- Joined
- Sep 3, 2019
- Messages
- 487
- Reaction score
- 322
Hi everyone,
Some background on me - I started out flying HPR in 8th grade through the fantastic Rockets for Schools program in Sheboygan, WI. Got my L1 cert my senior year of high school, L2 freshman year of college. That was during the ATF lawsuit...money, time, and a LEUP in college were in short supply so I backed out of the hobby. I've finally got to a point in my life where I think going for an L3 is a possibility, so I'm going to do it. I'm getting married next summer, so I'm going to have to cashflow this project without a lot of cash to flow, so this might end up being a 2021 launch.
As I had lapsed my TRA membership, I had to refly both my L1 and L2 certs. L1 was August 24, L2 was September 7, both flown with the same rocket. Flew both with the LARS NAR group out of Sheboygan, WI and had a blast. Jeff and Kevin there have been amazingly helpful.
I've started doodling around in RockSim with some ideas on an L3. I started looking at some of the L3 projects here and have become concerned I might be thinking too "big", though there is a purpose behind that.
What I've doodled up is a 7.5" dia rocket that is taller than 12 feet (see attached RockSim screenshot). Based on other builds, I'm going to guess that it's going to come in around 60-80 pounds maybe? Right now construction is PML phenolic with a couple 4oz layers of glass because that's what I know and am comfortable with. Also includes their piston ejection system.
The goal of this configuration (7.5" diameter, heavy) is to keep the altitude of the flight low. Where I will likely be doing this flight (Bong State Rec Area in Wisconsin) is one of the "less good" places to recover a rocket and only has a 10k ceiling, so low and slow is the order of the day.
First question of the day - yes, this is a big/heavy rocket, intentionally. Am I over doing it? I don't have any experience in this impulse range (obviously), so I'm asking for other's experience. Looked over half a dozen L3 builds here and this one is bigger than all of them.
I'll be making contact with a couple of TRA TAP members next Saturday, but trying to get my ducks, if not in a row, at least in the same pond before then. Thanks everyone!
Dustin
NAR 107803
TRA 9503
Some background on me - I started out flying HPR in 8th grade through the fantastic Rockets for Schools program in Sheboygan, WI. Got my L1 cert my senior year of high school, L2 freshman year of college. That was during the ATF lawsuit...money, time, and a LEUP in college were in short supply so I backed out of the hobby. I've finally got to a point in my life where I think going for an L3 is a possibility, so I'm going to do it. I'm getting married next summer, so I'm going to have to cashflow this project without a lot of cash to flow, so this might end up being a 2021 launch.
As I had lapsed my TRA membership, I had to refly both my L1 and L2 certs. L1 was August 24, L2 was September 7, both flown with the same rocket. Flew both with the LARS NAR group out of Sheboygan, WI and had a blast. Jeff and Kevin there have been amazingly helpful.
I've started doodling around in RockSim with some ideas on an L3. I started looking at some of the L3 projects here and have become concerned I might be thinking too "big", though there is a purpose behind that.
What I've doodled up is a 7.5" dia rocket that is taller than 12 feet (see attached RockSim screenshot). Based on other builds, I'm going to guess that it's going to come in around 60-80 pounds maybe? Right now construction is PML phenolic with a couple 4oz layers of glass because that's what I know and am comfortable with. Also includes their piston ejection system.
The goal of this configuration (7.5" diameter, heavy) is to keep the altitude of the flight low. Where I will likely be doing this flight (Bong State Rec Area in Wisconsin) is one of the "less good" places to recover a rocket and only has a 10k ceiling, so low and slow is the order of the day.
First question of the day - yes, this is a big/heavy rocket, intentionally. Am I over doing it? I don't have any experience in this impulse range (obviously), so I'm asking for other's experience. Looked over half a dozen L3 builds here and this one is bigger than all of them.
I'll be making contact with a couple of TRA TAP members next Saturday, but trying to get my ducks, if not in a row, at least in the same pond before then. Thanks everyone!
Dustin
NAR 107803
TRA 9503