Best Loc Kit for L1?

[ShadowSpire48]

As stated before, you cannot and will not go wrong with the LOC 4" Goblin. Best advice for certs is low and slow. A Goblin on an H115 or other smaller H MIGHT break 1000ft but that's it. If you build it with wood glue (it will survive just fine), you can fly it on G motors all day long too

 

[Hobie1dog]

Please give us a progress report with pictures.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Well its a decent video, defiantly not need for L2... L2 is nothing but a L1 with a bigger motor mount (unfortunately).

In Tripoli, L2 means you can make and fly research motors. 38 mm mount allows both L1 and L2 motors. If you have something like an EZI-65 with 1/8" fins, replace the fins with 3/16" and it will survive up to K550 motors.

 

[jackiboi_11]

L1 cert first try with a 3" Iris on an Aerotech single-use I280 with JLCR recovery system.
View attachment 610532

Is that spaceport?

 

[kjhambrick]

In Tripoli, L2 means you can make and fly research motors. 38 mm mount allows both L1 and L2 motors. If you have something like an EZI-65 with 1/8" fins, replace the fins with 3/16" and it will survive up to K550 motors.

A level 2 cert is also your ticket into the TRF: [Restricted] Research Sub-Forum which I would like to be able to access for the knowledge base before I start playing with RCS Motor Components and maybe even eventually mixing my own ...

-- kjh

 

[cwbullet]

A level 2 cert is also your ticket into the TRF: [Restricted] Research Sub-Forum which I would like to be able to access for the knowledge base before I start playing with RCS Motor Components and maybe even eventually mixing my own ...

-- kjh

Concur. I would also make sure you have read a little before posting questions there.

 

[kjhambrick]

@cwbullet --

Is there any way to make the sticky threads visible to non-L2 Users so I can read a little before I am eligible to read and post to [Restricted]->Research ?

Thanks !

-- kjh

 

[Porkchap]

Is that spaceport?

I can neither confirm nor deny that at this time.

 

[Rschub]

@cwbullet --

Is there any way to make the sticky threads visible to non-L2 Users so I can read a little before I am eligible to read and post to [Restricted]->Research ?

Thanks !

-- kjh

What CWBullet said. I have been reading everything on there in the month since I got to L2.

1. One of the first things you will read is the suggestion that you find a mentor. This is excellent advice for any activity, especially this one.

2. This is just my feeling that comes from reading threads there from newer people, I think there will not be much enthusiasm for helping you [stranger on the internet] until you somehow become known as a non-idiot. See [1] above for advice on that.

3. I did a lot of reading beforehand to understand the basics and theory by going to Nakka's site, the old Fintel site on the WB machine, playing with the Burnsim program, and a lot of other places that have little tidbits of information. The information on the Restricted generally assumes familiarity with the basics and gets pretty technical. It may not help you all that much. See [1] above.

4. See [1] above.

 

[jackiboi_11]

I caved in and bought both, goblin is done but unpainted and the iris needs external fillets but other than that it is done!

 

[Rschub]

I caved in and bought both, goblin is done but unpainted and the iris needs external fillets but other than that it is done!

So, you came to your senses and made the right choice. Good.... Good.

 

[tsmith1315]

I caved in and bought both

You are one of us now. There’s no turning back!

 

[Gastrok]

I caved in and bought both, goblin is done but unpainted and the iris needs external fillets but other than that it is done!

I just got my L1 yesterday flying a LOC IRIS 4". I used an Aerotech DMS H219 with the delay set to 6 seconds. Perfect flight to about 700 feet.

 

[8kcab]

Would the Athena be a good L1 kit? I have one on order currently.

 

[Rob Campbell]

Would the Athena be a good L1 kit? I have one on order currently.

It'll work just fine.

 

[Rob Campbell]

I caved in and bought both, goblin is done but unpainted and the iris needs external fillets but other than that it is done!

You will be happy with both of those rockets.

 

[Rschub]

I am looking seriously at the 5.5 Loc Goblin because I need something with a 54mm motor mount.

 

[John Kemker]

I am looking seriously at the 5.5 Loc Goblin because I need something with a 54mm motor mount.

As the owner of a LOC 4" Goblin, it has a 54mm motor mount.

 

[Rschub]

As the owner of a LOC 4" Goblin, it has a 54mm motor mount.

Well, I want the 5.5 in version to match my current rockets, and I need another long nosecone.

 

[John Kemker]

Well, I want the 5.5 in version to match my current rockets, and I need another long nosecone.

Kewl.

