bandman444
Well-Known Member
Well there's a first for everything.
Last Saturday was my first motor CATO.
An Aerotech F40W-7 reload for the 29/40-120 case.
I have flown the case about 10times, and about 3 had been F40s.
My question is to those who have had Commercial CATOs (specifically Aerotech), what do I do to turn in a claim. I still have a stack of reloads for the case, and would like to have the case replaced.
I wish I could post pictures from my iPhone, but I haven't figured that out yet.
Basically the motor (engine ) burned a 1" slit at the bottom of the case through the aft closure. There is no bulging of the case, and the closure unscrewed perfectly as if it wasn't missing the 1/4" of the ring.
The flight was really unique. Basically it was in a scratch built rocket that hadn't flown before, but it is a classic 3FNC TARC rocket that was completely stable. But at launch it sputtered for 1-2seconds, then whooshed off the pad about 25ft and spun around 3-4 times before gravity pulling it toward the ground where it sat for about 5seconds then popped the nosecone.
It seemed to me like the classic unstable rocket, but when I pulled out the motor I saw the hole in the case and saw pictures and video of the launch and indeed it had blown a hole in the side of the case and vectored the thrust through there.
What is the next step for me? I submitted a MESS report online last night so that's taken care of.
Have fun
Bryce
Last Saturday was my first motor CATO.
An Aerotech F40W-7 reload for the 29/40-120 case.
I have flown the case about 10times, and about 3 had been F40s.
My question is to those who have had Commercial CATOs (specifically Aerotech), what do I do to turn in a claim. I still have a stack of reloads for the case, and would like to have the case replaced.
I wish I could post pictures from my iPhone, but I haven't figured that out yet.
Basically the motor (engine ) burned a 1" slit at the bottom of the case through the aft closure. There is no bulging of the case, and the closure unscrewed perfectly as if it wasn't missing the 1/4" of the ring.
The flight was really unique. Basically it was in a scratch built rocket that hadn't flown before, but it is a classic 3FNC TARC rocket that was completely stable. But at launch it sputtered for 1-2seconds, then whooshed off the pad about 25ft and spun around 3-4 times before gravity pulling it toward the ground where it sat for about 5seconds then popped the nosecone.
It seemed to me like the classic unstable rocket, but when I pulled out the motor I saw the hole in the case and saw pictures and video of the launch and indeed it had blown a hole in the side of the case and vectored the thrust through there.
What is the next step for me? I submitted a MESS report online last night so that's taken care of.
Have fun
Bryce