DARS Launches - Dallas Area Rocket Society

[tmacklin]

We had a blast! First Nick Viggiano AKA TALON arrived at my house and we loaded up his AT RMS 29-40/120 hardware with a G64-7 for his Estes Ventris. There was a heavy ground fog when we headed for Gunter 14 miles as the crow flies west of my location. By the time we were about half way there, the fog began to lift and when we arrived the sky was showing patches of blue.

My first flight was my re-built Estes Renegade two stager, AKA "The Jinx". A little history. The Jinx began when an Ebay vendor sent it to me in error several years ago. (No problem, he sent me the kit I had ordered and said keep the Renegade. Maybe he knew something?) After a couple of years sitting in the build pile I finally built it...stock. The first flight was last fall on a C6-0 to a C6-5 IIRC and although it weather cocked badly, it staged perfectly and landed about 200/300 yards downrange with no damage. When I offered my young friend who had retrieved it a ride back to his house, he managed to sit on it right where I had placed it in the shotgun seat. DOH!

So after repairing and repainting the sustainer I was ready for last spring's Gunter launch. This time I wasn't so lucky, as it weathercocked badly and when it staged the sustainer went cruise missile and splashed down in the soil conservation lake east of the launch set up. Fortunately, the booster was retrieved intact. Rebuild number two.

So a couple of months ago, I made a new sustainer from parts I had on hand and rebuilt the booster, this time with a 24 mm motor mount instead of the woefully inadequate 18 mm stock mount. About a month ago I did a test flight with a C11-0 to a B6-4 which was seamless. OK, another test flight with a D12-0 to a C6-5 should be a piece of cake...right? Wrong! Here's the video of that misadventure.

[video=youtube;Smzxcpe99CY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smzxcpe99CY[/video]

While it boosted and staged just fine, the motor mount of the sustainer failed and acted like a piston, deploying the laundry while under thrust and required yet another re-built. :rant:

But wait...there's more!!!

 

[tmacklin]

So, once again, the Jinx is back in dry dock. After removing the dislodged 18 mm motor mount, I built and installed a new 18 mm motor mount, this time using 1/8" plywood centering rings and ample epoxy. Problem solved, right? Wrong again as painfully demonstrated at Gunter this past Saturday. This time, the sustainer motor failed to ignite and became a lawn dart of Biblical proportions! :rant::cry:

It's Murphy's Law but I shall not be daunted! The Jinx shall either Fly or Die!

However, I had another bird ready to go, The Big Red, a 3" diameter by 65" long thin wall, scratch built rocket weighing in at about 36 ounces with an Aerotech RMS G76 Mohave Green motor, delay drilled to 5 seconds. That one worked as planned and was pretty spectacular if I do say so myself!

Nick flew three rockets on Saturday...all of which performed perfectly. I can't remember the name of his first rocket but it had elliptical fins and a slightly rounded nose. His next flight was on a Region-D Tomahawk on an AT 24 mm motor (E18 maybe?) and finally his Estes Ventris on an AT RMS G64-7 which must have have hit 1,800-2,000 feet. I believe that was Nick's first flight on a G motor but I'm certain it won't be his last!

Small group of flyers and a very relaxed atmosphere...all in all a perfect day. But as good as it was it can't top my Sunday afternoon when a young deer wandered into my lawn, munching on clover and chasing robins for sport. While I've seen deer on my place in the past few years, never has one ventured this near our house. Here's a few pictures.

 

[pyrobob]

[video=youtube;Smzxcpe99CY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smzxcpe99CY[/video]

Is this a future DARS launch site ????

 

[tmacklin]

Is this a future DARS launch site ????

Unfortunately no, and not available to me either. But I'm always looking! :wink:

 

[tab28682]

How about Big Al Yunker's 3 motor cluster flight ? A scratch built with 3 Estes E9 motors ?!?! 3 flames out the back and that sweet 3 second burn !!! He just spits in the eye of all this cato nonsense. That's some steely-eyed missile s___ right there. :grin:

That was one awesome cluster flight!

 

[TALON]

Nick flew three rockets on Saturday...all of which performed perfectly. I can't remember the name of his first rocket but it had elliptical fins and a slightly rounded nose. His next flight was on a Region-D Tomahawk on an AT 24 mm motor (E18 maybe?) and finally his Estes Ventris on an AT RMS G64-7 which must have have hit 1,800-2,000 feet. I believe that was Nick's first flight on a G motor but I'm certain it won't be his last!

