Azalea Park Flying Draws KIDS!

[eugenefl]

I hadn't really considered posting this thread for a while. I then thought it would be best to share the purpose of the thread as opposed to "just another day at the park." Over the weekend Jason (jetra2) and I got together to do some BP park flying. Although Jason and I had a great time flying some of our LPR favorites, the enjoyment of our afternoon out was capped off when a group of local kids got in the act. What's interesting to me is that off in the distance they were watching some guy fly his electric R/C park flyer plane. After the first few rockets left the pad, they instantly rode their bikes over to see what we were up to. Needless to say, an instant recovery and rocketry "inspection" crew was formed. What's better, an instant "fire" ignited in their minds. They were curious and asking us questions every step of the way. From igniter and wadding insertion all the way to button press, they were curious as all can be. I/We often forget how exciting rocketry can be, but it only took watching a few kids fighting over who got to "push the button" or who got to catch the rocket as it recovered to remind me.

In this first pic I'm prepping a smaller bird. The kids are checkin' out the goods and handling some of the rockets.

 

[eugenefl]

Looking at this next picture, I also remembered that a father was walking his toddler in the park. They can be seen in the background. After seeing a few rockets lift off, they also came by to ask some questions (well, the father anyways. )

Here's yours truly prepping my Der V-3. It flew great on C11-5s and later on a D12-7. (Little too much delay, but it's all I had to get the kids excited over.)

 

[eugenefl]

Here, Jason can be seen prepping his Sandhawk which flew several times on C11s. In this picture, you can tell darkness was falling upon us. The kids were so excited that they really didn't want us to quit. Some of our flights went just beyond sunset and probably a tad into dusk. Granted, we weren't going to disappoint the youngsters.

 

[KenParker]

You know Eugene, if rocketry can be saved by one or two people, I'm thinking that you and Jason (jetra) are gonna be the ones to do it. Outstanding show, young man !!!! You rank right up their with Frank Uroda on my "current heroes" list.

 

[sandman]

R/C plane are cool and they do get the kids attention...for a while.

But rockets seem to have more of a "Pied Piper" effect.

Maybe 'cvause model rocketeers seem to want to share more...not sure.

It always turns into a "why, what's that do, where do you get those" sessions.

Don't ya just love it?

OH...BTW, Jason, why haven't we seen any more pics of the Sandhawk??? hmmmmmm?

sandman

 

[eugenefl]

Here's a picture of my OOP Estes Helicopter boosting on a C6-3. Take note - this rocket is GREAT around kids as it offers them 2 parts to catch. They seem to get a thrill out of catching rockets. Hey, didn't we all? I know I still do!

 

[eugenefl]

Here's a pic of one of the youngsters assisting me prep the HelioCopter. He was particularly interested in why I was calling the cellulose "dog barf." ...and there's Jason giving a quick smile for the camera.

 

[eugenefl]

In this pic I'm surrounded by the gang while I'm prepping my clone US Army Patriot and explaining clustering. It sports a dual 18mm cluster mount. The kids were particularly "whoa-ed" at the concept of TWO motors. Of course, they had no clue I was only boosting on 2 A8-3s. They thought it was really cool nonetheless.

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by KenParker
You know Eugene, if rocketry can be saved by one or two people, I'm thinking that you and Jason (jetra) are gonna be the ones to do it. Outstanding show, young man !!!! You rank right up their with Frank Uroda on my "current heroes" list.

Ken, I am ever so humbled! Thank you for the kind words. I just wish everyone else saw it like we do. I recall back when the "Tour de Deuce" was announced on one of the other popular forums. A few negative comments were made about how this project could even warrant being called "news" during our rocketry regulated struggles. What's lost in the "clouded" comments is one of the main purposes of this project - to *gain* more exposure in the hobby! At any rate, Jason and I love the hobby enough that we'll share with anyone at any time. We were just thrilled to have some local kids hanging out with us!

 

[eugenefl]

Here's a rather low quality picture of Jason watching over one of the kids handling the controller. Off goes the Quest Falcon.

