FAA Approval for a Class 2 HPR launch

Thank You all so very much.....
Special thanks to Steve & Scott !!

My packet is out in the mail to the FAA. Wish me luck !

Glasspack said:

Thank You all so very much.....
Special thanks to Steve & Scott !!

My packet is out in the mail to the FAA. Wish me luck !

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Good luck!

Well an update may be in order.............. I just got my FAA packet sent back, marked: "Return To Sender"
Apparently the address I got from the NAR Web Site, for the Central Service Center was wrong. But on a good note I was already able to send the whole packet VIA Email to PJ at the FAA office down in Texas; for review.
I am currently working on an email to NAR Webmaster to try to update the Links and information on their site to benefit us all.... And the FAA is working with Ellsworth AFB for my launch request. God willing ... it will be ok !
So, if you wanna come out to launch with me in South Dakota; the weekend of Thanksgiving ........ love to see ya !

Glasspack said:

Well an update may be in order.............. I just got my FAA packet sent back, marked: "Return To Sender"
Apparently the address I got from the NAR Web Site, for the Central Service Center was wrong. But on a good note I was already able to send the whole packet VIA Email to PJ at the FAA office down in Texas; for review.
I am currently working on an email to NAR Webmaster to try to update the Links and information on their site to benefit us all.... And the FAA is working with Ellsworth AFB for my launch request. God willing ... it will be ok !
So, if you wanna come out to launch with me in South Dakota; the weekend of Thanksgiving ........ love to see ya !

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Well alright ! PJ has a pretty wide jurisdiction then. He has been The Man at the FAA since I have been handling DARS authorizations/waivers for the last few years. He knows what we’re about.

Sounds promising!

When I had my waiver they had me also call the tower out at Fort Riley to notify them when I was opening the waiver. I got a different person every time and it was usually some PFC and they never had a clue what what I was talking about lol. I’m sure it was probably strange to hear someone asking for a notam for rocket activities lol.

Newest update: Still hopeful & Getting ready

Still waiting for the authorization from the FAA, but I am hopeful, and have seen some of the email traffic between FAA personnel. I think he just needs final info from Ellsworth AFB. Anyway, I am hopeful the approval will go through. I am planning on the weekend of Thanksgiving, It may be cold and windy but its worth it.


Today I just finished the 100-foot interface cable for my controller; to keep within the rules for my upcoming HPR launch here in South Dakota. So far, I just been using my original 50-foot cable and just did LPR launches. I performed a complete functional and safety check of the Pad Box and Controller.

Here is a video of the test.

Glasspack said:

So, if you wanna come out to launch with me in South Dakota; the weekend of Thanksgiving ........ love to see ya !

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I would love to be in SD for Thanksgiving, especially with rockets! But ... it ain't gonna happen.

FAA usually says 45 days from submission to COA, but I’ve seen shorter (and longer!)

Glasspack,

A couple of more good and very important tests to do are..

Continuity tests with just an ematch....(I made a wireless system and held continuity for 15 min and a couple of different brands of ematches)

and what the system does as the battery dies. I've heard of some home made system where the relays close when the battery starts to die. (which in most systems supplies power to the "fire circuit'')( I placed a 12v automotive headlamp [my test light} across my battery to drain it. I placed ematches on each of my leads to confirm nothing would fire if the battery goes dead.

Tony

I'd not count chickens until they hatch. I have some waivers that go the full 45. I have another that comes back the same day I email it ('cause there's nothing commercial up there until 36000 feet and even then it's the fourth bad weather option.) we have also been careful to cultivate good relationships with the TRACONN of the airspace. I call early enough they're not busy and they find our operations amusing.

tfish said:

Glasspack,

A couple of more good and very important tests to do are..

Continuity tests with just an ematch....(I made a wireless system and held continuity for 15 min and a couple of different brands of ematches)

and what the system does as the battery dies. I've heard of some home made system where the relays close when the battery starts to die. (which in most systems supplies power to the "fire circuit'')( I placed a 12v automotive headlamp [my test light} across my battery to drain it. I placed ematches on each of my leads to confirm nothing would fire if the battery goes dead.

