Actually, it will probably only be about a half-cents worth. I'm beat. This old man is tired, tired, tired.
Well, I didn't fly any today. Too cold, too windy during the morning. However.....
Did see some really neat things. One of the guys there bought the "Dude" rocket that Ken Allen brought and put it together Saturday night. He flew it this morning. What a hoot !!!! First flight was on a D12-3. Couldn't have gone a 100 feet high. The rocket was pretty much on the ground before the parachute popped out.
For its second flight, I donated an E9-4. That was very interesting. Went up about a 100 feet, then turned into a "Cruise Missile Dude." Then it started heading for the ground. Just before it got to the ground, it leveled out and kind of skidded in. That thing is too funny for words.
Then Kelly Mercer launched a 29mm diameter rocket on an old Aerotech single use H55-14W. The engine was about ten inches long. The rocket was a (modified) Estes Nike-Smoke. Which means the rocket body tube was about 13 inches long. He managed to cram a mylar streamer into the body tube. It left the pad in a hurry !!!! Goodness knows how high it went. Estimates ran in the five to seven thousand foot range. Several people actually said they could see the streamer for a while, but then it passed overhead, and the rocket was between us and the sun, so we stopped getting reflections from the streamer. No, it was not recovered.
BTW, Mark, we looked for the Razor, but it was not to be found.
And then.... the guy from Canada launched his Level 3 M1939 bird. 17 feet tall. What.... a .... kick....
Kent got the ENTIRE flight on video. It was amazing. Perfect flight in all respects.
Kent and I left right after that. Even though we didn't fly, the Dude, Kelly's disposable H rocket, and the M project from Canada made the day all worth while.
Oh yeah.... Jim Scarpine showed up. In his new TransAm. Gave Kent a ride in it, and busted a move on it up to a little over a 100. Needless to say, my soon to be 17 year old son was... very impressed.
Mark, Phil.... congrats on your L1's. Craig.... you gotta make the trip next time.
BTW, Phil - GREAT pictures. I'm thrilled that you got the Pico jet on liftoff. I'll cherish that picture for months to come.