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spaceshuttle

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Haven't been here in a while! I'm still working on a model Space Shuttle project (2-ft tall, one Aerotech E15-4W powered). Before I begin work, does anyone here know of any good launch sites in or around the Baton Rouge, LA area?


**I know of a few empty fields here in BR, but I'm almost certain that I need special permission to launch there, right?
 
Don't know about your area but I find it easier to find the land owner and ask first. If they are local --all the easier--if not --it may not matter. In my best Sean Connery voice--"most things in here don't agree with bullets" or something like that:eyepop:
 
Don't know about your area but I find it easier to find the land owner and ask first. If they are local --all the easier--if not --it may not matter. In my best Sean Connery voice--"most things in here don't agree with bullets" or something like that:eyepop:


I think it's: "Most things in this room don't react well to bullets"
 
I used to launch in empty fields. Then I got asked to stop :mad:

Yep, my main fear. Do you still use a different field, or are you with a club?

I already spotted a massive, completely blank field here in Baton Rouge that has been empty for years, but I'm doing my research before I get in any kind of trouble.
 
We have a sports complex with maybe a half dozen soccer fields and a few baseball diamonds. Most mornings it's not in use and it's perfect for most LPR flights. Maybe you could find something like that.
 
Yep, my main fear. Do you still use a different field, or are you with a club?

I already spotted a massive, completely blank field here in Baton Rouge that has been empty for years, but I'm doing my research before I get in any kind of trouble.

Good thinkin'.

With many land owners, if they see/catch/are informed of somebody doing something they don't know or approve of on their land, their first reaction is "get those people out of here," and they really don't care or want to know what they're really doing. The whole discussion starts out in an antagonistic vein.

If you come to them ahead of time and ask in a polite and friendly manner if you can use the land, explain to them it's a completely safe activity (if you are a NAR member this is a good time to mention insurance coverage) and you will completely clean up after yourself, they're usually going to be in a more agreeable mood since you asked permission first rather than just hauling off and trespassing (which technically is what you do when you launch on private land without asking).

I know this flies against the street wisdom "it's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission," but when you stage "wildcat launches" on private property without permission, of course you may get away with it a few times before the land owner finds out, but the odds are much greater when and if he does find out, he'll tell you to take a hike.
 
Here's another side to this landowner problem. We asked one landowner about private launches. He basically didn't want to know about it, but kind of let us know it would be okay, just don't ask for permission. I think he was concerned about liability issues. However, when a club approached him, he said okay, because the club assumed all liabilities. That's where the club launch has an advantage over a private launch.
 
Yep, my main fear. Do you still use a different field, or are you with a club?

I already spotted a massive, completely blank field here in Baton Rouge that has been empty for years, but I'm doing my research before I get in any kind of trouble.


After being asked to stop, I kinda moved out of rocketry, since that was the only launch field close by. Later, my rocket collection went the way of the Dodo. Now that I'm getting back into the hobby, I think I'll join a club.
 
Here's another side to this landowner problem. We asked one landowner about private launches. He basically didn't want to know about it, but kind of let us know it would be okay, just don't ask for permission. I think he was concerned about liability issues. However, when a club approached him, he said okay, because the club assumed all liabilities. That's where the club launch has an advantage over a private launch.


Hmmm. That's kind of a kabuki-dance approach to it: "Don't ask me if it's OK to launch, but it's OK to launch."

:confused: :confused2: :confused:

I suppose if you have an informal verbal assurance from the landowner he isn't going to file some kind of trespassing complaint on you, you are basically OK in the sense that you don't have to look over your shoulder every 5 minutes to see if the cops are coming to run you off.

I guess I would always prefer to have affirmative permission, if possible. As you say, that's usually easier with clubs or an organized group.
 
Wow--this is more tricky that I thought! o_O

Thanks for the responses, by the way. I talked to the owner of Giant Leap Rocketry and said the same things as far as property vs. clubs. I will definitely check out who to contact as far as the land. Hopefully, I'll get lucky.
 
Just the tread I've been looking for. Anyone know a good launch site around Baltimore, Maryland. Kids and I have been launching from a field at the Baltimore County Agricultural Center on Shawan Rd near Oregon Ridge state park, but it's a little tight for some of the low power D launches. Launched at Oregon Ridge as well, but that's even smaller.

Andrew
 
Guess I'm in an ideal situation. I have a pasture surrounded by pastures and the neighbors don't care, what few I have :)
 
It's one of those things... "plausible deniability" doesn't only just work for Washington DC ya know...

If some of the club guys want to come out on their own and fly something that say they might not be able to fly at a regular club launch, for whatever reason (and I think we can all think of a few reasons) then a landowner might be "okay" with it, so long as nothing can come back on them if something should happen... sorta 'outta sight, outta mind'... in the event something happens, it's understood that "*I* didn't know about it!".

Get it?? In our litigious society, giving permission tends to put you on the hook if something happens. If you don't know about it, well...

Later! OL JR :)
 
Just the tread I've been looking for. Anyone know a good launch site around Baltimore, Maryland. Kids and I have been launching from a field at the Baltimore County Agricultural Center on Shawan Rd near Oregon Ridge state park, but it's a little tight for some of the low power D launches. Launched at Oregon Ridge as well, but that's even smaller.

Andrew

Check out this great Rocket club not far from you... :cool:

https://www.narhams.org/
 
Thanks for the info. Narhams launch site is about an hour away. Mdrocketry is farther. We usually only launch for an hour or so. Tough to run an hour out and an hour back for that. Hoping someone has a suggestion for a launch site closer to Baltimore for those sunny, calm weekend mornings when we get up and I think "Rockets!!".

I will check out Narhams launch schedule and make a picnic out of it. I think the kids would enjoy seeing some other peoples rockets fly, I know I would.

Andrew

K preps rocket.jpg

K&W Launch.jpg
 
I have a bunch of nice state parks around my area (Niagara Falls, NY) including 2 that work well for rockets. The only issue is that rockets/airplanes (and even kite flying, according to the parks police) is illegal without a permit. The RC club that I'm in has a special-use permit for one park, and by calling and asking nicely (and providing a copy of the AMA insurance which also covers model rockets), the parks department issued a special use permit for the other one for me.

The insurance coverage is the key for most property owners.

Chris
 
Yeah, definitly tricky. I also called a local hobby shop that sells motors for large models, but no one answered. However, I spotted videos of locals here in Baton Rouge launching in both a public park and empty land within a local shopping area. My only thing about joining a club at this point is that I'm scouting a spot where I can at least do test/boilerplate launches.
 
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