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techrat

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I am interested in a larger rocket event, just want to attend and see something. However, I'm in New Jersey! It seems like all the good stuff is at least 1000 miles from me. MDRA hosts "Red Glare" in Maryland, which *is* close by, but that won't be until April of 2023... Thinking of flying to Kansas in Sept and then renting a car... it's either that or spend more than a day driving (I think it's cheaper to fly).

Anyhow, the question is: Does anyone know of a decent event nearer to the East Coast other than Red Glare? Asking for a friend ;-)
 
Tripoli Central VA (battlepark.org) usually has a multi-day event around Halloween weekend at the end of October. (I haven't attended yet.)
 
During the summer months, MDRA launches from a sod farm until the crops at Higgs Farm are havested. After that, all of the launches at Higgs are 2-day events, and they are awesome. Red Glare is a 3-day event, and it's worth the wait.

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I am interested in a larger rocket event, just want to attend and see something. However, I'm in New Jersey! It seems like all the good stuff is at least 1000 miles from me. MDRA hosts "Red Glare" in Maryland, which *is* close by, but that won't be until April of 2023... Thinking of flying to Kansas in Sept and then renting a car... it's either that or spend more than a day driving (I think it's cheaper to fly).

Anyhow, the question is: Does anyone know of a decent event nearer to the East Coast other than Red Glare? Asking for a friend ;-)

Do you go to Metra? Just across the border in Pine Island NY. Turnout is usually pretty good and we fly up to L’s and M’s there occasionally. I plan on flying a full L there this weekend if the weather doesnt ruin the launch,
 
During the summer months, MDRA launches from a sod farm until the crops at Higgs Farm are havested. After that, all of the launches at Higgs are 2-day events, and they are awesome. Red Glare is a 3-day event, and it's worth the wait.
I was also going to suggest to attend any one of MDRA's launches. Either at the Sod Farm or Higgs farm. There always is some nice HPR's launched and makes a nice day trip from NJ.

Red Glare just has more flights over three days and then a few really big rockets.
However, if you've never seen larger than G-H motors light then any of their launches will not disappoint.
I did make it to Red Glare this year and the first J motor launched was spectacular.
 
I am with CENJARS, who also launch 1st Sunday of the Month, but I'll have to attend a Metra *very soon* on a Saturday at least to see the fun. At Cenjars, we are limited to F or G at best, but I think as I start prepping for L1 in 2023 or 2024, I'll have to come to Metra to test out my larger rockets. If I'm going to fly a Zephyr, I need either the biggest 29mm motor or the smallest 38mm to at least give the damn thing a shakedown flight before I make an L1 attempt.

Good to know, and I'll definitely be around for September's launch without fail.
 
I am with CENJARS, who also launch 1st Sunday of the Month, but I'll have to attend a Metra *very soon* on a Saturday at least to see the fun. At Cenjars, we are limited to F or G at best, but I think as I start prepping for L1 in 2023 or 2024, I'll have to come to Metra to test out my larger rockets. If I'm going to fly a Zephyr, I need either the biggest 29mm motor or the smallest 38mm to at least give the damn thing a shakedown flight before I make an L1 attempt.

Good to know, and I'll definitely be around for September's launch without fail.
Your shakedown flight will be a G motor,as you cannot fly a H or I until your actual certification attempt, so...might as well make your "shakedown" flight the actual certification attempt.
 
Your shakedown flight will be a G motor,
That's fine by me, considering that "E" is currently the biggest thing that I fly (my avatar over on the left is my Big Daddy on an E12); but I am going to push the limit of 24mm before the winter, and then next year work on a 29mm version of the same rocket, push that as far as 29mm goes and then start building an L1 rocket. So, either late 2023 or early 2024 I'll be thinking L1 as a serious possibility.
 
MDRA's launches are great, both at the summer sod farm and in the winter/spring at Higgs. Definitely put Red Glare on your calendar!
 
I did in the Red Glare thread back in April. This was also the inspiration to get L1 cert.
Planning on joining MDRA next year, 2023, and get to a few launches to fly H and I's in some of the rockets I have been flying G's. Then maybe do L2 later next year.

I'm in the PARA NAR section 520 club north of Phily. We can only fly Class 1 rockets there due to field size. I do fly everything from 13mm 1/2As to G76s including a 2-stage with composite 2nd stage airstart. We don't have a hard altitude limit but anything over 2000' makes recovery iffy due to woods with tall trees.
 
Just another anecdotal story in support of MDRA. This year I attended my first Red Glare, and until then the largest motor I had seen was a J, I believe. By the end of the day, there had been so many M launches that they were starting to become old-hat already. :)
 
Isn't that the truth.

