Personal Launch Report - SCRA 2022-08-06

[gdjsky01]

After my first launch in 5 years two weeks ago, I made it out to the Santa Fe Damn Recreational Area in Irwindale CA, Los Angeles County. This is the only current legal venue for launching any model rockets in County of Los Angeles the most populous county in the country. The launch, as I have mentioned many times in the past, is held in the shadow of Mount Wilson where so much Astronomical history has taken place. And of course not far a huge aerospace industry in the 1950s through the 1990s. Now a shadow of itself.

I arrived early to make sure I could get in park. It's limited in the number of people (or cars) allowed in. I found the long time RSO already setup, and soon there after the LCO showed up. I helped unload and setup the pads and safety zone. As is my norm I had prepped in advance more rockets than I figured I could launch in four hours. Especially since the temps were to get into the 35C+ (95F) range as the morning wore on. I am still trying to adapt to that kind of heat again after five years of being near the ocean where we think its hot if above 22C (75F)

Zero wind as I set up my homemade Gyroc. From plans not a kit. It boosted nice and straight, high for an A (don't we all think that?), ejected the motor and spun, spun, and spun. Perfect start to the day. I'd show you pictures but I was having a bad camera day.

 

[gdjsky01]

Keeping with the helicopter theme I had up next the Flis Rose-a-Roc. Another one of those rockets prepped 5 years ago! Indeed I worked on it last weekend and replaced all the rotted rubber that unfolds everything... 3 2 1 misfire. It was recycled at the end of the round and I'll BE DAMNED! It was great! Deployment, spinning, everything! Hey Mikey! Might have gotten 30 seconds of flight time but there were no thermals either. But it was spinning fast and steady.


SCRA--20220806-030-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Spin

SCRA--20220806-036-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

I had the E-Liminator E loaded with an E9-4. This rocket was made from left over E2X parts or parts from years ago eBay lots. Its job is to burn E9s and if one has a CATO, well so what? In the payload section was an Estes Altimeter - again keeping with the expendable theme. I have two of these and, as we'll see later, its always a crap shoot if it will say anything other than 0. Well the flight was great! And the recovery was good. The altimeter read out 264 meters. Or about 860 feet.

SCRA--20220806-002-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr



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SCRA--20220806-003-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

I have had a Custom Rockets Equinox since day one of my BAR sojourn. The one I have now is a clone I made. It was loaded with an OLD (another theme) Aerotech D21-4 and a copperhead. In the payload bay was an ancient Adept ALTIM1. The flight up was perfect. The chute did not quite make it out of the tube. But it tumbled slowing and was undamaged on landing. Turns out I had packed wadding (one sheet then insulation) twice! Ah ... Well the ALTIM1 said I 771 feet out of it. Took off faster than I thought. Missed the launch.

SCRA--20220806-028-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Next up I another rocket loaded five years ago. (BTW I did unfurl and repack chutes etc). An Air Commander two stage a C11-0 taped to a D12-5. An Adept ALTIM1 in the payload section. When darn if the thing did no stage. I RARELY have had that happen. The D12 was charred all over the nozzle. But Stuff Happens. You gonna fly rockets you gonna mess up a few. The payload section took the brunt of it of course. The battery flew out of the ALTIM1 and the top of the beeper was no where to be found. I had to use the Adept, not the Estes? Oh well... choices choices. Turns out there is nothing wrong with the ALTIM1. I replaced the beeper with one from a long ago gone Arduino project, tested it, and I'll be durned... it works! And the payload bay can be rebuilt. I'll use that D12 somewhere else. Oh and the ALTIM1 said I hit 500'. :


SCRA--20220806-102-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr




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SCRA--20220806-104-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr



















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Rutt roh...

