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Here's a short trip report
I know i'm going to miss a lot of details and screw up names and such, so this will be rather generic
Needless to say, it was quite an event. Doc (Drake Demerau) and NEPRA put on a first class event, no question.
Friday: up early, pack more stuff into that truck than it was meant to hold, but it's a Ford, so it did the job
It was about a 6 hour trip, very easy drive and easy to find the hotel. We got situated in our room then had to unload the truck into the second floor room (man, we got REAL tired of *that* this weekend! LOL)
Up bright and early Saturday to rain. Had no indication of how bad it was going to be or how long it would last, but we loaded the truck back up and went out to the field.
A beautiful field in a lovely part of PA. NEPRA had a good setup with clearly defined areas for launching, vendors, fliers and spectators. The field was already getting soupy so I locked in the hubs before encroaching on the field itself.
Having registered early, we got good seats! Our vendor booth couldn't have been more than 30 feet from the RSO table with the low power pads right in front of us! We were situated between Pratt Hobbies and PerfectFlite. Unfortunately, Doug Pratt couldn't be there as he was caring for an ill family member, but he had friends and family tending his booth. The folks from PerfectFlite were a joy to have as vendor neighbors and it made for a very pleasent stay.
There wasn't much flying as it rained most of the day. There was a clear spot mid-afternoon and the fired up the launching. We got off maybe 20 rockets. HOWEVER, while the flying was way off, the buying was way ON. Seems that if these folks couldn't fly, they figured they may as well buy.
No complaint from me! We started selling kits literally within a second of opening our booth and at times we had customers layered 3 rows deep waiting for their chance to get to the table. It was amazing the way we were greeted there.
I got my Deuce's Wild! kit in the air (my only launch of the day i beleive) and got to see a few others. there wasn't much flying on this day, but some good flights. I got soaked to the bone going to get my Deuce after the flight, but it was worth it.
We took down early (about 3pm) and headed back to the hotel where we could clean up and repack some of our kits for the next day. It was nice that we were able to leave our tent and table on site so that we were' tearing it down as well.
Sunday was the best of the 3 days. We got there early, got set up and met up with Carl and Doug, Nick and several others. It was great to meet Drake after having worked with him for months on our contribution to NSL (the anniversary kit Proconsul) along with several donated kits (Richter Recker, Grissom and Nomad). We also used this as an opportunity to announce two new FlisKits model rocket kits (going up on our site soon). The Rhino (skill level 1, 18mm kit with laser cut fins) and the Drake (a retail version of the Proconsul). Needless to day, Drake was beside himself when I presented him with a gift of a Drake model rocket. The folks from NEPRA commented that it would take weeks for him to come back to normal after that! LOL
I was able to fly several more models, but nowhere near what I had planned on doing. I was hoping to launch the entire fleet of FlisKits models, but there just wasn't enough time with most of Sat and Mon lost to the rain gods. But I did manage to get off the rack of Deuce's (6mm, 13mm, 18mm and 24mm) along with Carl's 38mm Deuce. I hadn't realized what an impact the Deuce had made till I found out someone overheard Trip Barber comment something to the effect "just how many of these things ARE there around here!?" as someone was checking in a Deuce at the RSO table! LOL
38mm Deuce's Wild!
What can I say. It was picture perfect. Without flaw. Awe inspiring. Now, I may be biased, but that launch put every other launch of the weekend to shame (imho). It was breathtaking. There is no doubt that you will see many pictures of that along with several vids. Judge for yourself.
Carl, you have quite a bird there. I am proud to be a part of it and can't thank you enough for the work that you put into that and your enthusiasm for the design and my company. kudo's big guy, kudo's
We saw all sorts of odd balls too, including a "Bender" robot rocket, a traffic cone, space-man up-scales and saucers too numerous to count!
The launch that was the most *fun* for me was the launch of the A.C.M.E. Spitfire. Everyone commented on that one (as you could well imagine) and it is clear that this will be a big hit when released. When I was going to the RSO table, there was a quiet mumbling in the crowed as folks ran off telling their friends that "that crooked rocket is going up!".
The look on the RSO;s face was priceless. I assured him that it was a known stable model and I was in line with a signed RSO slip, ready to go.
I was tickled when I hear a loud chorus behind me of "son of a b****, that thing IS stable!"
When she launched she went up perfectly straight. One frustration was that the ejection charge sounded like a shotgun blast ripping the nosecone from the rocket and actually blowing the nose apart. I repaired in at the hotel that night but the next day she turned in a flight that was more arced than straight. I'm going to rebuild the nose and get her flying straight again!
MOnday: heavy rains and a sloppy field. But it didn't stop the die-hard amoung us. My best flight of the day was the Tres. It turned in a picture perfect flight much to the enjoyment of those who got to see it. That will be another popular kit once released.
That's all I can think of now. I realized that it is biased to much of what I was doing as opposed to NSL in general. I appologize for that, but I was very busy and (unfortunately) didn't get to see all that much more. Other trip reports will help round out the weekend better. I'm receiving a lot of pressure to attend NARAM, so that is being discussed. If we *do* attend, we will plan a special kit announcement there as we did at NSL.
and, beleive it or not, on the SAME day as we return, i have posted my photo album of the event! no, really, I did. I swear! hey, go look for yourself!
https://fliskits.com/photo_album/nsl-2003/nsl_2003.htm
I will had more as it comes to me. Enjoy the photos. A warm and ready thank you to all who stopped by our booth. It was a joy! Beleive me, I am a very pleased individual today. So many new friends, so many new memories!
hugs,
jim
I know i'm going to miss a lot of details and screw up names and such, so this will be rather generic
Needless to say, it was quite an event. Doc (Drake Demerau) and NEPRA put on a first class event, no question.
