power launch?


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Third Saturday, October 21, Gunter.

Thanks, I was just looking at the calendar. I haven't been to Gunter yet, does it support smallish H powered flights or it more of a G power field? Is there an issue with water?

grouch said:

Thanks, I was just looking at the calendar. I haven't been to Gunter yet, does it support smallish H powered flights or it more of a G power field? Is there an issue with water?

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I've been there a bunch and an M was flown along with quite a few K's and below; however, that was before we lost an adjacent recovery area. Others can confirm, but since then if the wind is out of the south(?) then H and I's are doable. Pretty sure someone launched a K recently but kept it below the ~3k waiver (used to be ~5.5k). Long story short, so long as there are favorable winds then some high power is doable. And yes, there's water but if you'r lucky Chuck's friend will be out there for a water recovery (after a small donation ).

Paper rockets don't like water!



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grouch said:

Paper rockets don't like water!



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[video=youtube;VWB9YApwYMw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWB9YApwYMw[/video]

Oooh, a floatie rocket.

Is there anyone who is going to the launch next Saturday, passes near the YMCA where the meetings are held, and doesn't mind my presence in their car for a portion of the commute?

Oh, and also who has about 55,000 cubic centimeters of contiguous human shaped space in their car not taken up by substances other than air.

Some bad news to pass on about the Hearne launch site. FEMA has taken over the airport and is not allowing Tripoli Houston to fly ANY rockets for the foreseeable future. Too bad I drove 6 hours round trip to find this out today. Sooo....Gunter is looking good!

Attention All
Update. We can fly today . Worked out a few details . We are limited up to I motors.
FEMA has taken over the airport and we are not allowed to fly. We apologize for the short notice but we just learned that FEMA will not let us fly.
Jimmy D. Higham
Tripoli Houston VP

Wow, that not good, but at least it should be temporary. I’m a little surprised no one from the Houston crew knew in advance. Keep us posted.

We’re taking the kids to Disney Land next week, so no Gunter lunch for me.


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I gotta give huge props to Jeff for this. He called me when I was about an hour into my drive south to warn me. Saved me a big drive. Thanks Jeff!


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grouch said:

I gotta give huge props to Jeff for this. He called me when I was about an hour into my drive south to warn me. Saved me a big drive. Thanks Jeff!


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Depending on what you had planned to fly today you might not need to thank me. Apparently they were able to fly up to I motors after I left but while I was there early they said models only. Oh well.

They got the pads set up and with the wind direction a couple of K motors flew - but nothing very high.

Grrrrr that sucks! I mean it's good for you guys but bad for me. I need to fly something soon or I will lose my seat at the high council of rocket jerks. I heard on the radio that there looks to be rain forecasted for the weekend. My luck continues.

grouch said:

Grrrrr that sucks! I mean it's good for you guys but bad for me. I need to fly something soon or I will lose my seat at the high council of rocket jerks. I heard on the radio that there looks to be rain forecasted for the weekend. My luck continues.

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You may have to just come up to Argonia with me for a Kloudbusters experience. There is another 2 day launch in November and I guarantee they will be flying.

Anyone heard from tab28682 Tom Blakeney, I've pinged him via email and pm a few times and no reply and don't see him posting, last time he was on was in september... Just curious.

Frank