SARA/ SOUTHERN ARIZONA ROCKETRY ASSOCIATION

soopirV said:

Wow, Terry, that's a beaut! I haven't been to a launch in forever, need to get myself back out there. Related question to the group- Does SARA permit MPR drag races?

Click to expand...

Very nice Terry. I saw a pic also of Bretts K sparky fligbt. Also very cool. Glad you all had a,great launch.

My recent work

So...no Desert Heat this year?

Not this year. See SARA website for details.
Kevin

soopirV,

That is correct; we are not holding Desert Heat this year (https://www.sararocketry.org/desert-heat) because in recent years, we have not had a sufficient number of volunteers to administer the event safely without overburdening a small core group of volunteers. We hope to return it to the schedule in 2018, but that will depend on how many volunteers commit to work the event. To that end, we are working to build participation by SARA members and non-members alike at our launches, outreach efforts, and in other ways. We now have a How to Help page (https://www.sararocketry.org/drive-files/how-to-help) that lists many ways you can help maintain club gear, help plan or facilitate launches, hold outreach events, or otherwise keep the club running. Feel free to reach out to me or any other board member if you are interested in helping. Contact info for the board is on the SARA Website (https://www.sararocketry.org/contact-sara).

I will point out that there is a great opportunity for volunteers coming up March 11 - 12. Saturday, we have a Volunteer-only launch day from 9 am - 9 pm, which will include a late afternoon break for a pot luck picnic dinner before a night launch. This is intended as a way to say 'Thank You' to our volunteers, to help our volunteers to get to know each other better, and to help ensure that the folks at the night launch are familiar with safety on the rocketry range. We realize that since we announced the schedule in late 2016, there have not been a lot of volunteer opportunities to 'get on board,' so we are encouraging those who would like to help to 'pay it backward' by enjoying the volunteer launch on the Saturday, and then helping with Scout Launch Day Sunday morning. RV and Tent camping will be available for volunteers. We expect to have around 100 scouts at the launch site flying Class 1 rockets Sunday, so we can use a lot of hands prepping low power rockets and running the range.

Thanks, and we hope to see you out there!

James Cramton
SARA President
NAR 88816 L2
TRA 16127
[email protected]
401 345 9795

Hi James- thanks for the excellent explanation, I'm sure it was not an easy decision. I haven't been a regular member, because it's difficult for me to get out to the range as often as I'd like, but I do want to help. Are there club meetings outside (in addition to) the monthly launches? I'd like to learn more about the club, and thereby identify ways I can contribute.
I've talked to several of the members at launches and had great help when I needed it (for my certifications in particular! Big thanks to Ken W and many others!), but everyone is of course so busy running the show, or prepping, that it's been difficult to feel like I'm able to identify tasks that might fit me.

Hope to see you on the flight line soon!

soopirV
Thanks for the kind words! Glad we could help.
We are always willing to help whenever we can.
As far as volunteering goes, we can always use help in all areas.
We have not had in my many years of doing this, "Too Many Volunteers!"
Even, simple things like distributing fliers or checking launch pad chucks and keys, to mending a broken fence or whatever you are comfortable with, or believe, would benefit the group.
Please let's know and join the volunteers!
To reiterate the link to just some of the many areas, that James posted.
https://sites.google.com/a/sararocketry.org/sara-website/drive-files/how-to-help
Look forward to seeing you whenever you can make a SARA event.

kweaver said:

soopirV
Thanks for the kind words! Glad we could help.
We are always willing to help whenever we can.
As far as volunteering goes, we can always use help in all areas.
We have not had in my many years of doing this, "Too Many Volunteers!"
Even, simple things like distributing fliers or checking launch pad chucks and keys, to mending a broken fence or whatever you are comfortable with, or believe, would benefit the group.
Please let's know and join the volunteers!
To reiterate the link to just some of the many areas, that James posted.
https://sites.google.com/a/sararocketry.org/sara-website/drive-files/how-to-help
Look forward to seeing you whenever you can make a SARA event.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ken- that google site is great and provides what I was looking for. I've seen posts here for weed clearing events, and I'm good with a soldering iron...never mended a fence, but can probably figure it out! Is this where calls to arms are typically posted? How do the masses know when help is needed?

