Winston
There are US government regulations and there are hobby organization rules. They are not the same.
The US Federal Regulations concerning rocketry come from the FAA (Air Space Regulation), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (Explosive Use, Procession and Control), DOT (shipping of motors in commerce), United States Postal System (mailing of small motors by parcel post), and Consumer Products Safety Commission (sales, use and possession of hazardous materials by consumers.)
The FAA in PART 101 defines a Class 1 rocket as not exceeding 1500 grams and not containing motor than 125 grams of propellant. Rockets of this size are in general not regulated unless there is a total airspace use ban. Example 30 mile exclusion for a presidential or vip visit. To launch larger rocket you need formal written to launch a rocket aka a waiver. The FAA does not require user certification. but does require you to obtain permission of the land owner (who frequently requires insurance to use his property)
BATFE defines unregulated BP motors may contain no more than 62.5 grams of propellant. Larger BP motors need a federal license. Federal licenses are require to purchase, possess or use BP, BP substitutes, and smokeless powers in most non-shooting applications. Licenses are not given to minors.
DOT considers all rocket motors as explosives and requires a hazmat fee for shipping and required that all shippers be trained to ship hazmat.
The USPS allows small motors to be mailed by ground parcel post with their written permission under their rules and procedures without any extra fees.
The CPSC sets the age for purchase, use and procession of rocket motors. Minors may only launch single use motors with not more than 62.5 grams of propellant with an average thrust not exceeding 80 N and with a total impulse not exceeding 80 Ns (F). Minors may not purchase reloadable motors.
States and local governments have further restrictions on rocketry activity.
NAR and TRA are hobby rocketry organizations that make it easier for the average person to launch rockets because they offer training and insurance for users. The High Power certification program is the reason why so many nontechnical folks can fly high power. They also have internal organizations accepted by the CPSC and NFPA that certifies commercial rocket motors safe to use. The hobby organization have policies and member requirements to insurance compliance to the above rules which enables the organization to minimize the red tape that an individual will encounter when they want launch a rocket. Our high power hobby is small, around 5000 participants, and to insure that someone doesn't do anything to jeopardize our ability to launch high power, most motor vendors follow organizational, NFPA and governmental requirements and will not sell motors to non-certified hobbyists.
Most launches would not happened without NAR/TRA insurance. The National Fire Prevention Agency is an independent organization that recommends policy for minimizing risk in inherently dangerous activities. Adherence to their recommendations enables NAR/TRA to get high limit insurance policies that empowers their member to secure launch site from civil and private sources. The launch ops simplify the granting of waivers and eliminate each individual person from securing an individual waiver.
It really doesn't matter if you think it's logical or not. The government makes the rules and the hobby organizations make it as painless as possible for the hobbyist to comply with them with little effort.
If you don't like the rules, just go and launch on your own. In theory there's nothing preventing you from doing on your own without insurance, but you will find there a lot of bumps in the road for you when you try to do it legally on your own.
Bob
