MDRA ESL 228 July 22 - 23

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

NateLowrie

Spark Rocket Labs Team Lead
TRF Supporter
Joined
Jun 28, 2016
Messages
676
Reaction score
15
Location
Lebanon, PA
We are now pretty much 2 weeks away!!! I am hoping everyone is busy, because I sure am. I am planning on flying the following:
  • 8in Formula 200 on an Aerotech L1500
  • 10in Polecat Bulpup on a Loki Research L1482
  • 10in Polecat V2 (extended 4 ft) on a Loki Research L1482
  • 10in Polecat Goblin on a KBA K750
  • 4in Madcow Patriot (extended) on an experimental J370 red
  • 4in Super Batray on a Loki I210

Should be a fun time. Whose coming and what are you bringing?
 
I'll be there to help with the big stuff. I might have my Formula 75 ready by then, but I have no other flyable rockets at present. Several in the works.
 
I'm just about out of reloads except for a few that are too big to use at the sod farm. I'm hoping that AMW gets some CTI 2 and 3 grain 54 mm reloads in stock by then.
 
I have a K570 that I could put in my Formula 150. Sims at about 1900 ft. Thrust:weight with that motor is only 3.5:1 but it has good initial thrust so velocity off the rail is a reasonable 57 ft/sec. Think they would let me fly it?
 
I have a K570 that I could put in my Formula 150. Sims at about 1900 ft. Thrust:weight with that motor is only 3.5:1 but it has good initial thrust so velocity off the rail is a reasonable 57 ft/sec. Think they would let me fly it?

If you provide that data, I don't see why not. Will depend on wind speed and direction. They will not let big stuff launch if the wind is blowing back at the flight line/building. Never hurts to check in with the BoD beforehand.
 
I have a K570 that I could put in my Formula 150. Sims at about 1900 ft. Thrust:weight with that motor is only 3.5:1 but it has good initial thrust so velocity off the rail is a reasonable 57 ft/sec. Think they would let me fly it?

That should be fine. Initial thrust is what you want to look at when determining thrust to weight ratio and it seems like the K570 should provide around 5:1 initial thrust.

The other option: Use the 8' rail instead of the 6' and you should see the velocity off the rail increase considerably.
 
If you provide that data, I don't see why not. Will depend on wind speed and direction. They will not let big stuff launch if the wind is blowing back at the flight line/building. Never hurts to check in with the BoD beforehand.

Bob's answer to me was "Depending on wind, weather and site conditions, yes you can launch". So, chances are if the wind is blowing hard enough that speed off the rail is critical, you are probably not going to get to launch it anyway. I am bringing things and hoping for the best.
 
That should be fine. Initial thrust is what you want to look at when determining thrust to weight ratio and it seems like the K570 should provide around 5:1 initial thrust.

The other option: Use the 8' rail instead of the 6' and you should see the velocity off the rail increase considerably.

Thanks! I'll bring it and see what they say. I like to stay fairly low at the sod farm like around 2000 ft; lost too many rockets in the trees there in the past.

BTW, my Formula 150 is 10 ft and 38 lb, so I normally fly it on the big tripod launcher at the away cell which I think has a 15 ft rail. I've never flown it at the sod farm and I don't even remember seeing that launcher at the sod farm.
 
We are now pretty much 2 weeks away!!! I am hoping everyone is busy, because I sure am. I am planning on flying the following:
  • 8in Formula 200 on an Aerotech L1500
  • 10in Polecat Bulpup on a Loki Research L1482
  • 10in Polecat V2 (extended 4 ft) on a Loki Research L1482
  • 10in Polecat Goblin on a KBA K750
  • 4in Madcow Patriot (extended) on an experimental J370 red
  • 4in Super Batray on a Loki I210

Should be a fun time. Whose coming and what are you bringing?

That's awesome Nate. Hope to be there as well, trying to finish the 12" dia Swift upscale for that launchImageUploadedByRocketry Forum1499397512.505375.jpg
Probably going to fly on an Aerotech L1300 red.
Love the thrust plates I received from you but the way. May need to do more. Maybe bulk plates for
couplers?
 