SCRA--20220806-106-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

So having no luck with staging what to do? Try try again. Loaded Zenith Payloader (and old MPC kit) with a C6-0 to B6-6 and my second Estes altimeter in the payload bay (yes all my bays are vented). This time the staging gods were with me. But the altimeter gods were not. It had a great ride and nice recovery. And the altitude? Zero

SCRA--20220806-133.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr








SCRA--20220806-150.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Now that the heat was in full force I decided I'd end this morning on a low note. I loaded an micro maxx Dueces Wild. Well only one lit. I was using thin nichrome wire. Alas the side friction on the lug made for a struggle on one engine. It got to the top of the rod, stopped, and ejected. Next time!



SCRA--20220806-145.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Next the flis micro maxx Dead Ringer. A really nice rocket. And if flew higher than I remember! Or maybe its just small. It flew fine and the streamer brought it down close to the pad. The point in this case. Completely missed the launch photo

Yours truly for scale.

SCRA--20220806-001-3.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

SCRA--20220806-190.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


I was going to call it a day, but the Dead Ringer was so much fun, how could I skip the Petite Praetor? It too zoomed of the pad again higher than I or the LCO and other expected! Another text book recovery. And missed the launch photo.

SCRA--20220806-207.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

NOW I was done.

• 9 flights.
• 1 no stage - lake stake. Fixed the altimeter already and am working on the payload bay and sustainer engine mount.
• 1 MMX cluster misfire
• 1 no chute - but safe and undamaged
• And 6 good flights

Burned
1 E
1 D
2 C's
1 B
2 A's
3 1/8A's

About 76 N-s


More photos of other flights here.

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA211n

 

[lakeroadster]

Epic Flight Report. Thanks for taking the time to post these.

What camera is being used for all those magnificent photos?

 

[gdjsky01]

Epic Flight Report. Thanks for taking the time to post these.

What camera is being used for all those magnificent photos?

I, like and my theme above , use an old Canon 7D with a 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens.
It does 9fps. I set it for JPEG only (so I can shoot continuous - if I added RAW I'd be limited to about 30 frames per burst).

Continuous Drive
Shutter priority.
2500th of a second,
ISO 800
manual focus.

Post Processed in Lightroom Classic. There were 255 shots. I kept 66. Of those remaining, I crop mercilessly. I have megapixels, I use them. Takes me maybe 1 hour to browse, reject, crop, touchup (VERY VERY little), and upload to flickr. Practice.

And I am old, I missed more launches than I used to.

 

[flymetothemoon22]

I, like and my theme above , use an old Canon 7D with a 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens.
It does 9fps. I set it for JPEG only (so I can shoot continuous - if I added RAW I'd be limited to about 30 frames per burst).

Continuous Drive
Shutter priority.
2500th of a second,
ISO 800
manual focus.

Post Processed in Lightroom Classic. There were 255 shots. I kept 66. Of those remaining, I crop mercilessly. I have megapixels, I use them. Takes me maybe 1 hour to browse, reject, crop, touchup (VERY VERY little), and upload to flickr. Practice.

And I am old, I missed more launches than I used to.

you are literally the spirit of rocketry in my opinion!

 

[Hobie1dog]

Thanks for the pictures

 

[BABAR]

Next up I another rocket loaded five years ago. (BTW I did unfurl and repack chutes etc). An Air Commander two stage a C11-0 taped to a D12-5. An Adept ALTIM1 in the payload section. When darn if the thing did no stage. I RARELY have had that happen. The D12 was charred all over the nozzle. But Stuff Happens. You gonna fly rockets you gonna mess up a few. The payload section took the brunt of it of course. The battery flew out of the ALTIM1 and the top of the beeper was no where to be found. I had to use the Adept, not the Estes? Oh well... choices choices. Turns out there is nothing wrong with the ALTIM1. I replaced the beeper with one from a long ago gone Arduino project, tested it, and I'll be durned... it works! And the payload bay can be rebuilt. I'll use that D12 somewhere else. Oh and the ALTIM1 said I hit 500'. :


SCRA--20220806-102-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr




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SCRA--20220806-104-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr



















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Rutt roh...

SCRA--20220806-106-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

Well, you got GREAT pics!