blackwing94
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2016
- Messages
- 220
- Reaction score
- 192
Got out to launch some rockets with the grandkids this morning. We launch in a middle school park/field/sports complex/YMCA near our house. We can get 1000 feet of landing space if we position ourselves correctly. Winds are usually from the South and we set up behind the Volunteer Fire Dept that's next to the field. We've only launched A-D motors from this park so far.
Today we tested our new Jolly Logic chute release. First three tests were with a Solar Warrior (D12), a Super Neon XL (E9) and a Cosmic Interceptor (E9). Chute release set for 300 feet. Clear sky, wind was 3-7 and light. We used nylon chutes, NOT plastic chutes. The chute release would not fit in the rocket if I bundled it with the entire chute. So I connected it around the base of the nylon chutes. The chute release worked great. All rockets landed within 50 yards of the launch site. Then we moved to a Ventris with an F26-6FJ, chute release set for 300 feet. Worked perfect. Last launch of the day was the Ventris with an F50-6T. Rocksim altitude estimate was 1200+ ft. Again, the rocket landed within 70 yards of us.
We launched other B and C and D motor rockets as well. Some of those landed farther away from us than did the rockets using the chute release. Watching your rocket tumbling down, you keep thinking "Isn't that 300 feet yet?". But the chute release worked every time. I think I'll move down to 200 feet next time. Also, I'll start using larger chutes to lesson potential landing damage. This device allows us to move up to mid power rockets where in the past, we could only launch low power with any expectation of recovery. Now I need to get an altimeter.
Today we tested our new Jolly Logic chute release. First three tests were with a Solar Warrior (D12), a Super Neon XL (E9) and a Cosmic Interceptor (E9). Chute release set for 300 feet. Clear sky, wind was 3-7 and light. We used nylon chutes, NOT plastic chutes. The chute release would not fit in the rocket if I bundled it with the entire chute. So I connected it around the base of the nylon chutes. The chute release worked great. All rockets landed within 50 yards of the launch site. Then we moved to a Ventris with an F26-6FJ, chute release set for 300 feet. Worked perfect. Last launch of the day was the Ventris with an F50-6T. Rocksim altitude estimate was 1200+ ft. Again, the rocket landed within 70 yards of us.
We launched other B and C and D motor rockets as well. Some of those landed farther away from us than did the rockets using the chute release. Watching your rocket tumbling down, you keep thinking "Isn't that 300 feet yet?". But the chute release worked every time. I think I'll move down to 200 feet next time. Also, I'll start using larger chutes to lesson potential landing damage. This device allows us to move up to mid power rockets where in the past, we could only launch low power with any expectation of recovery. Now I need to get an altimeter.
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