aerotech motor options

Apologies for the back in my day complaint, but when I fell out of rockets before, Aerotech single use motors were common, and the RMS series had recently started catching on. Throw away casing, or reusable. Simple. Now it looks much more complex.

I read the catalog, but it seems more full of marketing fluff and bragging about various improvements, than a comprehensive listing of what is currently available. Easy load, Hobby Line, Glider, Forward Closure, Econo Jet, LMS, DMS? What the heck does it all mean? Why do they not have a page that makes it all clear?

I think you would get most of your answers by going to the Aerotech website and checking out their news archives or resources. In the resource section the motor instructions are available by designation and by checking out these instructions should give you an idea about the differences between them.

Or call or E-mail a vender or talk to one at your local launch site (where he can show you the product while explaining it.
Mr. Bob
Countyline Hobbies
Grovertown, IN.
574-540-1123
[email protected]
www.countylinehobbies.comes

I was quite intimidated myself by composites in general and Aerotech in particular when I got back into the hobby. Don't worry, like most things it gets better with a little time. I must say that I learned the basics from my rocket buddies in the local club and, if available, I'd recommend that to you or anybody. Nothing beats a hands on demonstration. It's still the main catagories of single use or reload; then you have all the different jargon that you listed. The gateway drug for me was the E, F, AND G class hobby-line reloads for the 24/40 and 29/40-120 cases (where 29 is the diameter in millimeters and 40-120 is the range of impulse for the reloads). That Aerotech catalog, despite the 2010 cover date, is pretty information rich and you may want to print it (on paper!) and read and refer to it.
The only place I can think of that has a comprehensive list is the NAR/Tripoli Combined Certified Motor List: https://nar.org/SandT/pdf/CombinedList.pdf

Throw in the CTI line of motors and things get real complex. I have 2 each of the hobby line motors from AT, preloading saves a lot of time at the field. Although they can easily take being loaded for long periods you back off on the enclosures to prevent the crushing of the "O" rings. They can deform over time and not seal as well as intended. Best thing is to watch the weather channel forecasts and plan ahead. We have a launch this weekend and I'll have the H242 Aerotech motor loaded the night before. I know it's going to be gorgeous this weekend, we'll be in the center of a high pressure area

I can't emphasize enough, CLEAN THEM WHEN YOU ARE DONE!!. The APCP burned is very corrosive and will eat through the anodize to the aluminum in no time. People use everything from baby wipes to Hoppe's #9 gun cleaning solvent and they all swear that's theirs is the best...Point is just get it done, the tubes are an investment.

I started in '93 when I saw the High Power mag with Lovette Reddick's Electronic Bruiser on the cover. It was an immediate, "OMG!!! Where do you get those motors?!?"

Yes, I simply had to read it a few times. I gathered that the RC motors are for gliders, Hobby RMS is the shiny finish while High Power RMS is the black tubes, Econo Jet and LMS are simply different types of single use, and EFC is a different way to do ejection. At least, I think all that is correct.

EconoJets are a type of single-use motor that are designed to have a propellant weight that is low enough so that they don't require a hazmat fee for shipping. That saves money, hence "Econo." They are all 29mm F class motors. Mostly they are small F's because of the low propellent weight. There are 4 different propellent types available. There are several set delays to choose from. They come in 2-packs. They are ready to go straight out of the package. I like these for Estes PSII kits, like the Leviathan, on small fields.

EconoMax are like EconoJets, but they use a new powerful propellant and other tricks to pack the most power into the small package, hence "Max." AFAIK, there are only 2 types so far --- 24mm F44 and 29mm G74. I have not used them.

24mm E20 motors are packaged and used just like Econo motors, but I don't think they are branded as EconoJets.

Then there are a bunch of Motors simply labeled Single Use that I do not think have any kind of special branding. They are mostly 29mm F and G motors. They require Hazmat shipping, so they are not "Econo." They are in single packaging, not 2-packs. There is a large variety of propellent tyes, longer burns, faster burns, and set delays. These are all ready to go right out of the package.

DMS motors are the Disposable Motor System. These are single use, hence "disposable." But they are not ready to go straight out of the package. You need to drill the delay to whatever you want, and add the amount of ejection charge powder you want. This lets you set the timing and strength of the ejection charge. There are lots of propellent types to choose from. These are not limited to 29mm or F or G motors. I think they go all the way up to 75mm L motors. They keep adding more and more of these.

Ive never used LMS, but I think it stands for Loadable Motor System. I think you basically have to put this motor together like a reload, but the case is disposable, hence "Loadable", not "reloadable."

RMS is the Reloadable Motor System. I don't have any experience with these, but this is where you buy the casing and other reusable hardware separately, and then you buy the RMS motor reload with the fuel grains, delay grains, ejection charge, and some disposable parts to load into the hardware.

I hope that helps.

watermelonman said:

I read the catalog, but it seems more full of marketing fluff and bragging about various improvements, than a comprehensive listing of what is currently available.

Click to expand...

Yeah, AeroTech hasn't put much effort into the catalog or the web site, but if you are interested in browsing motors, you can do that on ThrustCurve.org, for example the motor browser for AeroTech.