Friday: up early, pack more stuff into that truck than it was meant to hold, but it's a Ford, so it did the job
It was about a 6 hour trip, very easy drive and easy to find the hotel. We got situated in our room then had to unload the truck into the second floor room (man, we got REAL tired of *that* this weekend! LOL)
Up bright and early Saturday to rain. Had no indication of how bad it was going to be or how long it would last, but we loaded the truck back up and went out to the field.
A beautiful field in a lovely part of PA. NEPRA had a good setup with clearly defined areas for launching, vendors, fliers and spectators. The field was already getting soupy so I locked in the hubs before encroaching on the field itself.
Having registered early, we got good seats! Our vendor booth couldn't have been more than 30 feet from the RSO table with the low power pads right in front of us! We were situated between Pratt Hobbies and PerfectFlite. Unfortunately, Doug Pratt couldn't be there as he was caring for an ill family member, but he had friends and family tending his booth. The folks from PerfectFlite were a joy to have as vendor neighbors and it made for a very pleasent stay.
There wasn't much flying as it rained most of the day. There was a clear spot mid-afternoon and the fired up the launching. We got off maybe 20 rockets. HOWEVER, while the flying was way off, the buying was way ON. Seems that if these folks couldn't fly, they figured they may as well buy.
No complaint from me! We started selling kits literally within a second of opening our booth and at times we had customers layered 3 rows deep waiting for their chance to get to the table. It was amazing the way we were greeted there.
I got my Deuce's Wild! kit in the air (my only launch of the day i beleive) and got to see a few others. there wasn't much flying on this day, but some good flights. I got soaked to the bone going to get my Deuce after the flight, but it was worth it.
We took down early (about 3pm) and headed back to the hotel where we could clean up and repack some of our kits for the next day. It was nice that we were able to leave our tent and table on site so that we were' tearing it down as well.
Sunday was the best of the 3 days. We got there early, got set up and met up with Carl and Doug, Nick and several others. It was great to meet Drake after having worked with him for months on our contribution to NSL (the anniversary kit Proconsul) along with several donated kits (Richter Recker, Grissom and Nomad). We also used this as an opportunity to announce two new FlisKits model rocket kits (going up on our site soon). The Rhino (skill level 1, 18mm kit with laser cut fins) and the Drake (a retail version of the Proconsul). Needless to day, Drake was beside himself when I presented him with a gift of a Drake model rocket. The folks from NEPRA commented that it would take weeks for him to come back to normal after that! LOL
I was able to fly several more models, but nowhere near what I had planned on doing. I was hoping to launch the entire fleet of FlisKits models, but there just wasn't enough time with most of Sat and Mon lost to the rain gods. But I did manage to get off the rack of Deuce's (6mm, 13mm, 18mm and 24mm) along with Carl's 38mm Deuce. I hadn't realized what an impact the Deuce had made till I found out someone overheard Trip Barber comment something to the effect "just how many of these things ARE there around here!?" as someone was checking in a Deuce at the RSO table! LOL
38mm Deuce's Wild!
What can I say. It was picture perfect. Without flaw. Awe inspiring. Now, I may be biased, but that launch put every other launch of the weekend to shame (imho). It was breathtaking. There is no doubt that you will see many pictures of that along with several vids. Judge for yourself.
Carl, you have quite a bird there. I am proud to be a part of it and can't thank you enough for the work that you put into that and your enthusiasm for the design and my company. kudo's big guy, kudo's
We saw all sorts of odd balls too, including a "Bender" robot rocket, a traffic cone, space-man up-scales and saucers too numerous to count!
The launch that was the most *fun* for me was the launch of the A.C.M.E. Spitfire. Everyone commented on that one (as you could well imagine) and it is clear that this will be a big hit when released. When I was going to the RSO table, there was a quiet mumbling in the crowed as folks ran off telling their friends that "that crooked rocket is going up!".
The look on the RSO;s face was priceless. I assured him that it was a known stable model and I was in line with a signed RSO slip, ready to go.
I was tickled when I hear a loud chorus behind me of "son of a b****, that thing IS stable!"
When she launched she went up perfectly straight. One frustration was that the ejection charge sounded like a shotgun blast ripping the nosecone from the rocket and actually blowing the nose apart. I repaired in at the hotel that night but the next day she turned in a flight that was more arced than straight. I'm going to rebuild the nose and get her flying straight again!
MOnday: heavy rains and a sloppy field. But it didn't stop the die-hard amoung us. My best flight of the day was the Tres. It turned in a picture perfect flight much to the enjoyment of those who got to see it. That will be another popular kit once released.
That's all I can think of now. I realized that it is biased to much of what I was doing as opposed to NSL in general. I appologize for that, but I was very busy and (unfortunately) didn't get to see all that much more. Other trip reports will help round out the weekend better. I'm receiving a lot of pressure to attend NARAM, so that is being discussed. If we *do* attend, we will plan a special kit announcement there as we did at NSL.
and, beleive it or not, on the SAME day as we return, i have posted my photo album of the event! no, really, I did. I swear! hey, go look for yourself!
https://fliskits.com/photo_album/nsl-2003/nsl_2003.htm
I will had more as it comes to me. Enjoy the photos. A warm and ready thank you to all who stopped by our booth. It was a joy! Beleive me, I am a very pleased individual today. So many new friends, so many new memories!
hugs,
jim