Both the E18 & the G64 were my 1st RMS attempts & I was VERY pleased with the results :smile: I know that I launched the Ventris on a SU AT G motor, but I can't remember what it was. (I am at work and can not access my Flight Logs) The rocket Ted can't remember was my Estes Sprint XL, its maiden flight on a C11.
I regret that I did not take many pictures at this launch, but over the last two months between aviation, rockets, holidays, etc. I have taken close to 5000 images & spent hours & hours working on around 25% of them in PhotoShop :y: So I wasn't up for a lot of picture taking
I know I told some of you that I was going to post the images on the DARS picture page by Sunday night, but I started to get sick Sat. night & I am now just getting back on my feet. I hope to post them by Saturday.
It was a GREAT day to fly & I was spoiled by the short recovery walks A bad day with rockets beats a good day at work:wink:

 

[tmacklin]

Get well soon Nick!

 

[Fred Garvin]

Get well soon....it's that time of year. A buddy of mine has the crud now, and I'm going to have to be around him tonight and tomorrow due to a viewing tonight and funeral tomorrow. Hopefully I won't catch it....but I promise, if I feel anything odd Saturday morning I won't show up to the meeting and possibly infect others!

 

[tab28682]

I see on the DARS web site that there is a Prairie Hill class 2 launch set for Dec 17, Limit of K impulse and 10,000 feet.

Is this set up for the new smaller Prairie Hill site arrangement?

 

[Incongruent]

I see on the DARS web site that there is a Prairie Hill class 2 launch set for Dec 17, Limit of K impulse and 10,000 feet.

Is this set up for the new smaller Prairie Hill site arrangement?

I think I read somewhere or heard at the last meeting that that launch was trying out the site with the new restrictions.

...Yep. Last paragraph in "Prarie hill gets new restrictions"
As of now, it's in the top right corner of the home page, titled in green.

 

[tmacklin]

It should be noted that the DARS website has not been updated since November 13, and is now two weeks old. There should be more information about any site restrictions after the upcoming meeting this Saturday. We're about due for some really crappy weather in north Texas and next week may be just the beginning.

https://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:76678.1.99999

For me it's Gunter or bust!

 

[tab28682]

I do like the Gunter site we flew at on Saturday. Excellent site for low and mid power. Less cow byproduct immediately at hand than the west side of Prairie Hill.

However, for me, Prairie Hill is only about 10 minutes more of a drive than Gunter is from south Fort Worth. Caddo Mills is much the same. If I have to drive for an hour and a half, I would just as soon be able to fly HP as well.

 

[pyrobob]

I can't be at tomorrows meeting. I've got some motors waiting on a few of you so email me and we can meet up some time.

 

[tmacklin]

I do like the Gunter site we flew at on Saturday. Excellent site for low and mid power. Less cow byproduct immediately at hand than the west side of Prairie Hill.

However, for me, Prairie Hill is only about 10 minutes more of a drive than Gunter is from south Fort Worth. Caddo Mills is much the same. If I have to drive for an hour and a half, I would just as soon be able to fly HP as well.

I hear ya! In my case however, Gunter is only about 20 minutes from my house and without big city traffic. Even though gasoline prices have moderated somewhat, a round trip to Prairie Hill puts a large dent in my limited budget. You guys have fun and post some pictures!

 

[jpoehlman]

Any updates from the meeting? Prairie Hill on 12/17 on for HP?

 

[Incongruent]

Any updates from the meeting? Prairie Hill on 12/17 on for HP?

Yes, with the new restrictions.

 

[TALON]

Here is two pix of T-Mac's "Big RED" at last weekends Gunter Launch. The rest of my images are posted on DARS picture page.

 

[tmacklin]

Sweet! :smile:

 

[pyrobob]

Here is two pix of T-Mac's "Big RED" at last weekends Gunter Launch. The rest of my images are posted on DARS picture page.

View attachment 306642View attachment 306643

This might be one of the best photos of Mojave Green in 29mm that I've seen. Very nice!

 

[tab28682]

Well, I am highly iffy for making it to the launch Saturday at Prairie Hill.

Looks like I need to work at least part of the day, with a side order of family obligations.

 

[Fred Garvin]

Saturday's Launch at Prairie Hill has been cancelled due to weather. It was put out on the FB page yesterday.

 

[pyrobob]

50+ degree drop Saturday evening. Something to look forward to, if you're not into flying rockets I guess . I plan to finish up a modified Leviathan. How about you guys?

