Why Get HPR Certified?

[jqavins]

What motivates people to go for certification levels? Is it just Tim Taylor urge? That's what it was for me quite a while ago, and now I don't think that was worth it.

• L1, when I decided to do it, was partly about "More power (grunt grunt)", and partly a sense that that's what one is expected to do. Now I have ideas that may simply require stronger motors than a G, like the thrill of greater altitude up to a point, and some scale families whose sizes vary so much that the family will span a lot of letters.
• With L1 under my belt, I set my sights on L2 for the same reasons of feeling like it was just the thing to do and "More power". I'll finish it now, in the spirit of finishing what I started, and yes, I'll be pleased with the accomplishment. But I will likely never fly another J or higher motor after that, unless and until I have another specific project that really requires it (such as if that scale family grows even more). I could have waited on L2 until some project comes around that needs it. I've bitten off, not more than I can chew, but more that I'd have wanted to chew had I thought more about it first.
• I don't think I'll ever go for L3. I decided that a long time ago because of the price of those motors. And now, having found the above perspective, I don't think I would even if I won the lottery.

So, what about you? Are you going for L1? L2? L3? Why?

 

[neil_w]

Interesting poll, I hope you get a lot of responses. Did not answer because I'm not going for certification although if I did it would probably be "Sense of accomplishment".

 

[Pinetree]

I watched some of @UPscaler 's YouTube videos in late April and decided to get back into the hobby.

Normally, I overthink everything, but this time I jumped right in. Joined the NAR, joined the local rocketry club and started building my L1 kit on May 4th.

Took it to the field and got certified on May 21st.

I've built 20 more since then, gotten out of the house, made some new friends, spent a lot of money, and most importantly I am having fun with it.

So yeah, feeling of accomplishment.

 

[Pinetree]

P. S.

I took the L2 test and failed.. I'll try again next season, but after checking the prices for J motors, I'm going to just stay L1 for a while.

 

[Rschub]

Because it's there.

I have High Hopes.

 

[watheyak]

Let me preface this by saying that I still fly low power, and have for 40 plus years. I have a growing collection of odd, rare and different low power kits that I love.

And while I can really appreciate a well executed low power flight, there needs to be a poll answer that say "sometimes whoosh-pop gets boring and I need a bigger challenge".

 

[Wrightme43]

Because it is incredibly fun. From the first moment I saw I high power rocket fly, I wanted to do it. One year ago, I did not even know it was possible.

 

[tsmmiller]

More power...to a point. L3, not likely. Way out of my price range. As a kid flying all the rockets we could put our hands on, and the motors we could afford on our limited income, it was always about how high we could get it, and get it back. Mosquitoes the exception. Amazing how fast those disappear on a C6-7. Launch once, build the next!

 

[dr wogz]

I just wanted to build bigger rockets.. and watching others doing it, it looked cool!

I also wanted a bit more of a challenge to build.. these were usually (supposed to be) a more complex build..

 

[2-0turbo]

For me, I was getting back into rockets after a 30+ year absence. I did rockets in my teens and was actually "confirmed" at the age of 13 way back in the day. In my teen years, I quit doing it and managed to store/keep most of my rockets all these years. Since then, I went to college, got a degree in mechanical engineering and have worked as an engineer for 25 years. The interesting thing is that I have a much better understanding of the concepts now (shocking, right?). Back in my teens, I recall the difficulty of using an Estest Altitrak to try and figure out how high my rocket went. I recall wondering if my rockets would be strong enough, if they would survive XX-motor or flight. Now, I'm able to apply some engineering principles and figure out pretty quickly what is likely to work. That is very rewarding. And the electronics now are amazing! No more Estes Altitrak.

I have always had an interest in making my own rocket motors, but mixing and casting my own propellants (at least right now) is not that interesting to me. While getting back in rockets, I learned that RCS will sell you all the parts you need to make and experiment with your own motors. But, in order to buy propellant grains, they require L2 certification.

