I am angry.

[DexterLB]

A month ago the last Bulgarian company for making buyable rocket motors was closed. So the only left choice was to participate in the school rocket club (to get motors, balsa, nose cones, etc which were produced by a goverment company and only schools can buy them) and launch with the club.


So far so good, but yesterday the school director came and said "The goverment has decided to cut the money for school clubs. The rocketry club no longer exists. You can try joining the bike-riding club....." blablabla. So now I am angry with the Bulgarian goverment! They use the money for nonsense, and give nothing to education.

Now there's no place where I can get nose cones, body tubes, and, of course, motors. I get balsa from a model shop in Sofia (40 miles away from here) but I must make my body tubes and nose cones from scratch or order them online. And it's going to be very difficult to get motors here! I've found no company so far that ships motors to bulgaria.

To moderators: I made this thread just to throw out my anger. If you feel that it concerns political subjects, you can remove it.

 

[AKPilot]

No harm or foul in posting what you did. I think it shows how much we take things for granted elsewhere.

I really feel for you, but at the same time, with a global market you'll still have access to all of the necessities. Also, can't a vendor ship motors from other countries close by?

 

[Gillard]

i feel your pain.

In the UK there are no real makers of kits or motors, but there is a quite healthy import form the USA.
With the UK in recession, i don't think it will be too long before my school looks to cutting the expensive extras like rocket motors from my accounts, and i'm not in the position to keep the club running from my expenses alone.

i think there is a company in Italy that ship motors internationally - i don't know if they will ship to you or not - i'll try and find the web link for you.

 

[Gillard]

https://www.sierrafoxhobbies.com/catalog/


try the above - its also in the resourses thread.

 

[Peartree]

Around here the economy stinks and local governments continued to spend like there was no tomorrow. Now cities are facing multi-million dollar shortfalls and can't make payroll. To make ends meet, they are reducing staff in the police and fire departments and Mansfield (30 miles from here) is discussing cutting 911 service (for those not from N. America, 911 service allows residents to access all emergency services, police, fire, bomb squad, ambulance, whatever by calling that three digit number. School children are taught to memorize it in Kindergarten and it saves a lot of lives).

I realize that 911 service cost the city $800,000 per year, and I am all for cutting wasteful spending, but frankly, this isn't one of those things I would cut. The mayor's salary on the other hand...

 

[RangerStl]

(for those not from N. America, 911 service allows residents to access all emergency services, police, fire, bomb squad, ambulance, whatever by calling that three digit number. School children are taught to memorize it in Kindergarten and it saves a lot of lives).

Isn't the British/European equivalent 999?

 

[sandman]

Is mail order of supplies a problem in Bulgaria?

What are the policies for buying something online and having it mailed or shipped or is that cost prohibative?

 

[lessgravity]

One alternative for parts is to build paper rockets. You can reinforce them as you like and fly them. There are many choices to build and even the static models can be converted for flight.
Visit my Ultimate Paper Rocket Guide for the links.
All you need is your computer, a printer, cardstock, hobbyknife and some glue.
Here are a couple of the static models I recently converted for 13mm small field flight.

If it turns out you have no access to motors period....
You can still participate in rocketry. Use the standard 13mm paper models for this ingenious air propelled device.
...or enter the wonderful world of water rockets

just don't give up on rocketry

 

[AKPilot]

Isn't the British/European equivalent 999?

Yea it is!

My wife laughs at 911. She gave me this explanation: so when you're laying on the floor dying and you eventually find the "9" key - you then have to then find the "1" key?

 

[Peartree]

Yea it is!

My wife laughs at 911. She gave me this explanation: so when you're laying on the floor dying and you eventually find the "9" key - you then have to then find the "1" key?

On the other hand, a two year old playing with the phone is much more likely to press three identical keys is succession than one and then two. It would be interesting to see a comparison of the false alarm rates.

 

[CharlaineC]

for two years I ran a model rockerty program for kids who's parents where in iraq or other overseas missions. but out of the blue found my funding had been cut and the hall we used was locked up. no calls no nothing. yet they kept my personal supplys that I had been allowing the kids to use.

 

[n5wd]

My wife laughs at 911. She gave me this explanation: so when you're laying on the floor dying and you eventually find the "9" key - you then have to then find the "1" key?

When the 9-1-1 services were just coming out, a lot of folks called it "9-11". That ran into problems, though, especially when dealing with younger kids who couldn't find the "11" keypad. Now, since the events in 2001, I haven't heard of anyone referrilng to it as 9-11 any more.