 

[Fred Garvin]

I've got 3 kits waiting on paint, but I might get them done Friday and Saturday if conditions before the front are good. Sunday will be an "inside" day for sure, so I'll work on my NARTREK Gold design: produce a final, nice line drawing to scale, and work on the Rocksim file for it. I may start another kit from the pile as I'm waiting on parts from FlisKits for the Gold Rocket.

Or I might make a pot of chili, light a fire and watch football all day.....

 

[Cl(VII)]

50+ degree drop Saturday evening. Something to look forward to, if you're not into flying rockets I guess . I plan to finish up a modified Leviathan. How about you guys?

Swim practice, Christmas shopping and getting the new computer all tuned up and files transferred and organized. The organized is a difficult task when the computer has/will have 4 users ranging from 5-37 yo. I need to get Lightware installed, so I can start a unified approach to picture processing and archiving before I unwrap my Christmas present that I definitely did not see in my wife's closet. :hohoho::happydeer::santa-smile:

 

[tmacklin]

I think I'll just stay home and roast my chestnuts by an open fire. :snowflake:

 

[tmacklin]

Being like most men of my advanced age I tend to procrastinate when it comes to Christmas obligations and this year is no exception. But today I traveled to the booming metropolis of McKinney to run some errands and pickup a Christmas tree while Lowe's still has some left. (One year I screwed around 'till the last minute and had to settle for a cedar bush out of the pasture...complete with bag worms. This oversight almost ended the honeymoon!)

When I got to Lowe's I discovered that the steel gates to the garden department were all locked and there was no attendant to help me. So I walked down to the checkout isles and spoke to a young lady who said that she'd ring up someone to assist me. OK, so I hobble back to the garden department and am greeted by a nice young man who told me all Christmas trees were now on clearance for $1.00 apiece!
Now I'm not usually a bargain hunter, but that my friends is indeed a bargain! But wait. there's more!

I select a tree and bring it back inside to the young man who advised me to get one of the Noble Firs from outside, which he then trimmed and netted. When I finally got back to the checkout girl, she rang it up for $32 to which I said hold the phone, all your Christmas trees are marked down to $1.00 each. After checking with her fellow cashiers she said, you're right, I'll just make it $0.50 plus tax! I gave her a dollar and she gave me $0.44 change!

So here's a big shout out to the Lowe's building center on Taylor Burke Street in McKinney, Texas. When I stopped by around noon today, they still had a good supply of trees all of which were tagged as "Clearance...$1.00". Hurry while supplies last! https://www.lowes.com/store/TX-Mckinney/2825 :smile:

 

[Incongruent]

Being like most men of my advanced age I tend to procrastinate

There are certain people not of an advanced age who share that knack.

 

[Cl(VII)]

Being like most men of my advanced age I tend to procrastinate when it comes to Christmas obligations and this year is no exception. But today I traveled to the booming metropolis of McKinney to run some errands and pickup a Christmas tree while Lowe's still has some left. (One year I screwed around 'till the last minute and had to settle for a cedar bush out of the pasture...complete with bag worms. This oversight almost ended the honeymoon!)

When I got to Lowe's I discovered that the steel gates to the garden department were all locked and there was no attendant to help me. So I walked down to the checkout isles and spoke to a young lady who said that she'd ring up someone to assist me. OK, so I hobble back to the garden department and am greeted by a nice young man who told me all Christmas trees were now on clearance for $1.00 apiece!
Now I'm not usually a bargain hunter, but that my friends is indeed a bargain! But wait. there's more!

I select a tree and bring it back inside to the young man who advised me to get one of the Noble Firs from outside, which he then trimmed and netted. When I finally got back to the checkout girl, she rang it up for $32 to which I said hold the phone, all your Christmas trees are marked down to $1.00 each. After checking with her fellow cashiers she said, you're right, I'll just make it $0.50 plus tax! I gave her a dollar and she gave me $0.44 change!

So here's a big shout out to the Lowe's building center on Taylor Burke Street in McKinney, Texas. When I stopped by around noon today, they still had a good supply of trees all of which were tagged as "Clearance...$1.00". Hurry while supplies last! https://www.lowes.com/store/TX-Mckinney/2825 :smile:

I can beat that. I went to this store called "the attic" and got one for free, slightly used of course. :wink:

 

[tmacklin]

There are certain people not of an advanced age who share that knack.

Yeah, and it's not as easy as it looks!

 

[Fred Garvin]

Yeah, and it's not as easy as it looks!

Its not that hard....I'll show you tomorrow...or the next day....