Announcing: Certify With Us

Cesaroni Technology and The Rocketry Forum are pleased to announce "Certify With Us," a joint program to benefit hobbyists who are active members on The Rocketry Forum.

This exciting new program will provide one free reload, and the hardware corresponding to the reload, to the participants. No spacers, or other adapters will be provided; i.e., a 3 grain reload will come with a 3 grain case.

How do you become a participant? Easy! Send a private message to troj, here on the forum, indicating your desire to be a participant. In your message, describe yourself and your rocketry experience, as well as the rocket you plan to build, when and where you plan to fly, and what motor you plan to fly it on. Let us know why you think you're a good candidate for this program. The rocket must be unbuilt at the time of submission, and submissions must be received prior to January 1, 2013, according to the TRF system clock.

Submissions will be reviewed by Jeroen Louwers of Cesaroni Technology and Kevin Trojanowski of The Rocketry Forum, who will select the participants from the submissions. Selected participants will be announced on The Rocketry Forum by January 15, 2013.

Participants will be selected based on a variety of factors, including their participation history on TRF, past certification history, and content of their submitted request. At the time of submission, and of delivery of the motor, participants must be a current, senior member of the National Association of Rocketry or Tripoli Rocketry Association, and have a certification level one below their requested certification level. Junior members are not eligible to participate.

Several Level 1 and Level 2 participants will be selected. In addition, one Level 3 participant may be selected.

Participants will be required to document their build in a "build thread" on The Rocketry Forum and must complete and post pictures of the final rocket, ready for flight, prior to delivery of the motor and hardware. The participant is responsible for all costs, with the exception of the reload and associated hardware.

Participants must complete their build, and associated build thread, between April 1, 2013 and September 1, 2013. Participants who complete their rockets, or build threads, completed after September 1, 2013 will not receive a motor, or associated hardware. The motor and associated hardware will be shipped to the participant via Wildman Hobbies, or another participating dealer. Motors will only be shipped to addresses within the continental US ("Lower 48"), and shipping costs will be covered by the sponsors.

Upon completion of the flight, the participant will post a post-launch report to their build thread.

Participants are responsible for compliance with any and all applicable laws, and accept all liability for their activities involving this program.

Very cool. I'm am so doing this.

Just so happens that my plan is to cert L2 sometime next season. I'm not sure exactly when, but "between April and September 2013" is plenty large enough a window, and will work just fine for me. I've got a bunch of rocket ideas in my head - at my current level 1 - to build and fly this winter and through the early part of next year. But all the while, that eventual L2 cert rocket will be forming in my head I'm sure. I will likely have a pretty solid idea of the design by Jan 1, so I'm sure I could submit it for consideration at that time. Just about everything I build generally takes 6 to 9 months (or more) from the spark of the idea, through the design stages, on to the purchase of the parts, and ending with the actual build & flight. So this fits in just right for me. Hopefully I will be able to come up with something interesting enough to be worthy of being chosen.

THANKS so much to Jeroen and Kevin for doing this. Even if I don't "make the cut", I think it's a great idea all around - for the hobby, CTI, the TRF community, and of course the flyers.

clear & windless skies, s6

Oh now you post this, :eyeroll:

EXCELLENT IDEA.....GOOD LUCK TO ALL PARTICIPANTS

WOW --- Jeroen and Troj this is just a fantastic idea!!

N5800 min diam for cert?????

WOW. Fantastic program. And very generous. I'm sure there will be many excellent candidates. Good luck choosing the participants.

I wish I could participate but I won't be 18 (and eligible for my L2) until 2014. Plus, I'm planning on flying an L motor and would feel bad if CTI gave away that big of a CASING. Sounds like a great program and I hope it can continue so that I can participate in a few years.

If I could put in a good word for someone, it would be S6. An excellent (and creative) builder and one of the nicest guys I've met. He hasn't done a build thread yet but I would trust him to put together a nice one.

I'll be following this!

op:
Anyone want some popcorn? I made way too much.

Alex

Thank you Troj and Dr. J!!!

PM sent - and the 15th of January will be a huge date for those that win, I hope I'm one of them.....

G.D.

Why is there a limit on how soon you can compete your rocket?

I have a plan and a few parts made for my level 2, but despite it being less complete than how a kit would come I could easily get it finished in February.

Keep getting nudged about getting my L2 back..I know it's just so I can RSO/LCO. We'll see how the build thread comes out I'm working on. Then I'll think about it.

Nice!!!

Aksrockets said:

....Plus, I'm planning on flying an L motor and would feel bad if CTI gave away that big of a motor.....
Alex

Click to expand...

Why? This is just like their Cert Program where you get the case free with reload, except extended to include the actual reload too. It gets interest in CTI, it gets followers, users, and of course, $$$$ to CTI when people buy the reloads to fill the case that they got free.

The only problem that I had with the Cert Program with my L1 and L2 is that I didn't think it through completely. I went with a safe bet of 38mm 2 grain and 38mm 5 grain. Now I wish I had used the option to get a 54mm for the L2. 54mm 3grain K360 is an awesome cert motor!

Salvage-1 said:

Why? This is just like their Cert Program where you get the case free with reload, except extended to include the actual reload too. It gets interest in CTI, it gets followers, users, and of course, $$$$ to CTI when people buy the reloads to fill the case that they got free.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant case. Asking for a Pro75 4G case ($189) would just feel like cheating. Although, yes it will lead to me buying loads for the case.