So, I got my L1 cert in early Oct and will attempt my L2 as soon as I get the repairs done to my J-capable rocket and can get it scheduled at a launch. Like some others have mentioned, at this time, I really don't have interest in pursuing L3 due mostly to the cost of the motors. That may change over time as my kids grow and all the money I spend on them becomes available to me again to spend on my hobbies. But for now, L2 is where I want to be at and experiment with some of my own motors.

 

[SolarYellow]

I want to be L1 because I want to build some specific projects that will require it.

I want to eventually be L2 because the EX qualification will allow me to try creative and interesting ideas in the LPR/MPR/L1 realm that I can't otherwise.

 

[jmasterj]

Got back into rocketry doing LPR with my kids. Built a 2.6" T-LOC, launched it on an E, and was already thinking about how to go bigger. Got my L1 with an average-sized 4" rocket, really enjoyed that process. Went to an MDRA launch and had my eyes opened to how cool larger scale rockets and bigger motors are, and we're still slowly moving up from there.

 

[smstachwick]

I expect it of myself. I’m a volunteer by nature and I’d like to be able to lend a hand at high-power events where L2 is prerequisite for a lot of range positions.

 

[Antares JS]

The bigger rockets I wanted to build required it. I got level 1 and 2 fairly quickly since I wanted to fly J's in a 38/720 case. It then took a long time to be in a position to afford a level 3 and I will be flying only my 2nd M motor at Red Glare this year.

 

[KenECoyote]

Aside from the usual reasons...

I also do it for others and the club. HP can be expensive and I LOVE watching others launch off those big or long burning motors - I often invite people to come to the club to "watch others burn up their money for your entertainment!"

So in some ways I really enjoy launching something that contributes to the overall awesome experience we all share at the launch.

 

[NTP2]

Me I will be getting my junior L1 for MORE POWER…. and it probably looks good on university applications.

 

[jqavins]

I want to eventually be L2 because the EX qualification will allow me to try creative and interesting ideas in the LPR/MPR/L1 realm that I can't otherwise.

I forgot about that reason; I should have included it in the poll. I've actually had the same thought. Why do I need L2 certification to attempt to make a B motor in the 13×45 mm for factor? Well, those are the rules.
-----------------------
Edit: I've added it to the poll options.

 

[bad_idea]

L1/L2 were not originally goals unto themselves for me. There were future projects that would have required at least L1, and I want to try my hand at EX someday so would have eventually needed L2, but I was in no hurry to cert until the TRA unified safety code v. 1.0 was released in May of '22 and restricted high power pads to certified flyers. I both learn a lot from helping with others' flights and also enjoy it, so to continue, I needed to cert.

Up to that point, I'd been working through a series of milestones leading towards composite staging and if left undisturbed would not have attempted certification until I'd gotten some staged composite flights under my belt (which I still have not). In the process of my experiments and learning, I felt I was more than ready for L1 and probably ready for L2 also, so when I decided to cert, I made L2 my goal and scratchbuilt a J-capable rocket with redundant dual-deploy. I often see people say they got a high from their L1 that wasn't matched by their L2, but I'm one of those for whom it was opposite, I suppose simply because L2 was my actual goal. L1 was satisfying, but L2 was a real feeling of accomplishment and a goal achieved.

A couple of weeks after I certed L2, I noticed that the safety code had been updated to version 1.2, and high power pad access had changed back to being for adult insured members with no mention of certification. That code revision was released shortly before I certed L1, I just hadn't known.

Edit to add: I have no regrets how things turned out. L2 is cool, and I'll get to staging composites when I get to it, just as was the case before.

 

[cls]

The bigger rockets I wanted to build required it. I got level 1 and 2 fairly quickly since I wanted to fly J's in a 38/720 case. It then took a long time to be in a position to afford a level 3 and I will be flying only my 2nd M motor at Red Glare this year.

I thought you were already like Level 6 in your day job?

 

[Antares JS]

I thought you were already like Level 6 in your day job?

I got my level 2 when I was 19 and didn't have my current day job yet.

 

[NTP2]

I got my level 2 when I was 19 and didn't have my current day job yet.