I was there Friday and Saturday. Friday was overcast and windy so waver was capped at 3000'.
One of the impressive flights on Friday was a smallish rocket on a CTI F120. Not very high but big noise and fast acceleration off the pad.
 
I am with CENJARS, who also launch 1st Sunday of the Month, but I'll have to attend a Metra *very soon* on a Saturday at least to see the fun. At Cenjars, we are limited to F or G at best, but I think as I start prepping for L1 in 2023 or 2024, I'll have to come to Metra to test out my larger rockets. If I'm going to fly a Zephyr, I need either the biggest 29mm motor or the smallest 38mm to at least give the damn thing a shakedown flight before I make an L1 attempt.

Good to know, and I'll definitely be around for September's launch without fail.

G79W is a good shake down flight on a Zephyr. Or the G64W or G76G if you want to try RMS. I did my L1 on a Zephyr up in CT. L2 at Red Glare and L3 at Higgs Farm during one of their winter launches. Definitely say hi if you swing up to Metra. Ill have this thing up there either this weekend or in Sept.

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227B4C82-36C2-4E6A-8EBC-E2FD841BC029.jpeg
 
Near Dalzell, SC is the Freedom Launch, a 3 day launch over Labor Day weekend. NSL 2022 went well. Closest motels are in Sumpter.
 
I'm in agreeance with rharshberger on the relative uselessness of a shakedown flight. Build and shakedown a few F and G rockets, more or less as needed to get comfortable with the construction and the impulse. Then kick the L1 cert flight's butt. :)

Another vote for making the pilgrimage to Geneseo NY. The MARS club launches at the National Warplanes Museum flying field.
 
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Do you go to Metra? Just across the border in Pine Island NY. Turnout is usually pretty good and we fly up to L’s and M’s there occasionally. I plan on flying a full L there this weekend if the weather doesnt ruin the launch,
JOHNNY! Should I be prepared to hide under the table when I push the button?

just kiddn' your flights are usually spectacular. No hitting the pad! Can't wait to see it fly!
 
Your shakedown flight will be a G motor,as you cannot fly a H or I until your actual certification attempt, so...might as well make your "shakedown" flight the actual certification attempt.
That's exactly how I got my L1. Kept it simple, single deploy no electronics. Now I that I've crossed that hurdle, I'm going to go to electronic deploy, then dual with a stronger motor.
 
JOHNNY! Should I be prepared to hide under the table when I push the button?

just kiddn' your flights are usually spectacular. No hitting the pad! Can't wait to see it fly!

I jinxed myself and called in the weather gods with my stupid weather comment.... :-(
 
GO WEST YOUNG MAN!

Horace Greeley was right all along. Put on your Cowboy boots and hat. Load up your O or bigger motor and become a Space Cowboy. Leave the East and the rocket eating trees behind. Sing along with Buster Scruggs. :)
 
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Sunrise in Wyoming. The real silos are about 30 miles away to the South, about the same distance to town to the West. Nearest tree would be 25 miles yonder and only a few short ones are down by the creek. Rocket performance is better at 8000 feet of elevation. All the neighbors, like three of them, come from miles around to see what's up. Like to chat a long time and have coffee. Seems like they haven't seen anyone in a while. With the real silos so close I say "We better call Vladimir when we launch the big home brews, he is kinda grumpy theses days, itchy trigger finger." The antelope like the big motors, at a safe distance of course.

And it just keeps getting better the farther West you go. Utah, Nevada and so on. Then you put the cassette in the 8 track and listen to that sweet ole refrain "Agian I'll touch the Green Green grass of home..." No chance of rain today. :)
 
Spring though fall in Bayboro. 7 square MILES of launch/recovery area, mostly devoid of trees. The Black Rock of the East Coast.
 
Isn't that the truth.

I was there Friday and Saturday. Friday was overcast and windy so waver was capped at 3000'.
One of the impressive flights on Friday was a smallish rocket on a CTI F120. Not very high but big noise and fast acceleration off the pad.

Yellow and purple rocket? That was me, I burned 3 or 4 of those this time. I buy F120Vmax 1 grain 29mm loads just for that rocket whenever I can snatch them up by the handful. My last buy was an order of 15 of 'em!

That little DarkStar mini goes from pad to 1500ft pretty darn fast....blink and you'll miss it!
 
Random question from an ignorant east coast lifer: If I ever find myself in the western states like NV, CO, WY, etc etc with some LP and maybe even MP rockets, are there public-use lands and/or parks where I could launch to my heart's content? Over the years, I've observed (mainly through various YouTube videos) incredibly large, open, and flat grass fields where any number of my hobby interests involving rocketry or aviation could be done. What's the deal?
 

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