LV 1 cert advice

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neond7 said:
It must get pretty hard to get the V2 stable, youtube is full of V2's turning into post hole diggers............
Click to expand...

Even the real V-2s needed about 2000 lbs of noseweight to fly in a stable manner, and they had an active guidance system. My scratch built BT-60 based V-2 weighs about 3.5 oz. A significant portion of that is the noseweight.
 
neond7 said:
Good choice! Since you decided to go with the Phoenix, I'll post a link of my cert flight (week ago yesterday) on mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP8cfN6-E_E

It was windy and I got to take a long hot walk in the woods to finally track it down. My next purchase will be a beeper!

Post a build thread when you start building yours, I would like to see how it turns out. Its a fun build, but as I stated before, there is many hours of fin work ahead of you if you want them to look decent. I also recommend the Aeropack motor retainer, I got lots of compliments on my rocket from the more senior guys that were surprised that a "noob" like me would know how to properly retain my motors. I did a lot of reading.... ;-)
Click to expand...

That was a great video! It will be a few days before I'll be ordering my Phoenix. Sure I'll do a build thread. I've built a couple of Phoenix missiles so I have a good idea of the fin work ahead of me. It was a lot of work shaping my LPR Phoenix fins made of balsa. I can just imagine how much work it will be to shape ones made of plywood!:y:
 
stantonjtroy said:
Best L1 advise I can offer DON'T DO IT!! Strange things will happen to you. Suddenly everything you see you'll figure out how to launch it! You'll start planning your vacation around launches. Your bank account will drain. You'll quickly be able to calculate how much overtime you'll need to work in order to buy that new reload case. You'll train your children how to be a recovery crew. STOP THE MADNESS!!:y:
Click to expand...
Hasn't happened to me yet. Low income status confers immunity. ;)

The H motor that I used for my Level 1 flight last May is the only high power motor that I have ever bought so far, let alone used. I am like NASA; I will fly again when I have obtained sufficient funding for it.

In the meantime I have an ample stock of low power rockets and a "good enough" (for now) supply of low- and mid-power motors that I have accumulated over the years.
 
I used a LOC Canadian Arrow. 4" loner than a V-2 makes it a little more stable, but just as easy to build. But definitely use tubular nylon for the shock cord and drill a hole on the base of your nose cone and install an eyebolt. Use rail buttons and have a good motor retention system. If you do all that and do a good job securing your fins, you can use the same rocket for your L2.
 
My new Phoenix is on its way! I'm hoping to have it built and fly it this summer for NARAM. Never been to one before I saw this one is at Muskegon. Thats a driveable distance for me. Should be a lot of fun!
 
013Rocketry said:
Thanks for all the info everyone! It's been really helpful. One more question if you don't mind. I've herd descent rate is a concern when getting your cert. Are the stock recovery systems in these rockets adequate or should I upgrade to a larger parachute?
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Suggestion...Fly the field. On a typical unfrozen sopping wet cornfield in the winter I'll bet you could get away with 30 fps and see zero damage. If it's frozen, that's a different story. Out west I hear that a desert playa can be like concrete so 15 fps (or less depending on how the rocket is built) would be the max I would recommend out there. Another example is Bong recreation area in Wisconsin that WOOSH flies a lot and that is an abandoned runway with prairie all around it. The tall grass appears deceptively soft but the Wisconsin soil underneath is rock hard. Don't ask me how I know. :mad:

So if you are flying with a club talk to the folks there and see what they think.

-Dave
 
013Rocketry said:
My new Phoenix is on its way! I'm hoping to have it built and fly it this summer for NARAM. Never been to one before I saw this one is at Muskegon. Thats a driveable distance for me. Should be a lot of fun!
Click to expand...

Okay, I've been to that field once and as far as decent rate goes I would stick with the 20 fps number so I suspect if you build it stock the supplied chute ought to be just fine. Most of that area is not terribly hard unless you land in the "effluent" water...then you're just plan screwed.

-Dave
 
Man you guys are starting to scare me off... Ha Ha Ha Ha I am only "mostly"
broke all the time... I spend way to much money on rocketry supplies & Kits. (Ebay is the devil in disguise). I am building my LVL 1 Kit right now A Public Enemy SA-14 Archer I bought from EBAY years ago. I am building an Avionics bay for it but it will fly without it using Motor ejection for my Cert flight... You know the K.I.S.S. principle. I am so looking forward to finding a launch not terribly far form South Dakota so I can Cert Soon !!!!!

