SCRA 23-Jun-2012 Launch!

[gdjsky01]

SCRA returned to the wide(r) open spaces with Ren-Fair history (pun intended).

It was one of those launches where the RSO spent at least 2 of the 4 hours prepping or re-prepping rockets for newbies No one's fault, just business as usual with large Summer time crowds and youth groups. One of the funnier ones was a guy with the wadding so packed in, you barely could get it moved with a rod trying to poke it out.

Thanks to all the SCRA guys for another great time!

I got in 4 launches... I think I should have quit at two!

First launch, and maybe the one I should have quit with, was The Launch Pad BT-60 based Hawk with a D12-5

Pretty darn good flight with the Jolly Logic Altimeter One recording 696'

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2012-06-23-SCRA-0016.jpg by InDanaPt, on Flickr

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2012-06-23-SCRA-0017-2.jpg by InDanaPt, on Flickr

[gdjsky01]

The Flis Night Whisper got a sea of "Whoa!" from the throngs amassed with Alpha 3's.
I launched it on a C6-3 with a Jolly Logic Altimeter Two along for the ride. And a fine ride it was right up to the point it started coasting... 10 percent varience in delay times my A$$.
I got a C6-1!

However I learned from past flights it loves to fly into the parachute and get the shroud lines all tangled up on all the protruding doo dads. So I went to a straight triple length kevlar cord and even with a C6-1, the chute deployed and was not ripped or tangled. Recovery had all the big pieces and little pieces still attached! Apogee IIRC was 409' or so.

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2012-06-23-SCRA-0036.jpg by InDanaPt, on Flickr

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2012-06-23-SCRA-0037-2.jpg by InDanaPt, on Flickr

[gdjsky01]

That's where I should have quit! Ten bucks park entrance, gas money (probably $20), and two flights. But on I pressed




I had launched the Gyroc on an A8-3 before and it was perfect! This time? Not so much.... there was a breeze from the south (the direction of the damn which in this picture is behind me - I am actually down range out of the safety zone - but zoomed in). The rods were tilted slightly into that breeze.

The Gyroc launched and just after this picture, did a bee line down range into the dirt and ejected. Just some scrapes and dents. It'll fly again. But why it did so is a mystery. I can guess that given the big wing area and the small rudder area, maybe it caught the breeze on the wing and weather-cocked really bad.

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2012-06-23-SCRA-0063.jpg by InDanaPt, on Flickr

[gdjsky01]

Deucey 2.5... yes the 24mm two stager that I spent a bizzillion months building I piled into the dirt. Separation

Great flight BTW. Staging went well... etc... So with the payload section drifting off on a 15 inch chute I was off chasing the ADEPT Altim One that was in it!! And to make my day complete, it landed literally halfway up the dam damn.

Oh Em Gee! I am sure my wife would have had a conniption if she'd seen a this 53 year old overweight guy climbing a rock damn, to retrieve a $20 altimeter. Also I am pretty sure that might have freaked out the park ranger guys too as I bet we are not supposed to do that. Nonetheless... I got it back! (812' on C11 to C11 with a bit of a arc'ing trajectory - ROCKSIM predicted 850'.)

Later someone found the sustainer pile driven into the ground. Know what? I cut the crumpled section off, took a cut off piece of a POS Estes Skywriter, a BT-50 coupler, some kevlar for the shock cord, and POOF! Ready to fly again!!

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2012-06-23-SCRA-0067.jpg by InDanaPt, on Flickr

[gdjsky01]

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Behold Pencil Neck Deucey!

[John Beans]

That Deucey is/was/is a good-looking rocket. Obviously a lot of work went into that one!

[gdjsky01]

Thanks John. I like to have my rockets look good once. After the maiden flight... well.. come what may.
Her reason for living is to eat up some D12-0s I have a lot of. And as reborn as the Pencil Neck Deucey she should continue to do so!