Tony

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Tony, Very good advice. I failed to mention this test was done after I had to replace two Mosfet transistors in the continuity test circuitry and BECAUSE I just built the 100-foot interface cable . This set has been fully tested and used previously. I have designed and tested it with Q2G2 igniters.........some of the lowest current igniters on the market. The continuity test currents were measured well below the fire current for the igniters. I used the test lights you see to drain the battery making sure the low battery circuit works. I have it adjusted to illuminate at like 9vdc. Found out the test circuits start flaking out at lower voltages. As of yet, I have not seen a failure with the fire circuits. There is a warning circuit designed into it to warn when the system is armed. So if the Arm relay were to stick or weld shut, I would know it as soon as the pad box was powered; or if it happened after a launch or during use. There are 3 relays that would have to fail at the same time for a pad igniter to receive full current. So far this mosfet failure is the first problem I had with the set up. I don't know why the mosfets failed but in each one, the source and drain basically shorted together so they had continuity without the signal from the gate. I am very interested to see how the 12AH battery holds up to several small model launches and a few HPR launches. My belief is that the high current draw is so short lived at ignition that it will hold up for the day.

Glasspack, Thanks for the reply. I could tell by your workmanship and your reply above, that you have a better understanding then I do. I got lucky when I built my system.

This will be a good reminder to those building their own system to design for and test for these unwanted features.

Tony

Tony have you been pretty satisfied with your wireless one you made. I have started to want to make a wireless one myself. I have a four channel TX/Reciever piece I could use.

very much so! I use it mostly out at Black Rock and sometimes at Spaceport America. I recently talked and flew some rockets for some local 5th and 6th graders.



Tony

Well the word came in today......

The FAA Waiver is approved and I am just waiting for the final copy with the NOTAM. The weekend after Thanksgiving is going to be a nice chance to share my SA-14 Archer with those I work with who have never seen a High Power Flight.

Any one who wants to join me is still welcome to visit SD and fly upto 5000 Feet !!

Now to pray for good weather.

Paul

Good job! You're on your way to founding a 3rd rocket org lol


Tony, I didn't imagine you even had rockets that small

Glasspack said:

Well the word came in today......

The FAA Waiver is approved and I am just waiting for the final copy with the NOTAM. The weekend after Thanksgiving is going to be a nice chance to share my SA-14 Archer with those I work with who have never seen a High Power Flight.

Any one who wants to join me is still welcome to visit SD and fly upto 5000 Feet !!

Now to pray for good weather.

Paul

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Good job!

Great news! Good work.

Appreciate everyones wishes and support. Thank you Steve for your help with the paperwork.
The Archer had 2 nice flights today for her first ever flights in South Dakota. She's flown about 6 times now. Even had anice audience to share the experience with. Thanks to my wife and son for their support !! A very special thank you to Rich and Carrie for allowing me to use their acreage.
The weather held out, long enough almost for three flights. The rain/snow just became too much, so we had to pack it up. Drove home in a mild snow storm, but gratefulful for the opportunity to fly HPR with the authorization I applied for, in a range I set up using equipment that I built.

I don't mean to sound boastful, but it just feels good.
This forum has been such an incredible tool. Thank you ...to each of you on the forum !!

Glasspack said:

Appreciate everyones wishes and support. Thank you Steve for your help with the paperwork.
The Archer had 2 nice flights today for her first ever flights in South Dakota. She's flown about 6 times now. Even had anice audience to share the experience with. Thanks to my wife and son for their support !! A very special thank you to Rich and Carrie for allowing me to use their acreage.
The weather held out, long enough almost for three flights. The rain/snow just became too much, so we had to pack it up. Drove home in a mild snow storm, but gratefulful for the opportunity to fly HPR with the authorization I applied for, in a range I set up using equipment that I built.

I don't mean to sound boastful, but it just feels good.
This forum has been such an incredible tool. Thank you ...to each of you on the forum !!

