AeroTech Open Thread

[roytyson]

Are you the guy with the backward o-rings on the H250G? The CATO at Airfest?

no, I had the 29mm that is undersized at Airfest and I have to sand the liner almost gone before it slides in. The case is way undersized. I have been in contact with Karl Baumann, but still, waiting.

 

[ATGM]

Unfortunately it's not the one thing that's missing, when it's a case it's the many things that can't be used because that one thing can't be found. And in my case I can't just go to any vendor (even if a search would turn up someone who has it), I'm waiting for a warranty case replacement (38/720 destroyed by a CATO), and at this point I have absolutely no idea how long I'm going to be waiting for the replacement.

That's odd, we have that in stock and have had it in stock for months.

Thanks Charles for all your efforts and help on a public forum. Love the new long burn H-motor and realize the casing gets a little hot for cert. Any plans to bring something similar to market? Also, any plans on a 29-180 DM or Metal Storm reload? I think that would be a "sweet spot" for a lot of folks wanting a sparky motor. H115 is great, but a reload would be awesome as well.

This will require a new DOT exemption so I am not sure how close we are on this. It is something we want to do eventually for sure.

 

[ATGM]

There's more than a little bit of just plain griping here, about back-ordered inventory, etc. What has been unsaid, and really should be said, is that Aerotech products are really high quality. I've had a few dramatic CATOs and in-flight failures, many dramatic, more than a few self-inflicted, but I am a huge fan of the ATI reloads. I used them for my mid-power flights, I used them for my Level 1 and I will be using them for my Level2 and Level 3 certification attempts. The products are well engineered and well documented. My hat's off to Aerotech.

Thanks Anthony, we are always looking to improve.

 

[ATGM]

Not paying attention, really? What has changed? I just looked at one vendor, who has 7 29mm cases listed on his web site. 6 are sold out, along with about half of the 29mm accessories. Most of the 38m cases are in stock except one. Almost all of the 38mm accessories are out of stock.

Checked a second vendor, 9 out of 10 29mm cases, out of stock, 8 out of 9 38mm cases, out of stock.

I could go on and on.

When I lost a motor case a couple weeks ago, I could not replace it from any of the vendors I know about. Someone here on TRF saw my post and sold me one he had in stock, but it was a guy I had not heard of before. (thanks man, you know who you are)

That's odd, 38mm is in stock and has been shipping regularly. 29/180 and 29/240 are in stock now and the others will be in next week. What dealers do or do not have in stock is not necessarily a reflection of what we do or do not have in stock.

 

[gldknght]

That's odd, 38mm is in stock and has been shipping regularly. 29/180 and 29/240 are in stock now and the others will be in next week. What dealers do or do not have in stock is not necessarily a reflection of what we do or do not have in stock.

That may be true, but since we can't buy hardware direct from Aerotech any more, how does it help us? The one dealer I looked at that has 38mm cases in stock does not sell them with forward and aft closures, which must be purchased separately. Those closures are all sold out for the dealers I looked at. So if a person is looking to replace an entire case do to loss, or just trying to get started in the rms hobby, then what?

 

[ATGM]

no, I had the 29mm that is undersized at Airfest and I have to sand the liner almost gone before it slides in. The case is way undersized. I have been in contact with Karl Baumann, but still, waiting.

Okay if Karl has your info you are just waiting for the

That may be true, but since we can't buy hardware direct from Aerotech any more, how does it help us? The one dealer I looked at that has 38mm cases in stock does not sell them with forward and aft closures, which must be purchased separately. Those closures are all sold out for the dealers I looked at. So if a person is looking to replace an entire case do to loss, or just trying to get started in the rms hobby, then what?

So they only offer the casing and not the motor? Or they only have some of the parts in stock? Just trying to see what we can do to make it better.

 

[gldknght]

I'm going to copy the relevant portions of this thread and send it to one of these suppliers who have most of their hardware listed as out of stock, maybe get the vendors involved here and see it we can't figure out why vendors are out of the things Aerotech says have been shipping regularly.

 

[gldknght]

Okay if Karl has your info you are just waiting for the


So they only offer the casing and not the motor? Or they only have some of the parts in stock? Just trying to see what we can do to make it better.

Correct they may have the cases in stock, but not the closures. Or if they have closures, they don't have the cases.

 

[Normzilla]

Not paying attention, really? What has changed? I just looked at one vendor, who has 7 29mm cases listed on his web site. 6 are sold out, along with about half of the 29mm accessories. Most of the 38m cases are in stock except one. Almost all of the 38mm accessories are out of stock.

Checked a second vendor, 9 out of 10 29mm cases, out of stock, 8 out of 9 38mm cases, out of stock.

I could go on and on.

When I lost a motor case a couple weeks ago, I could not replace it from any of the vendors I know about. Someone here on TRF saw my post and sold me one he had in stock, but it was a guy I had not heard of before. (thanks man, you know who you are)

So you're saying there's stock.

Well done.

 

[gldknght]

So you're saying there's stock.

Well done.

I'm pretty sure that's not what I said.

 

[Normzilla]

I'm pretty sure that's not what I said.

8 out of 9

9 out of 10

6 out of 7.

That's 3 cases there, buy one.

 

[CzTeacherMan]

The case thing is definitely frustrating. Over the last year I've managed to get a variety of 24/29/38mm cases, jumping through hoops, buying them slowly, paying WAY too much in shipping, buying spares and lengths I don't really need right now blah blah blah. But I got it done and I feel like things are basically under control. And now it's time to invest in 54mm... and I just don't want to do this again. So I just checked and my local vendor carries CTI, and that's probably what I'm going to do for 54mm. What a pain.

