New here, not new to model rocketry, live in Phoenix, AZ area

Hello everyone. My name is Bob, I am 54 years old, and have been into model rocketry since about age 10. While I have been involved in mid and high power rocketry, everything I do on my own has been low power (D engines or smaller) This is partially due to financial constraints, and lack of a launch area for higher power stuff. I designed and built all my own launch equipment, and design and build all my own rockets. I don't use kits. Doing everything yourself can make even low power rocketry fun.

Part of what brings me here is I have lost another launch site. I live in the Chandler/east valley area, a long time ago I used to use an area out on the Hunt Highway between Queen Creek and Florence, but lost that to a housing development. Then back in the mid '90s, I started using the Rainbow Valley site, and now it is gone. I found that model rocketry is not allowed on state trust land, due to perceived fire danger. They seem to consider it the same as fireworks. One thing I found out a long time ago is not to go anywhere near Indian reservation land. It is all posted, at the very least you will be run off in a hurry, and you may be prosecuted for trespassing. I went out this morning to some vacant farm land south of Randolph (south of Coolidge) and after about 4 launches, a farm worker came out and told me I needed to leave. I suspect that will be the case just about anywhere you go around here.

So does anyone in this area know of a low power launch site where you are not likely to be run off or get arrested? Looks like I'm just going to have to put things on hold until I find a site. I contacted SSS and SARA, and talked to a guy at Hobby Town, they were all very nice, but had no idea where there might be a safe and legal local launch site. Any ideas/information would certainly be appreciated.

Welcome!

So sorry about your plight, but your situation tends to be the rule these days rather than the exception. Instead of a 10 to 15 minute drive to launch we had "back in the day", it is now a 2 to 3 hour drive to get to a club launch. No one in rocketry likes it, but it is what it is.

Short of having a local club in your area, your best bet may be to find an adequate tract of land, then approach the owner.

Greg

At this time SSS, https://sssrocketry.com/ is looking for a new site and trying to contact the new land owner of Rainbow Valley (little hope there) The site they are looking for is one suitable for high power and is very likely to be on the west side of Phoenix due to where the flat land and air traffic routes are favorable.

There are a lot of SSS members from the east side and at one time they had a launch site at a park in Gilbert. Contact SSS to see if they have ideas.

AHPRA, https://www.ahpra.org/ is at this time putting all effort towards BALLS, will look at sites after the launch in the fall and winter. This site will likely be west also.

Mark
AHPRA

Hi and welcome to the site. SARA, so far has a site that should not be encroached upon in the foreseeable future. You are more than welcome to come down and join our launches, the club has it's own equipment to launch from so all you have to bring is rockets and motors. Here is the SARA web address that contains the schedule and directions. WWW.sararocketry.org. If you have already been to the site and want to make the Sep. 22nd launch, you can give me a P.M. for easier directions from the Phoenix area.

Thanks for the responses. The neat thing about Rainbow Valley was that you could go there anytime you wanted. I work most Saturdays, and could not make the club launches. It was also nice to have the whole area to yourself when testing a new design, just in case something went wrong. My understanding is that the SARA site can only be used during club launches, plus it's 100 miles away. I did find a legal site just south of Gila Bend, but there are signs warning of drug and illegal immigrant smuggling all over the place. Kinda scary. I'm still hoping to find something down in the Florence/Coolidge area. I have a dual sport motorcycle set up for carrying small to medium sized rockets and launch equipment, which can get me back into some out of the way places, and saves a fortune on gas for long trips.

Sorry for the delayed response and I realize this would be on the extreme north side of the city (compared to the areas you've described), but I believe there are some good, safe areas in the Table Mesa Recreation Area (BLM), just off I-17 in the north Valley.

Did you try and ask the tribal leaders? Take a small rocket to show there's no danger to anyone and you want to launch well clear of any people or buildings. And if you can offer to launch with the kids in attendance, we all know what a great motivator rocketry can be.

A launch site can simply be a matter of "working it".

Hey Big-Bob, I used to live in Phx. Graduated from Apollo High and got my masters in anthropology at NAU. As a kid, I used to fly my low power ones pretty much anywhere, local school, desert, etc. Just close your eyes, point in a direction, and it took no longer than a fifteen minute drive to find wide open spaces.

You must remember that way back then. :wink: PS, sorry for your dilemma.

There is a location where LPR and some MPR is no problem but it is a little farther away from where you were south of Randolph.

It is north of Houser Road and west of Sunland Gin, approximately 32° 46’48.35”N 111° 41’41.60”W

A lot of RC Flyers go out there, mainly helo's but there are a fair share of planes also.

As far as SARA - every other month the launch is on Sunday's.

PM me if you would like more info

rdbones said:

There is a location where LPR and some MPR is no problem but it is a little farther away from where you were south of Randolph.

It is north of Houser Road and west of Sunland Gin, approximately 32° 46’48.35”N 111° 41’41.60”W

A lot of RC Flyers go out there, mainly helo's but there are a fair share of planes also.

As far as SARA - every other month the launch is on Sunday's.

PM me if you would like more info

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Thanks for the information. I have been using a site about halfway between Coolidge and Eloy. It is near the intersection of Cornman Road and Tweedy Road (both dirt roads, basically in the middle of nowhere. Head west on Cornman Rd. off Eleven Mile Corner Rd, it's maybe a mile or so.

Bob- Welcome to TRF! Consider this a personal invite to come fly with us! Every first weekend of the month, we meet at Plaster City for a three day weekend. Every size (Up to an "M") is welcomed. You can campout Friday nite, fly all Saturday and leave for home Sunday afternoon. Jack from What's Up Hobbies is our on site vendor and it's a pretty laid back crew. For you, it's about a 4 hour drive, but pretty much a straight shot once you hit 8 west. Come on over!

Welcome to the forum.

I live nowhere close to Arizona but I can sympathize. 7 hour drives are in order every time a launch comes about... There's too little space in the Pacific NW.

Hey Bob, I'm new to the forum as well. I've never had any problem launching on AZ Trust land. As long as you have your recreational permits, and AWD or 4WD, you should be fine. I've launched everything from 1/4A to G80's out there and never had any problem. In fact I had about a 20 minute chat with 2 Pinal County Sheriffs on patrol out there last Thanksgiving weekend. They confirmed that there was no problem with what I was doing.

Regards,
AZRXocet

I'm way out in the west, Avondale and Goodyear area, is there anywhere out here that's amenable to some good ole fashioned spur-of-the-moment launch parties?