CMASS Rocket Launch 11 July 2015

[KennB]

As many club members know, our award winning website is currently being repaired/upgraded and should be back up and running before our next launch.
Having said that, I'd like to cover our bases by posting this thread to share any information and answer any questions that may come up.

The launch will be at the School Street field in Acton on 11 July. Acton doesn't offer us a rain date for our field rental so, unless the skies open, we'll be setting up and flying.

Set up will start at 9 AM and we'll plan of flying from 10 AM to 4 PM. Club members can fly on their season pass or pay the $5 day fee for launching. Non-club members are welcome to launch with us for the $5 day fee and can fly as many rockets as they want to chase. This is a small field that will not support HPR including G-impulse listed as HP motors on the NAR Certified Motor list.

Last year, there was some construction on I-495 that made getting to the field difficult for some. There may be less of that happening this year but it wouldn't hurt to look for a couple of alternate routes just in case.

We'll be returning to Acton on 25 July so if you can't make one, come to the other. Ideally, you'll be able to attend both. August has one launch each scheduled for both Amesbury and Acton.

 

[guywad]

There is still A LOT of construction at the Rt495/Rt2 exchange. It has been a couple of weeks, but the last time I tried to get from Rt2 West to Rt495 North, the ramp was closed. In any event, the merge lanes are practically non-existant at the exchange.

 

[KennB]

There is still A LOT of construction at the Rt495/Rt2 exchange. It has been a couple of weeks, but the last time I tried to get from Rt2 West to Rt495 North, the ramp was closed. In any event, the merge lanes are practically non-existant at the exchange.

Thanks for the update, Guy. I'll definitely look at exiting I-495 early.

 

[MCriscione]

Thanks for the update, Guy. I'll definitely look at exiting I-495 early.

I live in Littleton, and plan to attend the Launch (my first CMASS event!) on the 11th. Just an FYI, due to construction, the exit from rt. 2 westbound to I-495 northbound it currently closed. This means anyone leaving the event and heading back via 495N will need to find an alternate route. All other exits in the area are open and traffic tends to move reasonably during most hours of the day (especially weekends). If you are coming from 495 south, I wouldn't be concerned about the construction at all.

For those who need a by-pass, for either direction, the easiest thing to do is to go via I-495 Exit 31 / Rt. 119.

When leaving the launch site, head towards Rt. 2 and enter, heading eastbound (you can't turn left there anyway!). You will arrive at a rotary immediately. Take the fourth exit for 119 West (Blue hwy sign for Nashoba Valley Ski Area). Stay on 119 (it's a straight shot) all the way back through Littleton to the I-495 Junction. It's a largish overpass, and hard to miss when you come down the hill from the light at Littleton commons.

Coming the other way, you can avoid Rt. 2 by taking I-495 to Exit 31 and heading East on 119. This will eventually get you back to the rotary. Take the second exit (Commonwealth Ave.) and drive past the prison, taking the first right onto Laws Brook Rd. After a bit, turn right onto School Street (8th right?). Launch site is on the right.

Alternatly, you can take the same exit and then take Goldsmith/Newtown Rds to get back onto Rt. 2 and proceed from there, but it probably won't buy you too much extra time.

No idea if that will help anybody, but there you go.

 

[KennB]

I live in Littleton, and plan to attend the Launch (my first CMASS event!) on the 11th. ...
No idea if that will help anybody, but there you go.

Thanks, MCriscione. It's always great to get some good local information for these traffic issues. Come August, I'll write up something for the Amesbury launches as the top end of I-495 jams up pretty solidly Saturday mornings during the beach season.

Are you going to be flying anything? We enjoy spectators but welcome new flyers even more.

 

[guywad]

For what it is worth, I second the recommendations by MCriscione - I have temporarily needed to commute to the Acton/Boxborough area daily, and I skip Rt495/Rt2 altogether by using the Goldsmith/Newton Rds route. It is actually a much more pleasant drive anyway . Takes a little bit longer than a wide open Rt495/Rt2 journey, but if Rt495 is backed up at all, it is much quicker. You get to drive by and get an excellent view of an AT&T microwave tower as well.

 

[KennB]

... You get to drive by and get an excellent view of an AT&T microwave tower as well.

To each, their own.

 

[MCriscione]

Thanks, MCriscione. It's always great to get some good local information for these traffic issues. Come August, I'll write up something for the Amesbury launches as the top end of I-495 jams up pretty solidly Saturday mornings during the beach season.

Are you going to be flying anything? We enjoy spectators but welcome new flyers even more.

Yes, I do plan on flying my two new Estes sport models. It's been a long time since I've flown anything though, so I'll probably be mostly spectating. I'm bringing my daughter and possibly another friend and should be there right around 10am. Look forward to seeing everybody!

BTW, the only reason I didn't route out via goldsmith is the strange turns you have to take right at the beginning. I actually live in a neighborhood down off goldsmith, but for out-of-towners, I thought the straight shot up 119 made more sense.

 

[msherrod]

I'll try to be there. Thanks for the updates on the roads - being from far, far away, I could have been terribly confused when I got to the exit to Route 2 -- and found that it was broken!

 

[ParrytheWind]

We flew 20 up,.. an(d) enjoyed getting to take them all home, although the repair shop will have a few days of work. Thanks everyone, from flight crew to food crew. We enjoyed great flying, company and weather.

 

[KennB]

It was a great day for flying and we ended up with 284 launches. A few catos, lots of great glider flights both RC and not. Only one rocket flew off and didn't get recovered, all others that found the trees made it back. Too small a field for HP but some nice F and G impulse shots.

 

[Boris]

It was a great day for flying and we ended up with 284 launches. A few catos, lots of great glider flights both RC and not. Only one rocket flew off and didn't get recovered, all others that found the trees made it back. Too small a field for HP but some nice F and G impulse shots.

make it two, we lost both, but we'll be wiser next time around and do a smaller motor or bigger delay. Our second one landed right on top of the trees, no way to get it and a smaller one that just disappeared.

good day though, thank you everyone who helped out. Wife liked this so we'll all be back.

also, I don't know if I'm the first one, but please put some GPS coordinates on the launch site. There is a soccer field at 52 School St. in Acton and we spent at least an hour looking for other soccer fields.

 

[KennB]

make it two, we lost both, but we'll be wiser next time around and do a smaller motor or bigger delay. Our second one landed right on top of the trees, no way to get it and a smaller one that just disappeared.

good day though, thank you everyone who helped out. Wife liked this so we'll all be back.

also, I don't know if I'm the first one, but please put some GPS coordinates on the launch site. There is a soccer field at 52 School St. in Acton and we spent at least an hour looking for other soccer fields.

I'm glad you and your family had a good day with us despite losing two rockets. There's a lot of fun pushing a rocket high but sometimes there's a price to pay for it, too.

Adding the long/lat info to the instructions isn't a bad idea. The directions to both of our field could use a little tweaking.

 

[RoadRunner]

Return to flight accomplished. Made first flights in nearly thirty years. Five up, five recovered. Thanks CMASS. Everyone I talked to was helpful and friendly. Will be back for more.