 

[jackiboi_11]

I am looking seriously at the 5.5 Loc Goblin because I need something with a 54mm motor mount.

Yeah the 4 inch goblin comes with a 54

 

[jackiboi_11]

Oh sorry i just read what you said

 

[jackiboi_11]

You are one of us now. There’s no turning back!

 

[David Sunden]

Would the Athena be a good L1 kit? I have one on order currently.

I flew my Athena on a G106 and it went completely outta sight. I don't know but I'd just want to lob one up and get it back. LOC Mini-Mag (5.5") with a H128 was my L-1 cert flight. Good stable unimpressive flight.

 

[-Slick-Ice]

I did my L1 in an primer gray IRIS-3 with an AT H135 and that was over 2000ft. I could still see the tracking smoke and 36" parachute. I still haven't finished painting it.

The H165R is 161NS of thrust and would put the Athena-3 1300ft. It will definitely work for a L1 flight.

 

[jackiboi_11]

Coming back to this thread... after building the IRIS i took a look at the rail buttons and couldn't help but notice that they "look" to far down on the airframe. I drilled them into the CRs because thats what the instructions were told to do and that's what i saw most people doing. Right now the stabilty on it is a little more than 3 cals without the motor and 3> with the motor. The CG is 139 cm from the top and the CP is 178cm from the top. The top rail button is a couple inches below the CG but I have no idea if that means anything.

 

[-Slick-Ice]

Would the Athena be a good L1 kit? I have one on order currently.

Yes, I have the Athena-3, BBX-2.26 (38mm), and IRIS-3.
The Athena-3 and IRIS-3 are perfect choices for an L1 since they will also fly on a "G" motor. The 29mm only mount in the Athena is a big limiting factor though. My favorite "H" motor (H130W) is 38mm

The LOC-4 and Goblin-4 are also great choices from LOC.

The 4" IRIS is pretty big for a L1 rocket. Mine with electronics bay was close to 10 lbs. The I180 is the least I would fly it on and it needs way more ejection charge than you can fit in the 38mm reload without the floating forward closure. I used the J250 for my L2 and it was not even close to being out of sight.

Both my IRIS-3 and IRIS-4 have the rail button in the centering rings.

 

[kjhambrick]

@jackiboi_11 --

The IRIS is a very stable rocket due to the size of the four fins and mine flew VERY well on an RMS 54/1706 K550W and K1100T motors.

But my 4-inch IRIS was pretty heavy so do be sure you've got enough thrust to get your IRIS moving by the time it reaches the end of your rail.

Opinions vary but IMO, the rail guides should be low on the airframe to give you as much rail as possible before the rocket transitions to free flight.

And if you think about the definition of the Barrowman Center of Pressure, it is the axial location where the net normal force acts on the rocket when the angle of attack is a low angle.

For that reason, I like to place one rail guide at -or- just above the CP and one below it to minimize the torque on the rail buttons when the rocket is sitting on the rail in the wind.

It sounds like what you've got ?

If this is your level 1 rocket then be sure to choose an H or an I motor that gets your IRIS going off the rail ( H550ST or an I500T look like good DMS candidate motors ) ...

my $0.02 ... HTH

-- kjh

 

[jackiboi_11]

@jackiboi_11 --

The IRIS is a very stable rocket due to the size of the four fins and mine flew VERY well on an RMS 54/1706 K550W and K1100T motors.

But my 4-inch IRIS was pretty heavy so do be sure you've got enough thrust to get your IRIS moving by the time it reaches the end of your rail.

Opinions vary but IMO, the rail guides should be low on the airframe to give you as much rail as possible before the rocket transitions to free flight.

And if you think about the definition of the Barrowman Center of Pressure, it is the axial location where the net normal force acts on the rocket when the angle of attack is a low angle.

For that reason, I like to place one rail guide at -or- just above the CP and one below it to minimize the torque on the rail buttons when the rocket is sitting on the rail in the wind.

It sounds like what you've got ?

If this is your level 1 rocket then be sure to choose an H or an I motor that gets your IRIS going off the rail ( H550ST or an I500T look like good DMS candidate motors ) ...

my $0.02 ... HTH

-- kjh

Ah ok, With my weight which is no where near 10 pounds it says it will fly ok on an h219 or h283 coming of the rail a little above 15 meters per second. I’ll re sim in a minute.

 

[kjhambrick]

Ah ok, With my weight which is no where near 10 pounds it says it will fly ok on an h219 or h283 coming of the rail a little above 15 meters per second. I’ll re sim in a minute.

Yes, LOC's .rkt file lists the dry mass as about 5-lbs but YRWV ...

-- kjh