Luke, that's very helpful indeed. At least for me
Not to to completely hijack the thread, so what you're saying is some sort of spring type ignition key and a push to close button would satisfy the safety code. Is that correct?
As I understand it, if the key is removable on when the cylinder is locked in the "OFF" position, and the cylinder cannot be turned with the key out, and the key cannot be removed with the cylinder switch "ON" then yes. I know, it sound counterintuitive-- "what purpose is there for having a key switch that can be turned without a key, or left "on" when the key is pulled??" But it's true-- my brother and my golf carts can BOTH be turned on without a key in the switch, and the key pulled out with the switch left on. As are most riding lawnmower switches. SO yeah, it's more than possible!
The ignition button can be a momentary "ON" of whatever type or flavor you prefer-- push button, momentary throw, whatever, but it needs to be a MOMENTARY switch (push to close) and NOT one that can inadvertantly be left in the "ON" position, for obvious reasons. Some folks even like the very "NASA-esque" guarded toggles that are locked "OFF" when the guard is snapped shut, but if it's a regular toggle underneath, it's still kinda "iffy" IMHO, because if you forget to snap the guard shut, the ignition circuit would still be "ON". At any rate, those type switches aren't suitable for "safety key" replacements, because they cannot be removed or "locked out" to prevent someone else from accidentally activating the launcher while you're out at the pad.
I know, it SOUNDS remote, but believe me, it happens! About the first or second club launch we had out here when I first started letting the club fly off the farm, a friend of mine was way up underneath as Estes Phoenix hooking up the clips (if you recall, the Phoenix has the engine recessed an inch or so up in the back of the rocket) and a kid was holding the controller, and playing around with it, and happened to press the key in and the launch button down simultaneously-- the guy got a REAL closeup of a Phoenix lifting off, because he was still laying underneath it, but he'd just finished hooking it up and had his hands out of the way, so luckily he didn't get burned. Not good.
When I was a high schooler, I was flying my Astrocam quite a bit out on the end of the cotton fields, having my little brother do the launching while I videotaped the flights. More than once I'd forget to open that silly "light lock" shutter protector switch on the Astrocam, and waste a flight, since with the shutter lock shut it wouldn't take a photo. I remembered one flight at about the "2" count and called "hold", and he set the controller down on the ground while I quick-stepped it out to the pad, camera still running, and reached for the shutter lock to open it, when I was about an inch away, the rocket lifted off right in front of me. Scared the wee out of me, and I turned around ranting at my brother, to see that he was petting the stupid dog who'd wandered down to the field from the yard, and who had stepped on the launch button and ignited the rocket, because my brother left the key in!
Not good...:y:
Anyway, hope this helps! OL JR
