James53
Well-Known Member
Hello, I'm getting back into the rocket hobby after about 54 years. I wasn't that prolific a builder back then because of lack of funds. Coincidentally I now sort of have the same problem as a retiree with a fixed income, but I need a hobby to keep me from just being a couch potato in front of the TV.
Back in the day my crowning achievement as a rocketeer was the 3 stage Estes Astron Farside which I think was only the third rocket I built. I wound up taking it into 9th grade science class and we all went up to the football field to launch it. Luckily it couldn't have turned out any better. It took off straight up, we heard the two pops as the boosters dropped off and lost sight of the third stage. But the chute came into view and it took a long time to land but wound up only about 10 yards away from the launch site…beginners luck, I guess. I got a round of applause from the class and the teacher got all enthused about it and said how he was going to try to start a model rocket club at the school, but nothing ever came of it.
Anyway, I'm trying to decide which kits to get start back in with, but the big question is where to launch them. I know there's a club (Bluesrocks) that has a launch site in Elizabethtown, KY but that's about 90 miles away and at my age I don't care to drive all that much anymore. There are a number of large parks here in Lexington but I'm not sure about what regulations there are. In any event, I’m looking forward to getting back into the hobby and participating in this forum. James
Back in the day my crowning achievement as a rocketeer was the 3 stage Estes Astron Farside which I think was only the third rocket I built. I wound up taking it into 9th grade science class and we all went up to the football field to launch it. Luckily it couldn't have turned out any better. It took off straight up, we heard the two pops as the boosters dropped off and lost sight of the third stage. But the chute came into view and it took a long time to land but wound up only about 10 yards away from the launch site…beginners luck, I guess. I got a round of applause from the class and the teacher got all enthused about it and said how he was going to try to start a model rocket club at the school, but nothing ever came of it.
Anyway, I'm trying to decide which kits to get start back in with, but the big question is where to launch them. I know there's a club (Bluesrocks) that has a launch site in Elizabethtown, KY but that's about 90 miles away and at my age I don't care to drive all that much anymore. There are a number of large parks here in Lexington but I'm not sure about what regulations there are. In any event, I’m looking forward to getting back into the hobby and participating in this forum. James