Hello from outside of Philly

[WizardOfBoz]

Hi all. Built model rockets as a kid. Now I'm interested in HP rockets. Thinking of starting with a Madcow super DX3. Will build, test with a few "G" flights, and then try to find somewhere I can do the L1 cert. If anyone in my area (near West Chester, PA) does HP, happy to hear from them. Wiz

 

[smstachwick]

Hi all. Built model rockets as a kid. Now I'm interested in HP rockets. Thinking of starting with a Madcow super DX3. Will build, test with a few "G" flights, and then try to find somewhere I can do the L1 cert. If anyone in my area (near West Chester, PA) does HP, happy to hear from them. Wiz

You may want to double-check the loaded weight of the finished rocket, as I understand that that kit is a bit heavier than it used to be. If it’s above 3.3 pounds/1500 grams it’ll be a high-power rocket and a certification attempt on the maiden flight is mandatory (but very doable, college students do this routinely). G flights will be acceptable after certifying so long as you maintain your certification and fly with an FAA waiver.

If it’s 1500g or less when loaded up, you can fly it as a model rocket.

Consider checking the Tripoli website to look for a Prefecture near you, they can witness certification for you and you can see what others are doing.

 

[Antares JS]

Hi all. Built model rockets as a kid. Now I'm interested in HP rockets. Thinking of starting with a Madcow super DX3. Will build, test with a few "G" flights, and then try to find somewhere I can do the L1 cert. If anyone in my area (near West Chester, PA) does HP, happy to hear from them. Wiz

MDRA is close-ish to Philly.

https://mdrocketry.org/

 

[Kane]

I'm in Philly.
MDRA is a great club with sites about an hour-and-a-half away. They hold two-day launches monthly throughout the year.
Another option is BARC (Bridgeton Area Rocket Club) with a launch site near Shiloh, NJ which about an hour from Philly.
There's also SPAAR (Southern Pennsylvania Area Association of Rocketry) near Lancaster.

 

[Huxter]

Welcome to the forum! You're off to a great start!

 

[jnmiller]

Hi there from Broomall.. not far away..

There's 2 local HPR clubs.. MDRA in MD and BARC in Bridgeton NJ.
You can attempt an L1 at either club

 

[flyingeagle]

If anyone is interested I am getting out of rocketry due to my illness. I have everything brand new in excellent condition never used. About a dozen kits were opened to check the tubes or parts upon receiving. I invested between eight and nine thousand $$ and selling the entire lot at one time for $6,800 firm. I won’t brake up the lot. All must go. I am in North West NJ 15 minutes across the border from Easton PA.

 

[Antares JS]

If anyone is interested I am getting out of rocketry due to my illness. I have everything brand new in excellent condition never used. About a dozen kits were opened to check the tubes or parts upon receiving. I invested between eight and nine thousand $$ and selling the entire lot at one time for $6,800 firm. I won’t brake up the lot. All must go. I am in North West NJ 15 minutes across the border from Easton PA.

You might want to post this in the yard sale forum.

 

[flyingeagle]

You might want to post this in the yard sale forum.

Where would I find the yard sale on this forum?

 

[Antares JS]

Where would I find the yard sale on this forum?

Go to the main page and scroll almost all the way to the bottom.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/forums/yard-sale-wanted.20/

 

[jnmiller]

You might want to post this in the yard sale forum.

And list the items and include some photos

 

[Onebadhawk]

Hi all. Built model rockets as a kid. Now I'm interested in HP rockets. Thinking of starting with a Madcow super DX3. Will build, test with a few "G" flights, and then try to find somewhere I can do the L1 cert. If anyone in my area (near West Chester, PA) does HP, happy to hear from them. Wiz

Welcome to the forum..
Yes, you are off to a great start..
What you describe you are is what so many of us are too..

East coast clubs that'd probably work for you,
MDRA,
BARC,
METRA in Pine Island NY, guessing 3 hrs north of you.
URRG in Potter NY, guessing 3 hrs north of METRA in Pine Island..

Read up on the Tripoli launch LDRS.
It's Tripoli's biggest launch of the year..
If attending LDRS doesn't give you the rocketry bug nothing will..
LDRS isn't often it's in the east, it is this year in Potter NY with URRG..

There was a time I thought driving 2 hrs to Pine Island for a launch was nuts..
Now it's no big deal, the miles roll by..

Enjoy the ride..
It's a duuzie, lol..

Teddy

 

[WizardOfBoz]

Thanks for the replies! I had read somewhere that the DX3 was a good L1 rocket. Without engines, its 44 oz, 1250g. I had planned to build it and test it myself with sub 80 "G" engines. Hadn't even considered the 1500g limit. There are two versions, one with an ebay and one without. But the kits are both a about 1250g mass. The smallest 38mm engine, loaded, will likely weigh more than half a pound (220g)* which may put me over 1500g. So my understanding is that I can build it, and can use it with an H engine in the presense of 2 certifiers to gain the L1. After which I can fly it with any engine up to "I". For safety reasons, I will want to run the thing with a G before I use an H. So before I certify I have to find a large area (no probs - I live near many farms some of which are 600 acres) and have someone with an L1 present if I want to test it with a G engine. This may cost me a lunch!
I'm kind of surprised that there's nothing closer to philly. Maybe a function of needing a large area without many trees?

*Does anybody know of a table for specifications of (for example) aerotech or Cesaroni engines? The Aerotech website doesn't list masses for (for example) the RMS-38 reusable engine. Thx,

 

[Onebadhawk]

Wow is that funny.
Madcow is always so generous with raffle donations..
They donated a Super DX 3 this tear to the LDRS raffle..