I can’t wait to get my L6!

 

[Tractionengines]

Did lots of rockets back in the 80's / early 90's. Then took a break, till 2018. Was at a hobby shop getting my sons RC Car fixed, while looking around saw the Estes Rockets. The kids thought it looked fun. When I said I had Estes stuff packed away in the garage, it was all over. We left with a starter kit, rocket kits, and motors. By the next day we were flying in the back yard.

Then found a local club while looking for a bigger area to fly. (Mantua Township Missle Agency #606) Meet a number of very nice people who told me about High Power club(s) [ Northern Ohio TRIPOLI Rocketry Association #3 & Skybusters Rockerty Club #535 ] Took the kids to watch and was "amazed". Again meeting very nice people.

THEN COVID HIT...Lockdown was VERY hard on us as a family, (3 kids in "lock down" at the house, wife and I both essential workers expected to be working). Since rocketry is outdoors it gave me a way to get the kids out if the house, and building helped me keep what's left of my sanity.

Got my L1 to fly bigger rockets (MORE POWER), with all the bells and whistles (altimeter, dual deploy, fancy recovery options, etc.)

Was going to get L2 this summer so I can do EX motors (mainly MPR/L1 sized) BUT my mom's health had a few bumps between Oct. 2022 and May 6th. 2023. On May 6th she had a fall and has gone down hill VERY quickly. So while we only flew 1 time this summer, I am again finding the building (and TRF) to be supportive if my sanity.

Hopefully next year we get to fly the PILE of rockets I've built. (And I get my L2.)

 

[mh9162013]

I'm LPR, all the way. Always have been and perhaps always will be. But MPR and HPR rockets grab my attention because they require different building techniques and engineering approaches.

As a case in point, I'm considering rockets like the Estes Super Big Bertha simply so I can enjoy the act of cutting fin slots into main body tubes and gluing and laminating multi-part fins together. No, I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to do these things, but the rocket is so big and I'm not sure I'll still want the rocket when I'm done building it.

Seriously, I just want to build and if anyone is looking for someone to build them a rocket for just the cost of kit (labor and building supplies are free), let me know...

 

[CalebJ]

I'm LPR, all the way. Always have been and perhaps always will be. But MPR and HPR rockets grab my attention because they require different building techniques and engineering approaches.

As a case in point, I'm considering rockets like the Estes Super Big Bertha simply so I can enjoy the act of cutting fin slots into main body tubes and gluing and laminating multi-part fins together. No, I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to do these things, but the rocket is so big and I'm not sure I'll still want the rocket when I'm done building it.

Seriously, I just want to build and if anyone is looking for someone to build them a rocket for just the cost of kit (labor and building supplies are free), let me know...

SBB is a fun small field flier on a D12-3, for what it's worth.

 

[mh9162013]

SBB is a fun small field flier on a D12-3, for what it's worth.

I've read that and I do think I'd enjoy flying it. However, I'll enjoy building it A LOT more, though. But that applies to all my rockets...they're all more fun to build than fly.

 

[terryg]

A lotta noise and a lot of flame!

 

[jqavins]

I've read that and I do think I'd enjoy flying it. However, I'll enjoy building it A LOT more, though. But that applies to all my rockets...they're all more fun to build than fly.

I find the same thing, but I also don't consider building fully complete until it's had a successful test flight. Once might be enough (in theory, but it never actually is) but there does have to be that one.

 

[David Schwantz]

L3 because I can't see them damn little things

 

[NTP2]

L3 because I can't see them damn little things

I feel you I have lost a lot more LPR than MPR.

 

[0011001100]

I got my Jr L1 at 15 because I wanted to fly bigger rockets. I then learned about research motors and so I got my L2 within a month of turning 18. One year later I flew my first EX motor and have been experimenting with them ever since. I'll eventually get L3 as I have developed a goal for speed, but for the time being I want to go as fast as possible on smaller motors and work my way up. I've burned at least 1 motor from every impulse from 1/4A to L, and assisted on projects on every impulse up to P.

Also sparky motors.