Talking instead of flying

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Conversely, the opposite rules apply when watching a movie at a theatre:

[video=youtube;9BDi3rkBV7s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BDi3rkBV7s[/video]
 
Do the rest of the people spend more time listening or do they try to get away to launch?
 
Do the rest of the people spend more time listening or do they try to get away to launch?

Always a little of both, right? Sometimes you are just hanging out, talking; other times, your really trying to get prepped for the next rack, and someone stops by feeling lonely ....
 
Whenever I go to a launch, I find I spend a lot more time talking than I planned to. Well yes, it's part of the fun, but evidently, it is integral to a community that shares a love for making things.


Adam Savage explains:

https://www.tested.com/art/makers/830725-transcript-adam-savages-2018-bay-area-maker-faire-talk/

I think the words "make" and its other forms (making, makers, etc.) are getting over-used, or at least misapplied. (Some of that is due to marketing and branding). It tends to oversimplify the creative process. There's a lot more to applying technology (and art) than just copying other people's stuff and having access to tools and supplies. People should learn the design process (and creative process), then the principles, and finally the tools of the trades. We'd have more innovators and fewer tinkerers that way.

With that said, it's fun to tinker and make stuff, and see things work that we assemble from other people's plans and techniques. It's also rewarding to share designs and techniques and see other people get enjoyment out of our work. Almost nothing is new, just undiscovered by someone without access to past knowledge. When some of us get bored "making things", we get more enjoyment "talking about making things". ;-)
 
I also find that I spend more time talking than I planned to. I am a pretty anti social guy and I plan to not talk to people unless I have to. Then people start talking to me and I have to talk to them or I seem rude.
 
I brought 7 rockets to LDRS, and I was there for most of 5 days. I only managed to get in 7 flights total for the entire time, and only used 3 of the rockets! I’ve had more flights in a single afternoon at my local club launches! Some of the time was spent setting up and tearing down my base camp, and some was spent repairing damaged rockets, but the vast majority was BSing with other rocketeers, showing off my rockets, admiring other peoples rockets, watching other people’s epic flights, and spending my life savings in the vendor trailers. It’s a big social event, for sure. I had a GREAT time, but I was surprised how few flights I had.
 
I really enjoy walking around and looking at other folks' projects. Many people have different styles of builds, different approaches to component layout, different finishing methods, etc... and although not all of them appeal to me for my rockets, I love seeing them out in the wild and picking the brains of those unlike me. To allow for this (and the conversations that come up), I prefer to prep rockets ahead of time and minimize on-field work.

That being said, I acknowledge that there are those that get deep into their prep and don't appreciate distractions or conversations, and I attempt to respect that when I recognize it. (the scowls and glares are usually good signs)
 
It was weird how much time was available to me at LDRS, but I still ended up racing to prep my Warlock for my second L2 attempt at the very end of the event. I had to cut off a few people who stopped by to chat, so I could concentrate on prep. I managed to launch it in the final hour of the launch, second to last rack!
 
This is where flight line positioning strategy comes in. Arrive just late enough that people are already there and set-up, then cherry-pick your spot.

There’s the scouts…
There’s the grumpy old fellas who bitch about everything…
There’s Chatty Kathy, I don’t have time for her today…
There’s the Bradycros/Corzero/Lathrop/ASC bunch, let’s see if I can get a hundred yards and some RV’s between us…
Bingo. There’s the fellas who have a good time, chat a bit and launch a bunch.

If people in your club can’t take cues that you’re not receiving visitors to chat, it’s perfectly acceptable to tell them you need to focus on safely prepping for the next rack and you’ll catch up with them later. If they walk away with hurt fee-fees, then they’ll be less inclined to bother you later. That’s a win-win.
 
There’s the scouts…
There’s the grumpy old fellas who bitch about everything…
There’s Chatty Kathy, I don’t have time for her today…
There’s the Bradycros/Corzero/Lathrop/ASC bunch, let’s see if I can get a hundred yards and some RV’s between us…
Bingo. There’s the fellas who have a good time, chat a bit and launch a bunch.

Now that's funny!
 
I have an advantage over most of you, Sharon can talk rockets with the best of them. She runs interference while I prep my rockets. We usually bring more rockets than we can fly, but at LDRS, I flew everything I brought and "Tweety Bird" twice. Sharon flew all but three of hers, but spent more time talking, mostly to vendors, and you know what happens then. Now we are doing inventory on motors and other stuff we got at LDRS....
 
Sharon flew all but three of hers, but spent more time talking, mostly to vendors, and you know what happens then. Now we are doing inventory on motors and other stuff we got at LDRS....

Hey! I had to talk to Wildman since he had a sale on Recon parachutes (I bought a 60, a 50, a 40 and a drogue), the Goblin kit., some quicklinks and swivels and of course some motors. Then I needed to talk to Robert and Gloria at AMW about getting 24mm motors cases for my Starburst cluster and picked up a few more things from them and some 54mm motors. Talked to Mike at Bay Area Rocketry to get some other motors. At Discount Rocketry I needed to talk to Jim and Ruby about motors for your Viper 3 cluster. Rocketman had some great parachutes that we just needed some of. Then I needed to talk to the folks at the Black Rock Bistro to get you an ice cream and pick up Carne Asada tacos from Taco Tren and had a conversation with them about cilantro and cabbage (did you know how many types of cabbage there are....?) I had to talk to the RocketRev about the WilsonFX system. I talked to Cris Erving about his Eggfinders and Adrian at Featherweight about those GPS units we are testing for him. Then I needed to talk to Gary at Aerotech about the new Quest motors and demo one of them in my snitch. I had to talk David Reese out of his shirt - I was busy. Still managed to launch an I, 4 K's, a L and a M and help you with Tweety Bird.

