BattlePark Spring Launch April 13, 14, & 15

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Handeman

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The last big launch of the 2017/2018 season.

This launch is being held in conjunction with the FOGE Battle of the Rockets!

Besides the usual rocket vendors, we will have Donuts and BBQ vendors on site Saturday.

Come on out and see the rockets fly, the Mars Rovers rove, and enjoy the friends and food you will find.
 
On my calendar...possibly two days.
Work has been overwhelming - but it is the last opportunity until the fall.
I got the sign up...probably do pad duty both days.
 
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Same 3 days as Red Glare!!! If weather permits I will be at Battlepark on Friday and then drive up to MDRA for Red Glare on Saturday and Sunday. I have two motors for my level 3 Frenzy XXL (M1770 Skidmark and M1810 Red Lightning) and I would like to fly it at both Battlepark and Red Glare. It all depends on the weather.
 
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I still have to sign up for working the RSO/LCO, but I think I'll fly my Big Bird on the M EX motor on Friday. The forecast is looking very good.

81 degrees and sunny! Sun tan lotion needed!
 
I believe Ken of Performance Hobbies will be there Friday and Saturday. On Saturday we are expecting 250 - 400 folks. There will be a BBQ vendor and a donut vendor. I'm told the donuts are to die for!

I haven't heard if Kevin will be there or not. Considering the weather, Friday, 82 deg and Sunny and Saturday, 81 deg and partly cloudy, we are expecting a big crowd.
 
I believe Ken of Performance Hobbies will be there Friday and Saturday. On Saturday we are expecting 250 - 400 folks. There will be a BBQ vendor and a donut vendor. I'm told the donuts are to die for!

I haven't heard if Kevin will be there or not. Considering the weather, Friday, 82 deg and Sunny and Saturday, 81 deg and partly cloudy, we are expecting a big crowd.

I'm rethinking Friday and Saturday......Sunday weather not as good.
 
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Any word on Kevin? I've emailed him but not heard anything back yet. I'm planning to come solo on Friday and with at least one kid (mine plus friends) on Sat. Cheers!
 
I will be there all three days. I have a motor to fly my all american, I will try to fly it on Friday so I can help out saturday and sunday. See ya all there.
 
What's the word on field conditions? Dried up some? I also saw the aviation forecast - looks to be above 10mph both Fri and Sat. Will have to adjust my flying plans a bit. See you tomorrow!
 
The field is in great condition. The winds help to dry the field out.


Ben
 
not sure how Saturday will turn out, but the winds on Friday weren't "bad" until about 2 PM. The surface winds were about 10 -12 mph and the upper winds weren't too bad. My L3 about noon went to almost 5,000 ft. tilted into the wind and landed 900 ft downwind from the pad. Mike V had a flight to almost the same altitude and it did the same thing. After 2 PM it just got nasty.... Surface and upper winds picked up and rockets heading toward Orange if they had any amount of altitude.
 
If you want to figure out how far from the pad you land, use Google Maps. Search for "Tripoli Central Virginia BattlePark Rocket Launch site, Crittenden Lane, Rapidan, VA" and it will show you the site. The current satellite photo of BattlePark is actually from a plane so the resolution is good and you can easily see the away cell and if you zoom in and look close, you can see the other two rows of HPR pads in the field since we leave them out all season. Use the Measure Distance function and you should be able to tell pretty close, how far from the pad you landed.
 
So is the intent Sunday to give it a try? Forecast has improved. ;) I don't know what the low cloud base in the morning means in reality, does look like there should be a least one good hour somewhere in there.
 
So is the intent Sunday to give it a try? Forecast has improved. ;) I don't know what the low cloud base in the morning means in reality, does look like there should be a least one good hour somewhere in there.

I wasn't there, but from what I heard, Sunday was the best day to launch of all three. There were high clouds and some blue sky. Low winds and they didn't get any rain until a few sprinkles as they were packing up about 1330. You just never know, and you can't trust the weather guessers.
 
I ended up going but not ordering any extra motors since it was all questionable. Turned out just as well as since there wasn't a lot of time. I did my 2 launches including a nice H133 Blue Streak. there were 2 big team launches shortly after and they closed at about 1. I think it only rained a bit, but they were packing up for the year. The wind was merely strong so yeah it may have been the best day. Later I found it funny watching weather.com future weather maps jump around spasticly as the computer tried to resolve the forecast with the current conditions. Sometimes they seem to work.
 
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