Thank you all for such great support and advice !
 
Glasspack said:
Man you guys are starting to scare me off... Ha Ha Ha Ha I am only "mostly"
broke all the time... I spend way to much money on rocketry supplies & Kits. (Ebay is the devil in disguise). I am building my LVL 1 Kit right now A Public Enemy SA-14 Archer I bought from EBAY years ago. I am building an Avionics bay for it but it will fly without it using Motor ejection for my Cert flight... You know the K.I.S.S. principle. I am so looking forward to finding a launch not terribly far form South Dakota so I can Cert Soon !!!!!

Thank you all for such great support and advice !
Click to expand...

OMG.....it gets worse!!!! Between the motor casings (been buying Dr. Rocket's where I can find them, I'm a sucker for the sweet red anodizing), the rocket kits (the 7.5 inch kits get expensive), the building supplies, the Aeropack retainers, the spray paint........ the altimeters, the propellant reloads....its been wrecking my bank account.

I figure the worse of it is behind me...... ;-) If I can keep fooling myself with that, I can justify a few more purchases..... "what do you mean my credit card is maxed out, I still have rockets to buy"!!!!!!
 
Public Missiles Ltd (PML) also makes great kits for simple L1 and L2 certs.

Good luck with your bird and flight man! :)
 
Glasspack said:
Man you guys are starting to scare me off... Ha Ha Ha Ha I am only "mostly"
broke all the time... I spend way to much money on rocketry supplies & Kits. (Ebay is the devil in disguise). I am building my LVL 1 Kit right now A Public Enemy SA-14 Archer I bought from EBAY years ago. I am building an Avionics bay for it but it will fly without it using Motor ejection for my Cert flight... You know the K.I.S.S. principle. I am so looking forward to finding a launch not terribly far form South Dakota so I can Cert Soon !!!!!

Thank you all for such great support and advice !
Click to expand...

Check this site out if you can't find anything closer, have flown with these guys a few times, had a blast, good group of guys: https://nerocketry.org/
This is their launch schedule for 2012 and directions to the HPR field: https://nerocketry.org/launches.html

I don't know where is South Dakota you are, but these guys are just north of Beatrice, Ne.
 
gldknght said:
Check this site out if you can't find anything closer, have flown with these guys a few times, had a blast, good group of guys: https://nerocketry.org/
This is their launch schedule for 2012 and directions to the HPR field: https://nerocketry.org/launches.html

I don't know where is South Dakota you are, but these guys are just north of Beatrice, Ne.
Click to expand...

Yep
That is us. Troj is our Prefect but don't hold that against us. But we are a long way from the SD border. Depending on where he is located he might look at Tripoli Minnesota they launch just North of the Twin Cities. If he is in the western end of SD maybe Northern Colorado Rocketry would be a better choice.
I really want to attend one of NCRs Launches. :cool:
No matter where you go you will find a bunch of helpful knowledgeable people.
 
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DAllen said:
Suggestion...Fly the field. On a typical unfrozen sopping wet cornfield in the winter I'll bet you could get away with 30 fps and see zero damage. If it's frozen, that's a different story. Out west I hear that a desert playa can be like concrete so 15 fps (or less depending on how the rocket is built) would be the max I would recommend out there. Another example is Bong recreation area in Wisconsin that WOOSH flies a lot and that is an abandoned runway with prairie all around it. The tall grass appears deceptively soft but the Wisconsin soil underneath is rock hard. Don't ask me how I know. :mad:

So if you are flying with a club talk to the folks there and see what they think.

-Dave
Click to expand...

DAllen said:
Okay, I've been to that field once and as far as decent rate goes I would stick with the 20 fps number so I suspect if you build it stock the supplied chute ought to be just fine. Most of that area is not terribly hard unless you land in the "effluent" water...then you're just plan screwed.

-Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advise! It's nice to know what my decent rate needs to be. I'll build my bird and then weigh it to make sure I didn't build it too heavy for the stock chute.
 
My new Phoenix came in! Man that thing is huge compared to my Estes mid powered Phoenix! I still need to purchase my motor retention system and then I'll start the build!

Phoenix.jpg
 

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