Coming from R/C airplanes

[Enigma]

Hey guys from San Diego Ca, I'm a newbie but from the R/C planes and helis. I've always like rocketry and wanted to know if any of you have any good suggestions for getting in the rocket hobby but mainly kits.

Thanks

[iter]

Welcome to the forum! I fly R/C rocket gliders mainly (I, too come from R/C background), but my daughter got me into small Estes-size rockets and it's been a lot of fun doing the father-and-daughter launches with her.

From your post, I'm unclear on whether you are looking for advice on R/C rocket gliders or "straight" rockets. Maybe you can say a couple of words about what you wish to achieve from the rocket experience.

Ari.

[north boy]

Hey guys from San Diego Ca, I'm a newbie but from the R/C planes and helis. I've always like rocketry and wanted to know if any of you have any good suggestions for getting in the rocket hobby but mainly kits.

Thanks

Welcome to the forum, a lot of us on here I'm sure are from an Rc back ground. I have been through the planes, gliders and helis myself to. It depends on if you like to build and fly or just an ARTF man. Personally I like both just as much but I get more satisfaction from a scratch built rocket when I launch as its my own creation and you also learn a lot more if your building your own. You can get an estes starter kit which comes with a launch pad, launch controller and rocket ARTF or one you can build from a kit.

I started with the beginners package which was and ester Sky Lofter kit with pad etc. Buy your motors that suit the rocket and go fly some where thats safe or with a club.

As long as you adhere to some basic safety while handling the motor you will get on fine and treat them with the respect they deserve. They may be small but they do pack a punch so don't be decieved by there size. The small A size through to D size hold black powder which ignites easy on an igniter which comes with the motor and any bigger comes with apcp propellent and other types. I'm from Scotland and the rules here are different from America but I think any size up to a G size motor as long as you are over 18 years of age you can legally purchase and use. Any thing bigger than a G motor and you need your Level 1 certification.

Hope you have fun and if you get hooked then welcome to the dark side

[Enigma]

Hi iter, I'm glad to see the hobbies can cross connect each other !

I'm basically interested in straight rockets. I liked rocketry as its simple but yet difficult and complex I live in San Diego so i would have to check for clubs and locations to fire rockets.

I'm new to all this and my main achievement with rocketry is to learn about design, efficiency and to get creative like it goes up but then automatically glides down to base without any help, or a more prescience way it deploys the para shoot...stuff liker that ! but i have to get into functionality first.

[Enigma]

thanks north boy

The main things i was wondering; are rockets one time fire or can they be reused ? and in RC we have AMA insurance, do racketeers have anything like that ?

[Rex R]

when built right (and using the proper motor/delay) rockets can be flown numerous times, they do eventually 'wear out', but up to 50 flights(or more) is certainly possible. the motors in the A - D range are single use and have to be replaced for each flight. NAR membership does include insurance.
I do suggest that you find a copy of the 'Handbook of Model Rocketry' by G. Harry Stine and Bill Stine. most public libraries have or can usually loan you a copy.
rex

[GuyNoir]

Hey guys from San Diego Ca, I'm a newbie but from the R/C planes and helis. I've always like rocketry and wanted to know if any of you have any good suggestions for getting in the rocket hobby

http://www.dartrocketry.org/

[sandman]

Yes, to all of those questions.

Join the NAR

http://nar.org/

They provide insurance

Now like RC there is a wide variety of stuff to do in rockety.

Small low power (A thru D motors) referred to as LPR. Beside Estes check out;

SEMROC
http://www.semroc.com/Store/Scripts/default.asp

Fliskits
http://www.fliskits.com/

And a whole bunch more smaller companies.

Mid power D thru G referred to as MPR

And high power (H on up) referred to as HPR

So there is scale, cloning old models, Goony and odd rockets, Sport flying, then competition both on the regional and national level thru the NAR

And even international FAI competition.

Lots to do!

[spacecadet]

I'm from Scotland and the rules here are different from America but I think any size up to a G size motor as long as you are over 18 years of age you can legally purchase and use. Any thing bigger than a G motor and you need your Level 1 certification.

Hope you have fun and if you get hooked then welcome to the dark side

In case you weren't aware, in the UK of course the certifications are not law so there is no restriction to G as such although the suppliers do self-regulate. The insurance is a different matter but in law I believe there's no restriction until you get to 10,000Ns (M). That's a very rare beast here, though.
Technically a Pitfield 2-stage F72-F36 would be H-class.

[karlbaum]

You have a great Tripoli club, http://www.tripoli.org/, close by. http://www.tripolisandiego.org/default.html is lanching right now this weekend out by by Ocatillo. If you can make it I recommend the Plaster Blaster launch in November. http://www.plasterblaster.com/index.html I know it is a drive but it is well worth it! You won't regret joining Tripoli. TSD has a grat vendor too and a great group of fliers that can help you out.

[aditat2]

Welcome to the insanity. There have been several great answers to your questions. I would also recommend Quest Aerospace as a source for info. Estes Industries has a section on their web-site for educators that has a bunch of info on the technical and scientific aspects of the hobby. they are down-loadable PDFs so you can read them at your leisure. The site is : http://www2.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin...p=publications . There is so much out there I don't think you should find it difficult to get the info you're looking for.

[Enigma]

http://www.dartrocketry.org/

Thanks, that field is next to the beach, nicccce.

[Enigma]

Welcome to the insanity. There have been several great answers to your questions. I would also recommend Quest Aerospace as a source for info. Estes Industries has a section on their web-site for educators that has a bunch of info on the technical and scientific aspects of the hobby. they are down-loadable PDFs so you can read them at your leisure. The site is : http://www2.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin...p=publications . There is so much out there I don't think you should find it difficult to get the info you're looking for.

Thank you! i was looking into building and launching but ill start with something small (4 foot) and go from there. All this is new to me but hella exciting

[Enigma]

Just out of curiousness, what engine is this ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI0n...eature=related

[Eric1]

THis was not a commercial motor load. The Quake team made the propellant.
Welcome by the way!

[AfterBurners]

I think the Aerotech Initiator starter kit would be a good start if you wanted to bypass the low power rockets...the rockets go together in a snap. Not a lot of special tools or techniques involved.

[slugmas818]

something small (4 foot)

4 foot? Wow, big for my fleet is two feet. I'd start with the Estes Wizard, but you seem to want to go into HPR very quickly, so maybe you should get the Aerotech Initiator starter set. It has the kit, a launch pad, and a controller.

[BobH48]

..... and in RC we have AMA insurance, do racketeers have anything like that ?

I don't know if "racketeers" have insurance other than good bodyguards.

I think your AMA insurance covers rocketry as well. I happen to belong to both AMA and NAR so I don't know which would be primary insurance but I hope I never have to find out.

[fyrwrxz]

Hey guys from San Diego Ca, I'm a newbie but from the R/C planes and helis. I've always like rocketry and wanted to know if any of you have any good suggestions for getting in the rocket hobby but mainly kits.

Thanks

Hey Enigma! A belated welcome to the asylum! I'm a member of DART and San Diego Tripoli. Right now we're on hiatus as it's too hot to fly in the desert and the beach (Fiesta Island) is busy with OTL and summer sports programs. Most of us are building right now for the coming flying season. I mostly fly mid power but have way too many years in low power and some high power before the cert process. I'm in La Mesa, so PM me if you want/need to know anything about our local flying sites or just general questions. It's kinda cool how our groups intermingle High and Low power flyers and it's really easy to get mentored all the way to L3 cert with the same bunch of guys starting from zero. Maybe I can hook you up with your first rocket (muahhahahhhaa!)