Best.Launch.Ever
 
I still would like people to read the article about Adam Savage, and how it does or does not have implications for our hobby. Is the "talking instead of flying" a fundamental part of making our hobby healthy?
 
I still would like people to read the article about Adam Savage, and how it does or does not have implications for our hobby. Is the "talking instead of flying" a fundamental part of making our hobby healthy?

I didn't catch that this was more of a philosophical exercise so I went back and read the article. I thought it wandered a bit but what I got is that the author is starting to feel his mortality and feels the need to pass on his knowledge and is encouraging others to pass their knowledge. Which is fine and worthy and positive. However I disagree that a LAUNCH is the best place to do that. At least during launching hours. I have only "x" amount of time to launch, usually 8ish to 5ish each day that we have a waiver (I mostly launch high power). So if I want to talk rockets or techniques I prefer to do it during non-waivered time. So - I am firmly in favor of flying first then talking - it isn't a matter of "instead" but a matter of timing.

However, I do admit to the occasional spontaneous teaching parachute packing classes during launching hours which is definitely a "talking instead of flying" situation.....
 
I still would like people to read the article about Adam Savage, and how it does or does not have implications for our hobby. Is the "talking instead of flying" a fundamental part of making our hobby healthy?

I read the article, and I liked it a lot. Sharing knowledge and techniques is absolutely important to the hobby. I don’t know if that means that chatting at a launch is as important as flying, but the sharing of knowledge, whether at a launch or online is important.

I flew rockets off and on for years, with my friends and family. It was fun, but I wouldn’t say I progressed in the hobby for those decades. It was when I found this forum and started asking questions and sharing knowledge that it really took off for me.

Rocketry is a pretty generous hobby. People like to talk about the hobby and share information, but they also share supplies and tools. And for a lot of rocketeers, they are creating their flights not just for their own entertainment, but for the enjoyment of everyone at the launch.
 
I still would like people to read the article about Adam Savage, and how it does or does not have implications for our hobby. Is the "talking instead of flying" a fundamental part of making our hobby healthy?

Adam's speech falls right into the pay it forward theme of rocketry. This forum, with its questions, answers, build threads, etc. is exactly the sharing he's talking about. So are the clubs. A lot of time the responses here for newbie questions are to attend a local launch and learn from the people onsite.
 
Interesting article! And the "Shut Up!" video was good, too!

I guess there are a number of ways of looking at things. After driving about 2.5 hours to get to a launch, I have got a whole bunch of things on my mind. Well, one, really: LAUNCH! (this is after I've used the Porta-Potty, typically).

On the other hand, I really don't learn anything by just reading, I need to see it and touch it/play around with it. I have decided that I should do more talking and looking around during launches. These forums are great, and the tutorials/build threads are great, but nothing beats getting up close to the real thing and asking questions and learning.
 
Adam's speech falls right into the pay it forward theme of rocketry. This forum, with its questions, answers, build threads, etc. is exactly the sharing he's talking about. So are the clubs. A lot of time the responses here for newbie questions are to attend a local launch and learn from the people onsite.

The way we share data is important, people learn in different ways. For some things, writing it down and taking pictures, like in a build thread, is a great way to get across an idea. The forum is great for that. Sometimes, that doesn't work so well. When I see something at a launch that looks interesting, I can ask questions more accurately, and hold it in my hands. That works better for me. This usually occurs after the waiver has closed though. If someone asks me a question about something I'm working on, I always have time to explain what I'm doing. But if you distract me while I'm involved in a complex operation, I probably won't be very forthcoming.
 
Launches are many things to many people. Some go more to experience the event, watch the flying, and talk to people more than others. Others go more for the active flying, not to talk, but experience talking and seeing other models flying, and so on.

I know when I'm able to make it to a launch, it can vary widely as to what kind of flying I'm planning for the day. If I am testing out new model designs, or practice flying models that need to get flown a lot that day, I won't be doing as much talking. On more laid-back days I'll take a few models to fly, sometimes for the heck of it, and play the launch by ear. A lot more talking, and having plenty of time to help someone out. Does not mean I won't try to help anyone when I am doing some intense flying on a busy day, but less time available for that so I prioritize in those cases (such as someone having trouble say a glider, I'll try to help with that even if I am busy. While someone with a generic rocket problem like installing Estes ignitors, plenty of other fliers can handle that if I am otherwise busy).

The most intense prepping I've done where I did not want to be talking with anyone who was not involved with assisting was in prepping my full stack Space Shuttle that separated the SRB's (6 chutes total), a Flight Computer in the ET (which dual electronic ejection charges, and a total of 4 chutes) and orbiter glided down by R/C. A 1.5 hour complex prep, with detailed checklist. Needed to concentrate on getting everything right and not miss anything. But most of the stuff I fly isn't anywhere near that complex or intensive to prep (that's the only one that justified a checklist).
 
Always fear the noob engineering student launches the most! All dork no common sense or experience. It's like the LCO and RSO get into a straw pulling contest after a forty minute inspection and some exaggeration squawking if it'll fly or not. If digging foxholes wasn't illegal in some places that's about the feeling we all got. A couple of RVs is a tad too generous. Then add a bunch of shrugs, an entirely empty launch site, hold my energy drink and watch this attitude, also ends with usually pieces of rockets later. Then a stern warning and it's a never speak of X again anywhere or on that technical report you darn dorky kids submit. Only a multistage minimum diameter and zero common sense. What do you think went wrong? About everything old Murphy could throw at us and all else not foreseeable. ROFL.
 
Naw just too much Chef Leo's camp stew. Leaves the butthole burning.
 
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