Ando
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2006
- Messages
- 57
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I wasnt planing on launching anything on the fourth. Since mostly I use a larg park and with the possibility of people and my rockets being confused with fire works which is not alowed in city limits it just didnt seem worth the hassle. When a friend invited me out to his parents house to watch fireworks well I couldnt resist. Their house sits in the middle of a large field with about a half mile in all directions. The opertunity was to prime to pass up. Well my rockets didnt fare well. First off was my Estes Viking out of retirement for a last hoora. The Viking has gotten a little beat up and houngy recently which is why it got retired. But I figured with enough CyA and some sanding I could take the bends out of the fiber fins and get them all aligned. Well it worked ugly but flyable. I put the viking up on a C6-7. God speed little rocket. The Viking was lost from sight to everyone before it even reached apogee. Twas a more noble end than being disfigured on the shelf colecting dust.
Next on the pad was my Estes Transwing. It flew perfectly arching over just right do drop the glider. Thats when it got a bit daunting. The glider came down a bit steeper than I would have liked but I have had trouble getting it trimed just right. Unfortunatly the booster part came down and landed right on the rail road tracks runing threw my friends families property. I should say it came down right on one of the tracks. The plastic hook part that holds on the glider broke beyond repair. The good part is I never cared for how that rocket performed so now I have a ready made new rocket all that is required is some fins and a new paint job. The kids enjoyed getting to toss the glider around.
Next up was my Estes Bull Pup on a B6-4. This rocket has been jinxed since day one but the trooper keeps on going. On its first flight ever it was a bit unstable cause not enough nose weight but it recovered perfectly except for the part where it landed on the only rock in the park. Its second flight the chute got tangled and landed hard on some asphault dinging a fin. Today it flew beutifuly straight up deployed at apogee and then the chute didnt open down down down it fell landing hard right on the top of my car. At least that part was a crowd pleaser. When I got to it I realised the reason that the chute didnt open was that the shock cord along with the classic estes cord mount had come out of my rocket. Weird. It has a small amount of damage at the fore of the BT nothing a little CyA or elmers cant fix. I am not sure if this damage is from the landing or from the shock cord mount being riped loose.
Next up was the Sizzler which due to some mounting trepidation on my part I only put up on an A8-3. It flew beautifuly and was a classic flight right down to the landing in a tree part. Fortunatly it was retreavable.
Finaly it was time for my pink fatboy. It flew great on a D12-3 only a slight weather cock with the breeze that came up, deployed apogee and begain to fall. And it fell some more. And then it fell a little bit further. After falling half way to the ground I was begining to panic that my pride and joy would not fare well it was seeming like a terrible day for rockets. The tension of the crowd was thick like jello. And finaly the chute cought enought air to open and the pink fatbor floated to the ground unscathed. That rocket has a flare for the dramatic. Next feeling heartend I put him up on a E9-6. Delay is a little long but not dangerously so. This whole flight was beautiful except it just drifted way to far. I hate haveing to jog (with all the excitement who could walk) after my rockets if I can help it. If it wasnt such a heavy rocket I would use streamers.
All in all it was a good flying day. Even if the rocket gods exacted a heavy toll it was a great day with lots of excitement and laughing people (especialy about using my car as a landing pad).
Next on the pad was my Estes Transwing. It flew perfectly arching over just right do drop the glider. Thats when it got a bit daunting. The glider came down a bit steeper than I would have liked but I have had trouble getting it trimed just right. Unfortunatly the booster part came down and landed right on the rail road tracks runing threw my friends families property. I should say it came down right on one of the tracks. The plastic hook part that holds on the glider broke beyond repair. The good part is I never cared for how that rocket performed so now I have a ready made new rocket all that is required is some fins and a new paint job. The kids enjoyed getting to toss the glider around.
Next up was my Estes Bull Pup on a B6-4. This rocket has been jinxed since day one but the trooper keeps on going. On its first flight ever it was a bit unstable cause not enough nose weight but it recovered perfectly except for the part where it landed on the only rock in the park. Its second flight the chute got tangled and landed hard on some asphault dinging a fin. Today it flew beutifuly straight up deployed at apogee and then the chute didnt open down down down it fell landing hard right on the top of my car. At least that part was a crowd pleaser. When I got to it I realised the reason that the chute didnt open was that the shock cord along with the classic estes cord mount had come out of my rocket. Weird. It has a small amount of damage at the fore of the BT nothing a little CyA or elmers cant fix. I am not sure if this damage is from the landing or from the shock cord mount being riped loose.
Next up was the Sizzler which due to some mounting trepidation on my part I only put up on an A8-3. It flew beautifuly and was a classic flight right down to the landing in a tree part. Fortunatly it was retreavable.
Finaly it was time for my pink fatboy. It flew great on a D12-3 only a slight weather cock with the breeze that came up, deployed apogee and begain to fall. And it fell some more. And then it fell a little bit further. After falling half way to the ground I was begining to panic that my pride and joy would not fare well it was seeming like a terrible day for rockets. The tension of the crowd was thick like jello. And finaly the chute cought enought air to open and the pink fatbor floated to the ground unscathed. That rocket has a flare for the dramatic. Next feeling heartend I put him up on a E9-6. Delay is a little long but not dangerously so. This whole flight was beautiful except it just drifted way to far. I hate haveing to jog (with all the excitement who could walk) after my rockets if I can help it. If it wasnt such a heavy rocket I would use streamers.
All in all it was a good flying day. Even if the rocket gods exacted a heavy toll it was a great day with lots of excitement and laughing people (especialy about using my car as a landing pad).