Thanks! I'll bring it and see what they say. I like to stay fairly low at the sod farm like around 2000 ft; lost too many rockets in the trees there in the past.

BTW, my Formula 150 is 10 ft and 38 lb, so I normally fly it on the big tripod launcher at the away cell which I think has a 15 ft rail. I've never flown it at the sod farm and I don't even remember seeing that launcher at the sod farm.

The large away cell tripod was not in the trailer last month so you would have to email the BOD and arrange for it to be brought to the sod farm. There was a shorter 1515 rail in one of the regular launch pads.
 
This launch should be a fun time. The Swift upscale looks great! Is it gonna fly naked or with a coat of paint?

I can do thrust plates, bulk plates, or whatever else you need. Send the specs over and I'll get it quoted.

The 98/5120 is the only 98mm aerotech case I do not have yet. If you ever need to borrow the other 98mm sizes just let me know.
 
The large away cell tripod was not in the trailer last month so you would have to email the BOD and arrange for it to be brought to the sod farm. There was a shorter 1515 rail in one of the regular launch pads.

You may not need it. I am planning on bringing a unistrut to 1515 conversion rail that will just slide into the unistrut rail and lock in place. Half my buttons on the big ariframes are unistrut and half are 1515, so having an easy way to put 1515 on the tower was something I was looking at after muscling the Formula 200 on the large pad in April. It's a 1 minute put-on or take-off procedure.
 
I went with Tom to pull out the away cell last month. It was parked way in the back, behind the building in a grass lot. I believe it stays there all summer. Trust me, Tom brings rockets ready to fly every month. It's only the weather that may keep him grounded.
 
You may not need it. I am planning on bringing a unistrut to 1515 conversion rail that will just slide into the unistrut rail and lock in place. Half my buttons on the big ariframes are unistrut and half are 1515, so having an easy way to put 1515 on the tower was something I was looking at after muscling the Formula 200 on the large pad in April. It's a 1 minute put-on or take-off procedure.

I need 1515 rail so I may need to use your Unistrut conversion rail. Let me know which day(s) you plan to be there.
 
WooT! Just found out that my schedule conflict was due to a misplaced event. Weather allowing, I'll be there with a few dinky MPR and LPR birds. Hoping for a Mini Higgs Farm Rocket drag race!
 
WooT! Just found out that my schedule conflict was due to a misplaced event. Weather allowing, I'll be there with a few dinky MPR and LPR birds. Hoping for a Mini Higgs Farm Rocket drag race!

Yipee! Launches are always more fun with some Dick Stafford craziness!
 
Gonna be a hot one, folks! Bring sunscreen, hat, canopy, and lots of water!

Gloria said that she got in some 54mm Skidmarks on their last CTI order. So I'm bringing a 7 gallon water container to help for when I set the field on fire.
 
2 Updates:
  • The weather shifted a bit. High is now 86 and a 60% chance of rain. Hopefully it shifts again.
  • The conversion rail is in limbo at the moment. The MDRA BOD wants to review it and they will have a decision for me on Friday on whether or not I can use it. The concerns are logical and we shall see. It won't affect my plans but thought I would let others know.
 
Weather report changes daily. And then is usually wrong once you get there anyway. They're calling for thunderstorms, which usually roll in and roll out within an hour.
 
Weather report changes daily. And then is usually wrong once you get there anyway. They're calling for thunderstorms, which usually roll in and roll out within an hour.

The thunderstorms have been hitting in the late afternoon for the last week or so. We did have a waterspout on the north side of Kent Narrows just before noon on Saturday,

waterspout.jpg
 
FYI - Animal Motor Works and Performance Hobbies will be in attendance this weekend.

MDRA Club meeting is this Thursday at Knight of Columbus in College Park, MD 7:00
 
. . . The conversion rail is in limbo at the moment. The MDRA BOD wants to review it and they will have a decision for me on Friday on whether or not I can use it. The concerns are logical and we shall see. It won't affect my plans but thought I would let others know. . .

I won't be needing it. It is going to be too hot out there to deal with a big heavy rocket. I'm now not planning to fly anything larger than my Frenzy XL.
 
Back
Top