One year reflection after joining TRF and doing HPR

Last year I joined TRF to start my journey doing HPR for the first time. I was lost in a sea of rocket kits, technical terms, slang terms, motor choices and uncertainty of successfully flying a HPR. I think this is what every new person goes through when doing a new hobby. I manged to integrate pretty well into the hobby but I still have quite a ways to go in terms of learning, building and flying.

Also, I was nervous during this time last year since this was my first real attempt at doing a rocket alone without my Dad hovering over me and fixing stuff instead of letting me learn through failure (I gave up rocketry for 11 years because of that). I had to prove to myself that I could do HPR and be successful at it. I wanted to do HPR since I was 17 but I wasn't allowed to because it was too dangerous. For the younger flyers out there, this was before the internet was actually useful for anything past basic knowledge and fan sites.

Well I'm happy to report that I have done the following over the past year:

• Built my first HPR kit...Madcow Super DX3.
• Joined my local TRA group and got to meet a lot of amazing people.
• Flew it at XPRS and got my TRA Cert 1.
• Modified my Super DX3 for Dual Deploy.
• Flew my DX3 DD at our launch site and failed to a broken shockcord.
• Tried a second time a few months later and got my TRA Cert. 2.
• Taught a rocket class with our TRA chapter president.
• Working on telemetry and a scratch built rocket that will go over 10,000 feet.

I'm a bit surprised to have done so much over the year. It seems like I haven't done a thing because I have so many ideas but not enough money or time to get them done lol.

I would like to say for anyone thinking about doing rocketry, be it small Estes kits or wanting to build a high powered behemoth, do it. This is a great community that helps each other out. I mean we are talking rocket science here! The launches have a sense of community and excitement about them.

Finally, I want to thank everyone for their help and encouragement along the way and I hope to keep seeing you guys at launches and events!

*If anyone has stories on how they progressed or started please share them! I like to read about others' experiences.*

Sounds like you accomplished a lot in a year. Good job! It's a great community!

Your story sounds pretty similar to mine. I'm just about at my one year since getting into HPR. I got my L1 on a Super DX3 and I'm currently in the process of modifying it for DD to get my L2 at Airfest. Great minds think alike I suppose.

I like this thread!

It hasn't been quite a year yet for me, but since I joined, I have:

• Met TONS of knowledgeable people that helped me learn very quickly
• Started learning how to document my builds for a possible L3 later in life
• Dipped into HPR
• Got my JR. L1
• Built my LOC IV
• Learned how to safely build a MPR and HPR
• Learned how to safely fly said rockets
• Met TONS of people from a local club that I get advice from
• Met people that I probably never would have met
• Learned about annual launches (NARAM, LDRS, NARCON, BALLS, etc;...)
• Gotten a few laughs
• Read Stories about people doing stupid S@#&
• Learned about Emoticons
• Used many Said Emoticons ( check out my signature)
• Done more Rockets

So... After that... I would like to thank everybody who has helped me get to this point. Especially Scottydog, as he was the one who referred me to this site. If I hadn't joined, I could take most of the items off that list.

Great thread... Makes me think twice about how I'll proceed with my son. Anyway, I'm back into rockets after a half a lifetime... Took time off doing some rather self-destructive things... Now that I'm done with that, rockets have entered. In the past two months, I completed a kit started back in the day, launched at aTRA launch, rebuilt and repainted my Lil nuke and have mapped out the next builds for my son and i. Also, built two Estes kits with my kids and launched a couple times with them.

CzTeacherMan said:

Great thread... Makes me think twice about how I'll proceed with my son. Anyway, I'm back into rockets after a half a lifetime... Took time off doing some rather self-destructive things... Now that I'm done with that, rockets have entered. In the past two months, I completed a kit started back in the day, launched at aTRA launch, rebuilt and repainted my Lil nuke and have mapped out the next builds for my son and i. Also, built two Estes kits with my kids and launched a couple times with them.

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Best of luck with your ventures... Watch out... that HPR bug bites hard.

codysmith said:

Best of luck with your ventures... Watch out... that HPR bug bites hard.

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Sure does! I just spent the last couple hours pouring over H-J kits... I think I'm in love with the Wild Man Dark Star Jr.

CzTeacherMan said:

Great thread... Makes me think twice about how I'll proceed with my son. Anyway, I'm back into rockets after a half a lifetime... Took time off doing some rather self-destructive things... Now that I'm done with that, rockets have entered. In the past two months, I completed a kit started back in the day, launched at aTRA launch, rebuilt and repainted my Lil nuke and have mapped out the next builds for my son and i. Also, built two Estes kits with my kids and launched a couple times with them.

Click to expand...

It's great to get your kids involved! I think as long as everyone is having fun, then everything will be ok!

codysmith said:

I like this thread!

It hasn't been quite a year yet for me, but since I joined, I have:

• Met TONS of knowledgeable people that helped me learn very quickly
• Started learning how to document my builds for a possible L3 later in life
• Dipped into HPR
• Got my JR. L1
• Built my LOC IV
• Learned how to safely build a MPR and HPR
• Learned how to safely fly said rockets
• Met TONS of people from a local club that I get advice from
• Met people that I probably never would have met
• Learned about annual launches (NARAM, LDRS, NARCON, BALLS, etc;...)
• Gotten a few laughs
• Read Stories about people doing stupid S@#&
• Learned about Emoticons
• Used many Said Emoticons ( check out my signature)
• Done more Rockets

So... After that... I would like to thank everybody who has helped me get to this point. Especially Scottydog, as he was the one who referred me to this site. If I hadn't joined, I could take most of the items off that list.

Click to expand...

Keep on going and pretty soon you'll be flying your Cert. 3 rocket.

jmwiese said:

Your story sounds pretty similar to mine. I'm just about at my one year since getting into HPR. I got my L1 on a Super DX3 and I'm currently in the process of modifying it for DD to get my L2 at Airfest. Great minds think alike I suppose.

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Super DX3 class of 2013 FTW! :horse:

Sounds like your dad gave you a pretty good start to be able to pick things up 11 years later and accomplish everything you listed in a year.
I'm about nine months into my first year of HPR after a 40 year hiatus. I have plans to certify L2 and have DD experience before my year is up.

My 17 year old came to the launch where I flew my L1 and I was a little surprised at how much he enjoyed it. A few days after we got home he told my wife, "That's the first time I've met so many smart old people". I'm still not sure how to react to that statement.