Check the kit here--

https://www.madcowrocketry.com/4-super-dx3/

This is the Official LDRS thread on the forum you'll find a list of ALL of the raffle prizes donated by all of the generous manufacturers and vendors..

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/official-ldrs-42-urrg-us.183458/page-5#post-2557503

And this is the website for the club URRG that's hosting LDRS this year..

https://urrg.us/

On this site you can register for LDRS and buy raffle tickets..

Teddy

 

[Titan II]

Thanks for the replies! I had read somewhere that the DX3 was a good L1 rocket. Without engines, its 44 oz, 1250g. I had planned to build it and test it myself with sub 80 "G" engines. Hadn't even considered the 1500g limit. There are two versions, one with an ebay and one without. But the kits are both a about 1250g mass. The smallest 38mm engine, loaded, will likely weigh more than half a pound (220g)* which may put me over 1500g. So my understanding is that I can build it, and can use it with an H engine in the presense of 2 certifiers to gain the L1. After which I can fly it with any engine up to "I". For safety reasons, I will want to run the thing with a G before I use an H. So before I certify I have to find a large area (no probs - I live near many farms some of which are 600 acres) and have someone with an L1 present if I want to test it with a G engine. This may cost me a lunch!
I'm kind of surprised that there's nothing closer to philly. Maybe a function of needing a large area without many trees?

*Does anybody know of a table for specifications of (for example) aerotech or Cesaroni engines? The Aerotech website doesn't list masses for (for example) the RMS-38 reusable engine. Thx,

It is a great rocket.

There are not two versions. It is the same rocket. You can use it with or without the ebay.

Don't waste your time with a G. It is a well proven rocket and you will gain nothing. Stick a small H in it and get your L1.

The CTI website has all the specifications for their motors.

I used a DX3 for my L1 and L2. I have two of them, sometimes fly as a two stage, and sometimes with active stabilitation.

You will not regret it if you choose the DX3.

Here is a build thread (extra CRs are not necessary).....

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/madcow-super-dx3-cardboard-and-plywood-kit-38mm-mmt.147205/

 

[samb]

Welcome back to the party @WizardOfBoz !

The Aerotech motor matrix is here:
https://aerotech-rocketry.com/pages/aerotech-motor-matrix
Getting levelled up also means joining one of the two national organizations that track such things. Your choices are Tripoli (https://www.tripoli.org/) or the National Association of Rocketry (https://www.nar.org/) or both.
Airframe weight is one of the factors that defines a high power rocket. There are others. This chart is a good reference for the whole enchilada.

 

[WizardOfBoz]

Thanks for the encouraging word, Titan. So if i use it without the bay, the weight may be less than 1500g?
I think that I'm going to order it today. We'll see how well I can cut and glue things now.

 

[WizardOfBoz]

As for the "Which is better" discussions ala Tripoli or NAR, or Aerotech or Cesaroni, I have a gut feeling that asking is like starting a religious war.
Thanks for the datasheets samb. I think that I'll do the build and see how it goes. That was one other question. I join one or the other ($70 a pop) but then if I want to launch I have to pay for launch priveleges? Is that correct?

 

[Syclone]

Welcome! I'm just up Rt. 100 in Pottstown. MDRA is the way to go if you are looking to get into HPR. Also look into LDRS in Potter, NY this June. The last time it was held here was 2015, so try not to miss it if you can make it. It's quite a show!

 

[eriggins56]

PARA Philadelphia Area Rocketry Association section 520 Ottsville PA field
Email Ken Derstine [email protected]

 

[eriggins56]

Para is now limited to G motor so wont help with level 1

 

[samb]

As for the "Which is better" discussions ala Tripoli or NAR, or Aerotech or Cesaroni, I have a gut feeling that asking is like starting a religious war.
Thanks for the datasheets samb. I think that I'll do the build and see how it goes. That was one other question. I join one or the other ($70 a pop) but then if I want to launch I have to pay for launch priveleges? Is that correct?

Well there are historical "religious" reasons why a NAR and a Tripoli exist. In my view they are now like the AFL and NFL. The difference is that a Tripoli member may progress to propellent mixing and flying homemade motors in an insured and supervised program. Folks chose one or the other based on proximity or compatible astrological alignments.
Aerotech has a wider distribution, Cesaroni reloads have less "moving" parts. Both go "up" well.
Each local club is unique but I'm going to say "yeah" most have launch fees. Our club (https://dars.org/) uses them to defray the cost of payments to the landowner and portapotty rental.

[edit] Tripoli is international, NAR is USA only.

 

[WizardOfBoz]

Ordered the kit. I will advise on progress. Launch fees seem reasonable as you explain it samb. Thanks to all for your help and patience.

 

[Zbench]

Not eager to start a war but here are my two cents. High Power exists because of Tripoli. If you read Mark Canepa’s book on the history of high power rocketry you can read the gory details. Cliff notes is a bunch of NAR users broke away from NAR to start their own club because they wanted to fly bigger and more powerful motors. NAR leadership at the time wanted no parts of it and only later came around to high power once Tripoli was established. I belong to both but all my certification flights are with Tripoli.

 

[mbeels]

Hello WizardofBoz, I'm very close to you. PARA is a friendly group, but for a Level cert MDRA is the place to go. Welcome back,

 

[teepot]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[cbrarick]

METRA works for certs as well. They have a large recovery area.