Build Thread - Scratchbuilt Level 3 Prototype + DD-converted PML X-Calibur

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Phoenix made its first flight with the new parachute last weekend on a J415W. It was not entirely successful, with the pilot chute's shroud lines tangling with the main parachute's shroud lines and preventing the main from opening completely.

One of the TAP members I am working with for my level 3 noted the problem seemed to be that the bag let go too quickly and everything kind of dumped out of the tube together, enabling the tangle, and gave me some pointers for keeping the bag closed until it's away from the rocket and the pilot chute has a chance to actually start pulling on it. I will be spending some time over this month until the next launch practicing and testing the packing method he showed me.

Pictures and flight data from the Raven3 will be forthcoming later today.
 
Phoenix made its first flight with the new parachute last weekend on a J415W. It was not entirely successful, with the pilot chute's shroud lines tangling with the main parachute's shroud lines and preventing the main from opening completely.

One of the TAP members I am working with for my level 3 noted the problem seemed to be that the bag let go too quickly and everything kind of dumped out of the tube together, enabling the tangle, and gave me some pointers for keeping the bag closed until it's away from the rocket and the pilot chute has a chance to actually start pulling on it. I will be spending some time over this month until the next launch practicing and testing the packing method he showed me.

Pictures and flight data from the Raven3 will be forthcoming later today.
The small rubber bands that he suggested to wrap around the Kevlar should do it.
 
The end of the tube turned out good. The bottom of the fin I missed. Still it held up well for a 15 pound rocket hitting the ground.
The small rubber bands that he suggested to wrap around the Kevlar should do it.
Phoenix made its first flight with the new parachute last weekend on a J415W. It was not entirely successful, with the pilot chute's shroud lines tangling with the main parachute's shroud lines and preventing the main from opening completely.

One of the TAP members I am working with for my level 3 noted the problem seemed to be that the bag let go too quickly and everything kind of dumped out of the tube together, enabling the tangle, and gave me some pointers for keeping the bag closed until it's away from the rocket and the pilot chute has a chance to actually start pulling on it. I will be spending some time over this month until the next launch practicing and testing the packing method he showed me.

Pictures and flight data from the Raven3 will be forthcoming later today.
Good job. On the fin repair will you run another fillet? I have to fix my Nike-X. 😁
 

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The end of the tube turned out good. The bottom of the fin I missed. Still it held up well for a 15 pound rocket hitting the ground.

Good job. On the fin repair will you run another fillet? I have to fix my Nike-X. 😁

It's hard to see in that picture, but I actually did apply another fillet. The cracked area is coated in epoxy, and the West System I use should be thin enough for the epoxy to run into the crack and fill gaps.
 
I practiced tying up the main parachute for bag deployment. After the mishap last month, my goal this month is to get a good bag deployment from this rocket. I will be flying with MDRA this weekend at the Sod Farm with a J315R motor. If this goes well, I am hoping to fly at Higgs on a K540M next month.

20211109_110234.jpg
 
I practiced tying up the main parachute for bag deployment. After the mishap last month, my goal this month is to get a good bag deployment from this rocket. I will be flying with MDRA this weekend at the Sod Farm with a J315R motor. If this goes well, I am hoping to fly at Higgs on a K540M next month.

View attachment 489335
About how much time does it take to do this step? This looks very good John.
The Estes Solo picture looks like an Advertisement for Estes. :)
 

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About how much time does it take to do this step? This looks very good John.
The Estes Solo picture looks like an Advertisement for Estes. :)

It's a bit quicker than I thought... it only adds maybe 15 minutes to the normal packing process. It would probably add more time to a bigger parachute with more bands needed.

I do like that picture. Thanks for posting it.
 
I gives the rocket a short boost you mean? That is awesome.

Hmm, since they are downward-pointing spikes, it's more likely a little bit of ejection gas is getting into the electronics bay and causing a tiny pressure spike that makes it think it's lower than it is for a brief moment.
 
Hmm, since they are downward-pointing spikes, it's more likely a little bit of ejection gas is getting into the electronics bay and causing a tiny pressure spike that makes it think it's lower than it is for a brief moment.
Got it. Thanks
 
Hmm, since they are downward-pointing spikes, it's more likely a little bit of ejection gas is getting into the electronics bay and causing a tiny pressure spike that makes it think it's lower than it is for a brief moment.
Exactly.
On my first DD I didn't seal the rear Ebay opening and the Apogee drogue charge increased the the ebay pressure enough to set off the Main charge due to Altimeter seeing a lower altitude.

Be sure to fully seal the rear ebay openings.
 
Mostly successful flight to 4728 feet and 520 mph. The thing is, the clouds were much lower than I thought and the rocket flew past the cloud ceiling and no one saw it again until it was already back on the ground. I am not sure if the parachute opened fully or not, but if I had to guess I would say probably not.

Regardless, the rocket is undamaged and accomplished the objective of defeating the K540M that destroyed its predecessor. This concludes my level 3 test program. I plan to premier the Seraphim (my level 3 rocket) on January 8-9 at the Higgs Farm for a shakedown flight on a K1000T.

Phoenix, K540M, 12-18-21.jpg
 
Mostly successful flight to 4728 feet and 520 mph. The thing is, the clouds were much lower than I thought and the rocket flew past the cloud ceiling and no one saw it again until it was already back on the ground. I am not sure if the parachute opened fully or not, but if I had to guess I would say probably not.

Regardless, the rocket is undamaged and accomplished the objective of defeating the K540M that destroyed its predecessor. This concludes my level 3 test program. I plan to premier the Seraphim (my level 3 rocket) on January 8-9 at the Higgs Farm for a shakedown flight on a K1000T.

View attachment 495277
Congrats to you John on a great flight. Wish I was there. 472 feet shy of one mile is impressive. Is about 120 pounds of thrust output correct that I calculated? How much of a Window did they give all of you?
 
Congrats to you John on a great flight. Wish I was there. 472 feet shy of one mile is impressive. Is about 120 pounds of thrust output correct that I calculated? How much of a Window did they give all of you?

That's correct about the thrust... if you're talking about the waiver, it was 15,000 feet. However, the cloud ceiling was only at 3000 feet, so even if it was legal to fly them, there weren't good conditions for high flights like that, but I honestly thought the clouds were higher than that. I guess I need to work on judging cloud ceilings.
 
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