I took two pictures after I got home from the night launch of "The Rainbow Connection". One is with available light and one is with supplemental flash. Neither one quite captures what it looked like on the pad.

Curious if anyone is going to SpringBlast. I have that Saturday off which is not heard of much for me. So we are heading over .

crazyed said:

Curious if anyone is going to SpringBlast. I have that Saturday off which is not heard of much for me. So we are heading over .

Click to expand...

Any details, Ed? I'm not familiar with that launch.
EDIT: Disregard, I found it on Google: https://sssrocketry.com/spring-blast/

So SpringBlast overlaps with the SARA public launch on April 9 - given that a number of flyers overlap, where are people actually going to be on Sunday? I have some relatives coming in this weekend who were interested in seeing some rockets, but I want to make sure I take them where the big rockets are.

I will be at SARA. There is not a huge overlap but I go to both sites on occasion. SARA is more compact time wise, so a lot goes up in a short time. SSS is less busy because it is spread out over the weekend

There are call in waivers to 16000 ft so there should be some big motors at the springblast.. Im going cause I want to fly and cant make SARA Sunday. And see some familiar faces .

Any indication if Sparkies will be permitted at SARA range on Sunday? I haven't flown in > 1 year, and am not sure what the field is like now...

soopirV said:

Any indication if Sparkies will be permitted at SARA range on Sunday? I haven't flown in > 1 year, and am not sure what the field is like now...

Click to expand...

I think the RSO or other of the board members have been making that decision at the field the day of.
So if you got it...bring it.

Whenever we stay in Tucson overnight for a launch its at the Marriott. But its pretty far from the site. Anyone know from experience a good hotel/motel for a good rate near the site.?

Near sara is the set of hotels in Marana. Days inn and another one... I think it is holiday inn. Days inn is fine but the other one is better. It is about 20 min to the site

Low end sparkies have been ok lately but I have not been out there in a month. H, I's and the like but no garauntees

kweaver said:

Hi folks,
from the SARA members mailing:
"As always, the use of spark
producing motors is subject to the Range Safety Officer's review of field
conditions. Do not automatically assume that spark producing motors
may be flown."
That said, the field has been cleared quite a bit, by few individuals and Miles Anderson rototilled, the away and L pad area.
However, we have had "Red Flag" warnings for the last several days so please, do not count on "sparkies".
Be prepared for a "NO Sparkies!"
Just want to give you a heads up!
I hope that it is a yes, I Love to seem them fly.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ken- hopefully today's winds are out of the picture for tomorrow! Have a back up motor in the event the sparkies are grounded, if I can make it out there!

Hi,
I hope you can make it and the wind gods cooperate!:smile:

Valerie and I are here at the Marriott...thanks Randy for the info but we ended here. Hoping for no winds or little tomorrow.

It sure was a great day out at SARA.. Sunday...great people and a whole lotta flying. Some biguns.. My LOC IV had a deployment failure...As they say" blow it out or blow it up.. " Or at least ground test your deployment charge..luckily it was only on a G64 so the altitude was only 700ft. Came in flat, long crack in the paint but no structural damage.( Randy called it saying it will be okay as it hit the ground) I went on to fly it on a H180 ,,perfect. Thanks for your assistance with the motor Randy...and thanks to all the good people at SARA for another Super Sunday. . MILES-JAMES-RANDY and good to see you all......untill next time...

Duplicate

It caught a slight gust of wind that helped it land "softly" considering the failure. Garrick posted a pad video of it.

The pad video is from the LOC IV's second, more successful flight I believe. I put it on the SARA Facebook page. Nice recovery from a bad recovery!

Evilash said:

It caught a slight gust of wind that helped it land "softly" considering the failure. Garrick posted a pad video of it.

Click to expand...

Lol... all I felt was a sinking feeling...And you did say when it hit " it will be fine" ( or something like that) ..I wasnt thinking that either..lol.oint:

Oberon said:

The pad video is from the LOC IV's second, more successful flight I believe. I put it on the SARA Facebook page. Nice recovery from a bad recovery!

Click to expand...

Thankyou kindly

Duplicate