View attachment 367483

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Way to go! You deserve that sense of accomplishment!

Hey everyone,

Sorry I have taken so long to share this with you. I hope it works. I am truly blessed with the friends I have as is evident by the large parcel of land Rich and Kerry let my use to fly my HPR model. Thanks SO MUCH to them. Their son Mason captured both flights of my SA-14 Archer and in this one the launch of my Estes Shadow using an aerial drone. Please tell me what you think ……. the first flight was a Skid Mark motor and the second one was on a Redline. The Estes Shadow was on an Aerotech E15 I think.

I know it doesn't look 100 feet to pad from controller but we fixed the problem and made it 100 feet.








Thank you all Paul

Glasspack said:

Any one who wants to join me is still welcome to visit SD and fly upto 5000 Feet !!

Click to expand...

Congrats! I'm in the process of doing the same for my Father's farm in Kentucky. Quick question... Did you request 5K or is that what the FAA assigned? Based on your video it looks like it could readily support 15K or more!

Glasspack,

MOSFET devices are notoriously static sensitive, and even a small static charge can smoke huge power MOSFETS. Placing a 100 foot wire "antenna" on the output of a MOSFET was by my hunch, the likely cause of death. If you place a small static "bleeder" resistor, almost any high value from 10K to 1Meg, you can protect your switch devices against most static events. I learned this lesson the hardway: By blowing up a hundred or so $20.00 amplifier modules!

jahall4 said:

Congrats! I'm in the process of doing the same for my Father's farm in Kentucky. Quick question... Did you request 5K or is that what the FAA assigned? Based on your video it looks like it could readily support 15K or more

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You request the desired altitude on the COA.

timbucktoo said:

You request the desired altitude on the COA.

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We'll sure but the FAA can assign whatever they want, hence my question. So they asked for just 5K? Why so low?

jahall4 said:

We'll sure but the FAA can assign whatever they want, hence my question. So they asked for just 5K? Why so low?

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I’ve never seen the FAA assign something different than what’s requested. They just approve or deny what’s requested.
If you look at post 1, he just had a couple of class 2 rockets he wanted to fly with some class 1 rockets he and his son were flying. No point in requesting more than he needs.

Steve Shannon said:

I’ve never seen the FAA assign something different than what’s requested. They just approve or deny what’s requested.

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I've had the FAA reduce my requested 100k to 75k. They wanted more radius than my 7 miles.

Micro-Trak said:

MOSFET devices are notoriously static sensitive, and even a small static charge can smoke huge power MOSFETS. Placing a 100 foot wire "antenna" on the output of a MOSFET was by my hunch, the likely cause of death. If you place a small static "bleeder" resistor, almost any high value from 10K to 1Meg, you can protect your switch devices against most static events. I learned this lesson the hardway: By blowing up a hundred or so $20.00 amplifier modules!

Click to expand...

The schematics show 10K resistors on the gates of all MOSFETs. That will prevent the buildup of a static charge on the wire/gate but will do little when someone walks up with a good charge and touches a connector/wire. Also, the FETs in the pad box have their gates connected to the igniter. Aside from the obvious ESD concerns, you also have inductive kickback. All wires have inductance so when the igniter burns through, there is a chance of a voltage spike. Not a big one since the inductance is small but possibly a problem.

A 15V (more than the battery voltage but less than Vgs(max) for the FET) Zener from gate to source would help but then you need to worry about the Zener current. If the battery is limited to a 12V lead acid, then it should be fine. But if the voltage could get near the Zener voltage you have to include a series resistor. That series resistor would also help with ESD.

On the other hand, I have been using a simple relayer I built in 1995 using IRF644s with nothing more than 1K gate to source resistors with no failures. Yet.

jsdemar said:

I've had the FAA reduce my requested 100k to 75k. They wanted more radius than my 7 miles.

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Thanks John. I stand corrected.
Did they simply assign a lower altitude or did they call you and ask if that would be enough?