Agm58 level 3?

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Garrace

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I'm looking at possible level 3 projects for this winter. One possibility is I already have a Madcow 4" Fiberglas Agm 58 dual deploy redundant electronics( stratologger cf's X 2. 2 batteries switches etc.) and eggfinder gps. I have successfully flown multiple times on level 2 motors. My plan is to build a second booster with a 75mm motor mount(original is 54mm). Plan on flying it on a M1350W that sims 13480' at 1300 feet per sec. It currently weighs just under 12 lbs no motor. Anybody see any potential problems with this? I know most people go with bigger rockets for L3 but this thing flys nice on L2 and this would be a pretty inexpensive way to go.
 
Sounds like you're familiar with the rocket and its construction. Looks cool too.

To clarify, you just want to build a second Aft end of the rocket and reuse your AV-bay/payload/nose portion?
Only hiccup I can think of is if your TAP/L3CC raises an eyebrow at the pre-constructed portion of the rocket (as opposed to briefing the design prior to construction).

Wow, those fins must add a fair amount of drag if it only goes 13,500 on an M1350.
I remember sending our IREC rocket to 10,700 on an M1297 (not that much more powerful) with an empty weight of 25lbs using 4" Madcow fiberglass.
 
Yea that's the plan to reuse the bay foreword. At this point just looking at different possibilities. I think it does have a fair amount of drag and pretty heavy for size. It did 2665 on J570 and planning on flying K535 next month weather permitting that sims at 4028' but it is hell for stout and looks good in flight!
 
I would plan on having discussions with your TAP members or L3CC advisors prior to starting the build. That is always a good idea. Best of success with the project.


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People often use bigger rockets for two reasons: 1) they stay lower and are easier to recover; 2) they want the fun of building and showing off something large. Personally, I got my L3 on a MAC Performance Radial Flyer. It went 13k' on an M1101. Excellent flight, slightly epic recovery, success. Not long afterwards, I built a Formula 200 so that I would have a big rocket to show off. :wink:

If your field/waiver can handle it, and if you are confident of recovery, there's no reason not to. As others have said, get the okay from your L3CC/TAP ahead of time. No sense spending money and time on something that they end up ixnaying.
 
If I were a TAP/L3CC (I'm not) I would be open to this idea. I would want to have some in depth discussion on the portion to be reused but it seems to me that the bulk of the attention gets paid to the parts you will be building new anyways.

Let us know what you find when you get some legit advice.

***ETA***

I have an AGM 58. Love it. Flys wonderfully on the K550 and 695. I haven't pushed it with an L or M yet but I did build it with a 75mm MMT just in case I get adventurous.
 
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I agree with Mike. If you're a big enough boy to swear on a stack of bibles you built the rocket then I don't see where the problem is. You have to come up with the documentation of course. I have already built a Wildman "Stretch" rocket 9 years ago that
has flown on an L1400. Since I stretched the sustainer and made a 10 inch long ebay out of another coupler, I could get a new nosecone, put a GPS tracker in it, put two altimeters in the ebay and fly it on a Loki M1378. That would be something to
cert with a 54mm M. Only problem is there isn't a venue nearby that could deal with the 17,000+ altitude expected.

Certing with a slender rocket you have to contend with the expected altitude and have a very good tracking system that you're well practiced with using. Might consider a GPS tracker and an RDF tracker if going up high and a "screamer" on the harness
if it could land in tall vegetation: https://www.personaldefensepro.com/...n-approved-uk-police-preferred-specification/
Activate the 140dB alarm at apogee and heck, you could probably get an "aural" fix on it even if you couldn't see it. I have a few but haven't flown them yet. Kurt
 
The stock kit comes with 1/8 fins.

For M's & L-3 flights, I would recommend upgrading the fin stock to 3/16's on your new fincan.

The M you mention & 1300ft/sec. should not be an issue with stock 1/8 fins, BUT should you desire to hammer it with larger or higher thrust motors, IT could become one.
 
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