NFPA 1122 states:
4.7 Model Rocket Flight Paths.
A model rocket shall not be launched on a flight path aimed at a target.
That sure sounds like a prohibition of "guidance" to me. Along with the NAR/TRA rules regarding launch angle, it's pretty clear that the intent is to make the rocket go as vertically as practical, thus Active Stabilization vs. Guidance.
AIMED at a TARGET, EXACTLY.
THAT RULE has existed in the hobby since almost day one. What it MEANS is, you cannot launch your model in a manner that could hit a target that it is aimed at. So say someone wants to try to hit a target on the ground 1000 feet away, they use a rocket with a plugged motor, capable of ballistically arcing to hit near that target, if given the correct elevation angle (We'll leave wind effect out of this for now). So, they try it, using angle "X", and it overshoots by 200 feet. So, they try again at angle "X" minus 10 degrees and it undershoos by 200 feet. So, they try angle "X" minus 5 degrees and it gets really close to the target.
All three of those flights would be illegal, they were TRYING to hit a target (and yes, also would violate the rule about using a recovery device).
And not one of those would involve any electronic Guidance, or semanticaly silly "Active Stability System".
But yet, indeed, let's use that same rocket but give it an "Active Stability System" that simply keeps it aerodynamically stable, so it won't wobble or be affected much by wind. But since it's not guiding the rockets path, only "stabilizing" it, the rocket still flies ballistically AT THE TARGET, but thanks to the "Active Stability System" it does not have near as much random dispersion as a non-stabilized model does due to rod whip and other random factors that occur with PASSIVE stability (aerodynamically stable), so it would be more likely to be able to hit closer to a target!
So, you cited the Safety Code then invented YOUR PERSONAL INTERPRETATION. You can have whatever opinion you want on what a bunch of words mean. Just as a person can have an opinion that 2+2 = 3
But you cite them as FACT, when your FACTS are wrong.
As I already explained, this hobby has had GUIDANCE for decades, and the NAR and TRA ALLOWS THIS. Such models have flown at many NAR and TRA launches and bene featured in their magazines.
So it is ludicrous for you to claim that the Safety Code does not allow Guidance.
The Safety Code does not allow TARGETING. It says NOTHING about not allowing Guidance.
And, YET AGAIN I will say that TARGETING can be done with BALLISTIC ROCKETS, as has been done for HUNDREDS OF YEARS before "guidance" existed. The "Rocket's Red Glare" during the War of 1812, you think those were celebratory fireworks rockets the British were shooting at various TARGETS in the United States, and NOT dangerous/deadly munitions at those TARGETS because they had no "guidance" system?
THAT is what the Safety Code rule is written for, to ban trying to hit a TARGET. No matter if it is a classic 3FNC passively stabilized rocket, rocket with guidance system, or a semantic A.S.S. rocket.
It's TARGETING or not. Not whatever methods the rocket otherwise use for SAFE flying that does NOT involve trying to hit a target.
- George Gassaway