Right now just low power but I am building two mid power rockets I hope to launch soon.
Yes grass and weeds. The place I will be using is a old cattle farm but not being used now.
I will be building a launch pad for my mid rockets and the pad is going to be at least 3 feet off the ground do to my age and health.
No cement or asphalt to launch off of.
Thanks
Jeff
PS I have the owners permission he is a good friend of mine.
1) Don't launch sparky motors unless the ground is bare. Bare means plowed.
2) I set a portable table up and set my launcher up on top of that. Keeps the rockets up off the ground and makes it MUCH easier to set up and hook up, as well as making it more visible. Plus, keeping it up higher off the ground minimizes the fire danger.
3) Always pay attention to the launch conditions, and act accordingly. If it's hot and dry and lots of dry standing grass, DON'T LAUNCH... the risk of fire doesn't stop at launch... there's always the possibility of the rocket tipping off the launch rod, or having some other sort of malfunction (like a cato) that would cause the rocket to crash into dry grass, fire the ejection charge (or indeed still be burning) and start a fire... Of course in such an eventuality, it's most likely the rocket will land well away from the tarp set up under the pad. In fact, most fire incidents at launches are caused by this sort of thing, not directly at the launch pad.
4) If possible, have the grass as short as possible at the launch. Dry standing grass is a high fire danger. If possible, carry a weed eater with you and cut the grass short in as wide an area as possible around the launch pad, out to the setback distance (30 feet) required for MPR motors. Wet standing grass, or green standing grass (still lush and growing) isn't much of a risk. Dry grass cut down and laying flat is a risk, but less risk than dry standing grass. Not only does shorter or cut grass present less fire risk, it's also easier and safer to move around the launch site to prepare and launch the rocket.
A fire extinguisher is certainly a good idea. But just as important, if not more so, is to not launch in high risk conditions-- excessively dry standing grass (fuel load), hot, dry windy conditions that promote the spread of fire and make fires easier to start, and not to launch sparky motors unless the ground is completely free of ALL vegetation for a distance of 70 feet from the launch pad in all directions, as required.
Later and good luck! OL JR