Estes Command Control controllers are great because they sport the "ARM", "LAUNCH", and official lights and beeps making it all the more "real."

 

[eugenefl]

Here's my Citation Patriot clone doing its "patriotic" thing on the pad. Our local group of TRFers has adopted a new unofficial policy - *any* time we organize for flying, an American Flag will be present and flown. Well, there it is...

 

[eugenefl]

...and finally, an afternoon of flying draws to a close with a final dip of the sun beyond dawn.

Jason and I were accompanied by my girlfriend Shanti (who took our pictures...THANK YOU!) and our dog Marley. He's become quite the rocketry dog.

 

[jflis]

Now, *that's* a great report! man, between this, the TDD and the library display, Ken's right about you two!

Oh and Sandman...? I honestly beleive that I've figured out what *part* of the excitement is about rocketry that R/C airplanes could **never** match...

What happens when a child (let's be reasonable, say 12-14) goes up to an R/C flier and goes to pick up one of his airplanes?

right.

Now, what happens when they venture over to where Eugenio and Jason are flying rockets and they go to pick up one of the rockets?

exactly...

----------------------
Now... let's examine the following two (inevitable??) questions:

"hey mister, can I fly your plane?"

"hey mister, can I launch your rocket?"

Now, don't get me wrong, I **FULLY** understand the reaction of the model R/C'er vrs the model rocketeer. None the less, model rocketry (just by its very nature) is far more *approachable* and *touchable* for the kids than R/C is. It is this level of intamacy that excites them so much. The goal is to keep the flame burning.

 

[n3tjm]

Great Job guys . Jim, doesn't this remind you of the excitment at the last CMASS launch. I was walking around with a big smile on my face... my favorite memory.

Mother with young daughter, she tells the little girl, coaxing her... "Go ahead! Touch the rocket." She extends her finger and tounches the nosecone on my magnum!. The mother hugs her offspring, and says "I am so proud of you, you touched a real rocket!"



This is all great PR people

 

[slim_t]

Just awesome. I really enjoyed reading this thread guys, and all the pics. I had a great day like this a few weeks ago, but didn't take any pictures, just launched rockets. My best friend and his 5 year old son had come out for the first time, and my sister and niece and my kids were along as well. I was so busy showing them everything, that I didn't take any pics. It was a great day of firsts for me and I really regret not taking pics. I launched my first cluster (Deuces Wild, naked), and my first 2 stage. The 2 stage was really great. It was a 3/4 scale Commanche I made from card stock similar to the Midnight Express method and flew it on a C6-0 to C6-7. I made it from card stock, so I wouldn't care if I lost it. I would have too, except, when my friends son went to retrieve the booster, the sustainer landed right by him. We never saw it come down. He just came running back with it. It was however damaged, bent in the middle, and the nose cone had seperated and was lost. I also had my first CATO which I could have done without. It was an old E15 in a scratch rocket. It blew the motor case apart and blew the fins off. But I just cut the bottom few inches off and attached new fins and motor mount. Easy fix.
I also lost my newly completed Stormcaster. Here's a hint for the Stormcaster; stick with the D's, E's are too much, and a smaller chute would help. Mine floated away under a 12" chute after its first flight on an E9. I probably should have went with a smaller motor for its first flight, but I thought I had plenty of room. Just glad I didn't paint it yet. I'll get another one when Hobby Lobby has their sale again, because I did really like it.

I launched 11 rockets in all, burning 13 motors.

My Richter Recker is almost ready to fly, so I'll have another day like this soon, and I'll be sure to get plenty of pics.

slim

 

[daveyfire]

Too cool guys... I wish I could pull something like that off around here. In Orange County, Kaleefohnia (as our new guvernator pronounces it ), we're not allowed to fly rockets without permission from the landowner, fire deparment approval, etc. etc. It's sometimes a pain in the butt when I just wanna go off and launch some of my Estes birds... after I built my AMRAAM, I was itching to fly it for almost 4 months before I got the chance to fly it! Aaagh... oh well, whatchagonna do...

Go Jason and Eugene!