 

[n5wd]

...So, we have been applying for grants (fingers crossed) ... The town I live in is home to a few giant science labs, yet not much interaction with the public schools?
(Yes I've asked. I get a speech about how bad the last president was? Not certain what that has to do with anything?)

A suggestion... don't try to sell the lab's management on funding your rocketry program. Find employees of the labs who are parents and/or interested community members and get them involved on a volunteer basis - THEY will sell the program to their management if they think it's worthwhile (we just scored a major coup with a defense contractor exactly that way!).

 

[DexterLB]

Is mail order of supplies a problem in Bulgaria?

What are the policies for buying something online and having it mailed or shipped or is that cost prohibative?

Well as far as I know, "explosives" can't be shipped here by air. I found out about this site in a bulgarian forum, and they say that they can ship motors to here. I shall try ordering. As for cost - yes, you have to pay extra, but not a lot. Somewhere about $10 for this weight.

One alternative for parts is to build paper rockets. You can reinforce them as you like and fly them. There are many choices to build and even the static models can be converted for flight.
Visit my Ultimate Paper Rocket Guide for the links.
All you need is your computer, a printer, cardstock, hobbyknife and some glue.
Here are a couple of the static models I recently converted for 13mm small field flight.

If it turns out you have no access to motors period....
You can still participate in rocketry. Use the standard 13mm paper models for this ingenious air propelled device.
...or enter the wonderful world of water rockets

just don't give up on rocketry

That air propelled thing is cooooool! I *have to* make one!

I have also built water rockets, with success.

Ah, and I will NEVER give up rocketry, believe me

Yea it is!

My wife laughs at 911. She gave me this explanation: so when you're laying on the floor dying and you eventually find the "9" key - you then have to then find the "1" key?

LOL yes that's true. I think the european distress number (112) is a bit easier to dial in that case

Thanks all for the support!

 

[init 6]

Yea it is!

My wife laughs at 911. She gave me this explanation: so when you're laying on the floor dying and you eventually find the "9" key - you then have to then find the "1" key?

No its not sorry to be a pedant, but 999 is UK and 112 is pan EU (in parallel with 999 in the UK). Here's the reason its 999:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/999_(emergency_telephone_number)#History

 

[georgegassaway]

You may also try to contact the country’s organization which handles Space Modeling (rocketry) for FAI competition. Such as the teams that go to the World Championships, and other FAI contests (the 1978 WSMC was held in Bulgaria, BTW). Many of the East European countries have had some good support for this, with activity on the local level as well. I am not saying you have to change from sport flying to get into contest flying, I am saying try to find out more info on them and see if that may be an avenue for obtaining engines and supplies.

I do not know who to contact. But if you do not know of this at all, then I would suggest you contact the “Aero modeling” organization for Bulgaria, whoever it is that handles model airplanes and model helicopters which is also affiliated with the FAI. Because in most countries, the aero-modeling organizations have the responsibility for rocketry too, then often there is a sub-group organization for rocketry only, which the aero-modeling organization allows to run the FAI rocketry portion.

For example in the U.S., it goes like this:

NAA - National Aeronautic Association - Authorized by FAI to represent the U.S. in all aerospace areas covered by the FAI.

AMA - Academy of Model Aeronautics - Authorized by NAA to represent the U.S. in all “model” areas covered by the FAI.

NAR - Authorized by AMA to represent the U.S. in all “Rocket” (Space Modeling) areas covered by the FAI.

Authority-wise from top to bottom it is:
FAI -> NAA -> AMA -> NAR

So, while you may not know what the Bulgarian equvalent of the NAR is, you can probably find your equivalent of the AMA, and go from there.

EDIT - I realize now, that perhaps the cut government funding for rocket clubs you mentioned might actually be part of the program that supports FAI Spacemodeling too. Still, you might want to try to reach the Bulgarian "Space Modeling" organzation.

- George Gassaway

 

[bobkrech]

Organisation :
NATIONAL AERO CLUB OF BULGARIA

Address :
Po Box 86
1619 SOFIA
Bulgaria

Email :
[email protected] or [email protected]

Telephone :
+359 2 857 6013 or +359 88 857 3020

Fax :
+359 2 857 6013

 

[DexterLB]

Organisation :
NATIONAL AERO CLUB OF BULGARIA

Address :
Po Box 86
1619 SOFIA
Bulgaria

Email :
[email protected] or [email protected]

Telephone :
+359 2 857 6013 or +359 88 857 3020

Fax :
+359 2 857 6013

Ah, the NATIONAL AERO CLUB OF BULGARIA do nothing about rocketry. Now they only organize stuff about other air-model hobbies.