And I gotta say if I was talking to somebody getting ready to invest in cases I'd make it REAL clear EXACTLY what I had to go through to get a set of Aerotech cases. I wouldn't say 100% don't do it, but understand the true cost in time and money.

So do you guys really just think I should keep my mouth shut about that? Doesn't seem logical to me that somehow "badmouthing" them here - where they asked for feedback - is going to drive the company out of business versus just silently losing customers and them not knowing why.

You know something we don't?

Hahahahahaha!!!!

Oh wait...are you serious?

Cases will soon be widely available. Just sayin

 

[crossfire]

CZ
I keep telling them that but they don't beleive me.

 

[gldknght]

CZ
I keep telling them that but they don't beleive me.

I want to believe, but can't hold my breath till the end of November, lol.

 

[gldknght]

CZ
I keep telling them that but they don't beleive me.

By the way, Crossfire, I like your avatar. That was one of my son's very first rockets he and I built together.

 

[DAllen]

So whats really going on here? AT says everything is in stock and available. Others say not so much.

I have a friend of mine (Countyline Hobbies) who is dropping selling motors because of his frustration with getting motors and hardware from AT as it seems a lot of items are "back ordered." Is he lying? Is he just not placing big enough orders? Why is he walking away from what is clearly a money maker for him? And it's not like he's hiding it as he posted it on the Michiana Rocketry Facebook page:

As some of you know it has been a trying time for all the vendors to get rocket motors this last year. I am at the point where enough is enough. So I have almost 20 HPR motors in stock total. Enough for 2 more launches yeah right more like a part of one. Any who I will be at the Indiana rocketry launch next weekend weather permitting.vthen the following Saturday at the Three Oaks launch. Then I will be out of the vending biz. Rest assured I will still be flying. But will be handing my money to a vendor.

 

[tim cubbedge]

So whats really going on here? AT says everything is in stock and available. Others say not so much.

I have a friend of mine (Countyline Hobbies) who is dropping selling motors because of his frustration with getting motors and hardware from AT as it seems a lot of items are "back ordered." Is he lying? Is he just not placing big enough orders? Why is he walking away from what is clearly a money maker for him? And it's not like he's hiding it as he posted it on the Michiana Rocketry Facebook page:

Hard to say. A local AT dealer in Florida who works out of his car has been able to get me motors & hardware. Might take 6-8 weeks but he always delivers. Last week when I was in Chris Short’s trailer, he had quite an inventory. I think a lot has to do with order size.

 

[woferry]

That's odd, we have that [38/720] in stock and have had it in stock for months.

It would be really nice if you could get Mike @ BAR some of them, then (including one as the warranty replacement for me). He was completely out of both 38/360's and 38/720's at XPRS (which is why my CATO warranty couldn't be serviced on-site), and was still completely out at October Skies. And I wasn't the only one in his trailer looking for those cases. Thanks.

 

[djs]

Awesome, glad you got to fly it. Thanks for the feedback and (I think) a video.

Yup- that was me... I can't wait for the motor to come out for sale!

More importantly, I was impressed with how fast AT reacted with the DMS motor cato issue at MWP. As someone who works (tangentially) on quality processes in my day job, this was a very quick analysis and response.

 

[Ez2cDave]

I am thinking that Aerotech may be trying to "nudge" people back to single-use DMS motors, now that BATFE no longer regulates APCP.

 

[Eljay]

Cases will soon be widely available. Just sayin

Well, again, people have been saying that for a long time. I hope you're right, obviously, but you have to understand there's zero reason to believe that on our end. Boy who cried wolf and all that.

 

[CzTeacherMan]

Well, again, people have been saying that for a long time. I hope you're right, obviously, but you have to understand there's zero reason to believe that on our end. Boy who cried wolf and all that.

Understandable. I wouldn't believe it unless I had already seen it...

 

[jd2cylman]

Understandable. I wouldn't believe it unless I had already seen it...

Like this....


Yep, that's a BRAND new AT 24/40 in BLUE...
Plus I had a blue 29/180 in my hand... So, be patient. It'll happen.

 

[Eljay]

It's a pretty case, I like the blue, but we want to see those suckers rolling off the assembly lines like sausages.

 

[DAllen]

You people and your colored casings. Me? There is no way I could possibly care less for the case color. They be could anodized hot pink and it would not dissuade my decision to purchase one bit. They disappear into the rocket which is why I have never ever understood why case color matters. Ever.

 

[Eljay]

I would actually like something other than black just so I can tell how clean I've gotten it.

But not if it slows down getting the things to customers.

 

[djs]

I have never ever understood why case color matters.

It's so they can sell duplicates to jd2cylman. He's like a crow that collects shiny things and builds a nest out of them.

 

[DAllen]

I would actually like something other than black just so I can tell how clean I've gotten it.

Now that's a good point...never thought of that.

It's so they can sell duplicates to jd2cylman. He's like a crow that collects shiny things and builds a nest out of them.

You are hilarious

 

[heada]

Dr.Rocket red was nice. RT/Monster gold was great, blue not as much. Black cases are the worst. You can't see anything inside them and the threads. Stick with brighter colors not for the "shiney" factor but more so that they're high contrast with spent motor leavings and are thus easier to see when they're clean.

 

[jd2cylman]

I would actually like something other than black just so I can tell how clean I've gotten it.

Dr.Rocket red was nice. RT/Monster gold was great, blue not as much. Black cases are the worst. You can't see anything inside them and the threads. Stick with brighter colors not for the "shiney" factor but more so that they're high contract with spent motor leavings and are thus easier to see when they're clean.

Honestly, this is the biggest part... Hard to see black residue in black cases or seal discs. RT silver seal discs are MUCH easier to keep clean.
Oh, and SHINY!!!