Alex

Aksrockets said:

Sorry, I meant case. Asking for a Pro75 4G case ($189) would just feel like cheating. Although, yes it will lead to me buying loads for the case.

Alex

Click to expand...

Keep that feeling and it will serve you well for the rest of your life. You have advanced wisdom young padawan!
Seriously, deals like this are mostly mutually beneficial, no loss on either side, and both gain.

Seems like kind of a tight window for a L3 certification project, or am I just slow?

Well, well. I've been thinking about getting the gear for L1 but have been waiting for a bit. I might have to discuss this with my better 3/4 and see what she thinks. Coming up with the money for NAR/TRA and the L1 kit may be the only issue. What else is new...:eyeroll:

chadrog said:

Seems like kind of a tight window for a L3 certification project, or am I just slow?

Click to expand...

Must be completed by 9/1/13 so starting now you have nearly 9 mos.!!!

Danget. I was halfway through sending the PM, and read the OP a little better:

At the time of submission, and of delivery of the motor, participants must be a current, senior member of the National Association of Rocketry or Tripoli Rocketry Association, and have a certification level one below their requested certification level. Junior members are not eligible to participate.

Click to expand...

Well, danget...
I guess when I turn 18!

Matt

So my question wasn't really answered: why does it have to be done AFTER April?

fyrwrxz said:

Keep getting nudged about getting my L2 back..I know it's just so I can RSO/LCO. We'll see how the build thread comes out I'm working on. Then I'll think about it.

Click to expand...

I think you got your L2 back a few months ago when NAR dropped the re-certify requirement if you let your membership laps for longer than a year.

PM sent.

My Level One cert flight.
https://www.russhall.net/h3-rocketry/l1-cert-flight/

Currently working on my HAM License for tracking electronics,
and next spring I can for see a LOC Big Nuke PK-82 in my future!! :wink:

~Russ
NAR #94760 L1
H3 Rocketry

Huh. Just talked to my wife and she isn't opposed to the idea! She thinks we can come up with the money for a membership, just need to decide which one. The local club is Tripoli so I guess that makes sense, even though most of my flying is LPR and MPR. That also leads me to two questions:

• Do we have to have our membership card at the time of submission or will other documentary proof be sufficient?
• Do we need to have the kit in hand at the time of submission or do we just tell you which one we intend to build?

Inquiring minds want to know! :grin:

Tarasdad said:

Do we have to have our membership card at the time of submission or will other documentary proof be sufficient?

Click to expand...

As the program says, "At the time of submission, and of delivery of the motor, participants must be a current, senior member of the National Association of Rocketry or Tripoli Rocketry Association, and have a certification level one below their requested certification level."

So, you have to be a paid member at the time. That's all that's required, in that regard -- you can join the same day you send in your submission.

Do we need to have the kit in hand at the time of submission or do we just tell you which one we intend to build?

Click to expand...

It does not require you to have the kit on hand, at the time. But the date constraints must be adhered to.

-Kevin

Clarified below - Thanks, Troj!

I was pretty jazzed about the program until I read the part about the rocket being unbuilt as of April 2013 and a completion date of September 1, 2013.

My goal for getting my L2 bird built is much earlier than that and it isn't worth a free reload/case to me to delay it. I hope to take advantage of the current L2 cert special (buy the reload/get the case free)...looking at a J280 for my Steppin' Razor III and yes, of course, it's a tube fin.

Excellent opportunity tho for someone whose project has a more generous timeframe. I look forward to following the build threads.

flying them in the time frame might pose problems if we have another batch of drought conditions like 2012.
rex

Hmmm. Might be time for Papa Elf to get his L3

Some clarifications, based on questions asked....

1) "Current Member" - this is as defined by NAR and Tripoli. They say you're current as soon as you join. So, you can join then submit your proposal 5 minutes later, as you're a current member at that point.

2) Dates - the dates of the program are set to allow the major portion of the flying season for most of the country. The program dates are what they are.

3) "Unbuilt" - The rocket must be in parts form at the time of submission. Modifying or rebuilding an existing rocket doesn't qualify.

-Kevin

Kevin, thanks for the clarification. I was a bit worried as I may be cutting things close to the deadline for submission. Not by choice, but ya gotta do what the finances will allow. As for the timeframe for the build...well, I can sympathize, but at the same time have to be happy that I live where I do. The dates give me plenty of time to save up for the kit, purchase it and then get it built. I'm still looking things over trying to decide whether to go 29mm or 38mm and which rocket to build! Too many choices!!

Tarasdad said:

Not by choice, but ya gotta do what the finances will allow.

Click to expand...

That's one I understand!

I'm still looking things over trying to decide whether to go 29mm or 38mm and which rocket to build! Too many choices!!

Click to expand...

That's the fun part! No matter what you decide to go with, find something that makes you happy.

-Kevin

o1d_dude said:

I was pretty jazzed about the program until I read the part about the rocket being unbuilt as of April 2013 and a completion date of September 1, 2013.

Click to expand...

Rules as I read them are unbuilt as of 1/1/13 and completed between 4/1/13 and 9/1/13.