Klatuso
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2018
- Messages
- 154
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- 18
Wind was low, and weather conditions had a slight breeze. So we went ahead with our launch. Just a breeze right?
For some reason Google photos won't cooperate so I have no photos or vids. So allow me to use words.
The first launch was with an Apogee Blue Streak painted silver and green. Using an 18mm C6-7 this puppy went straight up even with an unpredictable breeze easy all of 1,700 feet and landed just across the fence line with my neighbor who owns a shot gun and a rather large chain link fence. I had no idea the rocket would go so high nor drift so far. Chalk one up to the builder, the one who choose an engine beyond the parameters of the landing area, and the launch director (myself) for letting that happen.
Next flight the Orbital Transport, a rather difficult multi winged beast with a glider rocket attached. My most difficult build. I flew this with a C6-5. A medium short delay. Didn't matter. As soon as that behometh took off it veered left, did a half loop de loop and implanted 60 feet from the launch pad. Ouch. Perhaps 70 feet maximum altitude.
OK, so we go on right? Any good Launch director would take a pause and ensure all other rockets were perfectly prepped, packed and motored. But not me because I am the Launch director and builder and I have a whole bunch of friends and acquaintances watching.
Next up, Apogee Aspire, the workhorse of my fleet with a C engine and 24 to 29 mm adapter to keep it withing parameters. Straight up and straight down. Great flight. Gracias a Dios.
Then, my pride and joy the Archer S-14 with an F23 engine...Immediately I realized, even though I checked it again...the lugs gripped too tight on the launch pad.
Here are the final (without vid or photos) the last failures had. The launch lugs griped too tight. I tried to fix it with a twist of the launch rod into the lugs and broke off the first lug closest to the motor. PLEASE check your rockets launch lugs against your launch rod...every time and fix it before you get to the launch area.
Any good launch director would call foul and it's done but me...as launch director conflicted with friends watching decided that the furthest lug "might" do the job. I plead with anyone reading this; Do Not have a Launch Director the same as the rocket owner, or the person hosting guests. Do NOT have the same Launch Director the same as the Launcher. And never let the Launch director bow to the need of all the friends gathered. Period.
I should never have let that rocket go and yet I did. Divide the task and honor each person's job.
I put myself in charge of two much and the result is: one lost rocket on fenced neighbors property. One destroyed rocket, one good launch and recovery, one failed launch with (hopefully) fixable damage. All completely avoidable with reasonable forethought.
Want the same result? Don't do it all by yourself. Have a partner, or multiple partners. Train a friend to tell you, "Nope, don't launch Bob. No launch for that one." And if he or she says that. STOP. If you could see the vid I couldn't post several members of my launch team said, "don't do it." and yet I own the rocket, the motor and the launch equipment and I'm launch director and I said "go." Humility to stop when anyone, even those less knowledgeable than you say it. Stop. Give anyone permission to say that word.
How many have broken that prime directive? When someone says Stop. Stop.
For some reason Google photos won't cooperate so I have no photos or vids. So allow me to use words.
The first launch was with an Apogee Blue Streak painted silver and green. Using an 18mm C6-7 this puppy went straight up even with an unpredictable breeze easy all of 1,700 feet and landed just across the fence line with my neighbor who owns a shot gun and a rather large chain link fence. I had no idea the rocket would go so high nor drift so far. Chalk one up to the builder, the one who choose an engine beyond the parameters of the landing area, and the launch director (myself) for letting that happen.
Next flight the Orbital Transport, a rather difficult multi winged beast with a glider rocket attached. My most difficult build. I flew this with a C6-5. A medium short delay. Didn't matter. As soon as that behometh took off it veered left, did a half loop de loop and implanted 60 feet from the launch pad. Ouch. Perhaps 70 feet maximum altitude.
OK, so we go on right? Any good Launch director would take a pause and ensure all other rockets were perfectly prepped, packed and motored. But not me because I am the Launch director and builder and I have a whole bunch of friends and acquaintances watching.
Next up, Apogee Aspire, the workhorse of my fleet with a C engine and 24 to 29 mm adapter to keep it withing parameters. Straight up and straight down. Great flight. Gracias a Dios.
Then, my pride and joy the Archer S-14 with an F23 engine...Immediately I realized, even though I checked it again...the lugs gripped too tight on the launch pad.
Here are the final (without vid or photos) the last failures had. The launch lugs griped too tight. I tried to fix it with a twist of the launch rod into the lugs and broke off the first lug closest to the motor. PLEASE check your rockets launch lugs against your launch rod...every time and fix it before you get to the launch area.
Any good launch director would call foul and it's done but me...as launch director conflicted with friends watching decided that the furthest lug "might" do the job. I plead with anyone reading this; Do Not have a Launch Director the same as the rocket owner, or the person hosting guests. Do NOT have the same Launch Director the same as the Launcher. And never let the Launch director bow to the need of all the friends gathered. Period.
I should never have let that rocket go and yet I did. Divide the task and honor each person's job.
I put myself in charge of two much and the result is: one lost rocket on fenced neighbors property. One destroyed rocket, one good launch and recovery, one failed launch with (hopefully) fixable damage. All completely avoidable with reasonable forethought.
Want the same result? Don't do it all by yourself. Have a partner, or multiple partners. Train a friend to tell you, "Nope, don't launch Bob. No launch for that one." And if he or she says that. STOP. If you could see the vid I couldn't post several members of my launch team said, "don't do it." and yet I own the rocket, the motor and the launch equipment and I'm launch director and I said "go." Humility to stop when anyone, even those less knowledgeable than you say it. Stop. Give anyone permission to say that word.
How many have broken that prime directive? When someone says Stop. Stop.