HERC Launch 9/18/04

[jetra2]

Alrighty, FL TRF members, let's hear if you're coming to this weekend's Hillsborough Exploartory Rocketry Club's September launch! Let's get out and enjoy the nice weather before Jeanne comes barrelin' through! I'll be flying a few things - nothing really special this time around, though. Most notable flight would be my 29mm Big Daddy on an F50-9T to over 2000 feet!

Let's have some fun!

Jason

 

[rock2p]

yea I'm planning on making it out there.

In between helping a neighbor move for a couple hours in the early morning and then working in the afternoon.

and maybe I'll have something painted lol


see you guys there

 

[Zippy]

I'll most likely show up. If it's not too windy Im thinking my Amazon on a H165, the Jayhawk on two F52's and I don't know yet what else.

 

[eugenefl]

I too am also concerned about the wind. I think last month's weather has to be hands down the best rocketry weather we've had in a long time. There was near zero wind at times and the sky was clear and blue. It's too bad the ambient temperature wasn't a few degrees cooler for our own comfort. The good rocket weather certainly made for a stress free day of flying rockets though.

I still haven't decided what I want to fly. I have one of each of the Aerotech propellant formulas in the H impulse range. I just haven't decided which rocket to fly an H in. It's either the Army Patriot or the Der Red Max. I could always load of the DRM with a G80 and 2 E9-Ps too.

The 2.6" dia MAXI-Gyroc will fly on a G40-7W which should be nice and high. The F40 is a good motor for that rocket but a little more altitude is needed and the G40 should give it some more air time. I just hope the flaps stay on! Man I can't wait for the G35W to come back into circulation.

I for one am certainly looking forward to launching some rockets on Saturday after all of these nasty weathered weekends.

 

[brianc]

My son & I are planning to be there (and maybe even the wife- gotta do some
more sweet talkin' first)!

How's the field? Has it been mowed recently or have the hurricane rains
caused the hay to grow hip high? Either case- stock up on the bug repellent!

I'll be bringing my BARnone (that CATO'd there a few months ago) and
my SHX-15B (painted, but in need of decals) and a bunch of LPR stuff. Just
used my Michael's 50% off coupon on a bulk pak of motors for my son's stuff.

Maybe I'll fly the FarScape (paint finally done, but needs decals too).

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by brianc
How's the field? Has it been mowed recently or have the hurricane rains
caused the hay to grow hip high? Either case- stock up on the bug repellent!

I don't think any of us live near the field or have the benefit of just stopping by to check it out. I am anticipating the grass to be relatively high and soggy. Ah well. I'm packing an extra pair of shoes and socks. I'd also recommend the repellent over long pants 'cause the long pants may end up with soggy legs.

Eh, I don't care. I'm flying some rockets tomorrow!

 

[eugenefl]

So, anyone else care to type up a launch report?

First off, I would like to apologize to the folks that drove a ways to come fly with our group today.

What ensued this morning was aweful and I am absolutely embarassed. The field we've been flying at for nearly 4 months, a place Joe (aka letsflyhigh) has been flying at for even longer before he met us, and a place where the general public typically abuses the landowner's property (i.e. - litter/dumping, wreckless driving/joyriding, etc.), was swiftly taken away over a miscommunication early in the day. What is most unfortunate is that a formal agreement was never reached with the landowner - something that was in the works and that should have been done before our attendance started to grow. The miscommunication in question was where we were and were not supposed to park. One of our first members showed up (rock2p and zippy) were instructed - by the leasee/operator of the field no less - to park off of the main entry/exit road because they would be mowing throughout the day. I found this odd because during previous launches we had known to stay off the hay field.

To make a long story short, one of the employees that was running a tractor practically flipped his lid about an hour into the day about us even being there. Mind you, we had previously verbally obtained the endorsement of the landowner and the permission of the field operator during one of our visits to the field (non-club day). Anyways, in the presence of children and a few spectators this employee was beligerent and opposed to any discussion of our being there. He promptly asked us to leave and threatened to call local law enforcement to have us removed. At no point were any of us unwilling. We immediately packed up and left at his request even though the say was not his in whether we could be there or not. I am certain that a letter or some sort of phone call will follow today's experience in the hopes of gaining some clarity as to our future on that field. As it stands, HERC no longer has a field to organize on.

Once again, I apologize to those that came out to spectate or participate. Hopefully we'll obtain a new location again in the near future.

 

[Zippy]

I found it very odd as well. We parked exactly like we had parked everytime before, except on the other side of the entry road becouse they were working the opposite side. The guy didn't really make it clear if we were supposed to move again or not after he was going to do one more pass with the mower near the road. I think this was comming sooner or later no matter what we did since the fellow seemed to have a real bad attitude.
My bad luck didn't stop with loosing the field though, I allso lost my D Region Tomahawk.
On a happier note I did get to find out what that annoying little vibration my van developed on the way to the launch was. I found out doing over seventy when the right front tire exploded. With the help of power steering and power brakes I got it back under control and to the shoulder of the highway. Steel belts everywhere and the aluminum mag rim was ruined. At least I had a spare. It's no fun changing a wheel on the inside shoulder of a super highway tho' I'll tell ya that much.

 

[Dbarrm]

I must say It really sucked to drive up to Tampa from Cape Coral and then be kicked off the field 30 min after I got there. I never got to test fly my Popsicle rocket. Oh well at least I got to meet some members face to face. I did get one launch in. It was also a first time flight but the chute i used was a little to big and it floated away. No big deal. It was just something I put together with extra parts but I liked the way it flew. Not to worry guys, When you get your field set up again ill come up and fly with you again.

Dan

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by Dbarrm
I must say It really sucked to drive up to Tampa from Cape Coral and then be kicked off the field 30 min after I got there. I never got to test fly my Popsicle rocket. Oh well at least I got to meet some members face to face. I did get one launch in. It was also a first time flight but the chute i used was a little to big and it floated away. No big deal. It was just something I put together with extra parts but I liked the way it flew. Not to worry guys, When you get your field set up again ill come up and fly with you again.

Dan

Dan, if it were just a few of us Tampa guys that got booted then I suppose I would be disappointed at having lost the field. My largest dislike for the occurrences of this weekend was that someone other than myself that drove a distance and was disappointed. I've said it a million times before - for me, the rockets used in this hobby comprise of a much smaller percentage of the reasons why I am involved. It's the interactions and people I meet that keep me coming back. To have been treated the way we were on Saturday truly made me angry. It's Monday morning and I am still sick over it. I hated to see you guys leave "empty handed." I just wish we could have finished out the day.

What's unfortunate for us is that we've spent a little over a year trying to find a place that is suitable for us even while at the field we were at. We were all in agreement that the field we were using was our last straw and was to be considered a "backup" at some point. The informal/verbal agreements exchanged with the field owners were on their way to being formalized. (Not that is would have mattered anyways because the guy on that tractor was a complete ________.) At this point we have no choice but to drive to other clubs to do any composite flying.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[Dbarrm]

Again no worries. Im sure you will work things out with the land owner or find a new field. Its probley way to far away but you can always come doen to La Belle and launch with us. Let us know how it goes up there.

Dan

 

[Donaldsrockets]

Originally posted by Dbarrm
Again no worries. Im sure you will work things out with the land owner or find a new field. Its probley way to far away but you can always come doen to La Belle and launch with us. Let us know how it goes up there.

Dan

I agree with Dan 100%. You are more than welcome to come down here and join us for a day of flying without having to worry about geting booted off the field by a grumpy ol' farmer with nothing better to do than complain about everything.

In fact, I'd love to meet some of y'all in person.

Hope to see you there.