ThreeJsDad
Well-Known Member
If this forum is anything like so many other forums there are plenty of folks who lurk as read a lot but never post anything. I hope this finds you and you pay attention because this actually happened and can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy rocketry.
I have not flown with my club in a very long time as in over 6 years. I decided to head to the monthly launch yesterday. I persuaded a young man I fly fish and bow hunt with to tag along. He has never flown any model rockets other than the super simple stuff most of us have flown as 6 and 8 year old monsters. I told him he could fly a saucer I had made and he would have a ball.
We get there in time to help set up. The first person I see is a vendor who has attended ROCC events for as long as I can remember. We joked for a second, shook hands and expressed how nice it was to see each other again.
Next we find three of the old club members, I mean both in age and time with the club... It was a very warm welcome and hugs all around. Keep in mind these are folks I have not seen since my college kids were in middle school.
Then I see a guy looking over the basically free rockets table, We exchange a few words as he turns around. It is a dear friend I have not seen or flown with a very long time. He is truly a rocket scientist. He teaches and works with college teams who compete in NASA sponsored events. He is a College Professor and had some of his students with him.
The launching commences and my buddy has his saucer on the rack with a D12 in it. It is cool but could use more. After that rack is launched one of the old guys I mentioned comes by the car and hands my buddy an E to put in the saucer.
Every time I lost track of my buddy he was chatting with someone else or helping someone recover a rocket. At one point he was chatting with one of the old guys about NAR and getting a L1. He chatted with our vendor for about 30 minutes about motors and rocket sizes. This went on from 10am to about 5pm.
On the way home he asked if we could build him a rocket for next month and what motor case would be a good one to start with? As a side note we drove 1.5hrs each way and never regretted a single minute of the windshield time.
Folks, if you do not fly with a local club find one. The quality of the people in every club I have flown with has been amazing and the friends you make will last a life time.
I have not flown with my club in a very long time as in over 6 years. I decided to head to the monthly launch yesterday. I persuaded a young man I fly fish and bow hunt with to tag along. He has never flown any model rockets other than the super simple stuff most of us have flown as 6 and 8 year old monsters. I told him he could fly a saucer I had made and he would have a ball.
We get there in time to help set up. The first person I see is a vendor who has attended ROCC events for as long as I can remember. We joked for a second, shook hands and expressed how nice it was to see each other again.
Next we find three of the old club members, I mean both in age and time with the club... It was a very warm welcome and hugs all around. Keep in mind these are folks I have not seen since my college kids were in middle school.
Then I see a guy looking over the basically free rockets table, We exchange a few words as he turns around. It is a dear friend I have not seen or flown with a very long time. He is truly a rocket scientist. He teaches and works with college teams who compete in NASA sponsored events. He is a College Professor and had some of his students with him.
The launching commences and my buddy has his saucer on the rack with a D12 in it. It is cool but could use more. After that rack is launched one of the old guys I mentioned comes by the car and hands my buddy an E to put in the saucer.
Every time I lost track of my buddy he was chatting with someone else or helping someone recover a rocket. At one point he was chatting with one of the old guys about NAR and getting a L1. He chatted with our vendor for about 30 minutes about motors and rocket sizes. This went on from 10am to about 5pm.
On the way home he asked if we could build him a rocket for next month and what motor case would be a good one to start with? As a side note we drove 1.5hrs each way and never regretted a single minute of the windshield time.
Folks, if you do not fly with a local club find one. The quality of the people in every club I have flown with has been amazing and the friends you make will last a life time.