 

[bobkrech]

Ah, the NATIONAL AERO CLUB OF BULGARIA do nothing about rocketry. Now they only organize stuff about other air-model hobbies.

Dexter

The FAI sponsors the World SpaceModeling Championships.

https://www.fai.org/aeromodelling/space

As George Gassaway wrote earlier in this thread, the 1978 World SpaceModeling Championship was held in Bulgaria, so the FAI folks I refered you to should be able to put you in contact with the Bulgarian FAI rocket community.

Bob

 

[dr wogz]

I once had an interesting g’911’ incident.

The cops showed up at work one day, and I just happened to be at reception. They came in, threatening that this was the umpteenth time they’ve responded to a false 9-1-1 call from this location.

It turns out, someone was sending a fax, overseas.. (and this apparently happens quite often in companies)

They dialed 9 to get out of the building, then dialed 1 for long distance, then 1 for international, then proceeded with th rest of the number. They forgot the 0 before the first ‘1’. So that dialed directly to 9-1-1, and had the cops a coming. And there is no way to hang up once you’ve realized you’ve made the mistake..

 

[georgegassaway]

Ah, the NATIONAL AERO CLUB OF BULGARIA do nothing about rocketry. Now they only organize stuff about other air-model hobbies.

Try anyway, with one of the e-mail links Bob Krech posted. They may not do rocketry, but as Bulgaria's "modeling" link to FAI, they should know who DOES do the rocketry (space modeling) portion in Bulgaria. As I mentioned in my message, in the US it is FAI to NAA to AMA to NAR. Technically, the AMA is in charge of all aero modeling aspects of FAI, but they allow the NAR to do the rocket part.

So, most model rocketeers in the U.S. would never think that the AMA is involved with rockets, but technically they are, even if all they now do is let the NAR do it (sub-contracting it to the NAR). I think this may be the case in Bulgaria too, you might think the NACB only does planes, but technically they are allowing a rocket group to handle the rocket part. But even if NACB is not doing rockets, somebody there should be able to tell you how to get in touch with who DOES do the rocket part of FAI.

I take note that you did say “Now they only organize stuff about other air-model hobbies.”. I hope by saying "Now", this does not mean that they used to, but dropped rocketry completely and there is nobody else who runs it, so that FAI rocketry might be gone. I am realizing here that in one sense we are trying to help you get more information you may not be aware of, yet on the other hand you might actually be talking about the FAI part too and we are not understanding that.

I will say that the Bulgarian Spacemodeling team did attend the 2008 WSMC in Spain last August.

- George Gassaway

 

[georgegassaway]

Here is an update. The name for the National Aeroclub of Bulgaria is:

Bulgarian Aeromodelling Federation. Website is:

https://www.baf.hit.bg/

I used Google translate to see the page. Using the link named (by Google) as “Racing Disciplines” (link under the calendar, or 4th link), it lists the FAI events they are involved with, such as F1 for Free Flight, and F3C for R/C Helicopters, and even F7 for lighter than air models.

The last one is #11, “S - Missiles”. Which is supposed to mean rockets.

Unfortunately, there is no link to a web page for rocketry. But, again, you should contact them to find out about FAI rocketry, which may give you leads on obtaining engines.

- George

 

[DexterLB]

Ok. I will try to contact them and post if they answer, but I don't think they will.

Ah, and "Ракети" doesn't mean missiles, it means "Model rockets". I didn't know about this site, thanks for googling!

 

[DexterLB]

I ordered a 10pk of C6-5 and a 10pk of B4-4 from Lindinger. They sat it'll be delivered for 5 days. the order is now "in process"

 

[sandman]

I ordered a 10pk of C6-5 and a 10pk of B4-4 from Lindinger. They sat it'll be delivered for 5 days. the order is now "in process"

Be sure to let us know how it turns out.

 

[DexterLB]

Correction: in the last e-mail they say that they've sent the motors, but it takes 5 days only for Germany and Austria. For Bulgaria it's two weeks. E-mail attached.

View attachment e-mail_from_lindinger.txt

 

[Pem Tech]

https://www.modelrockets.co.uk/shop/ seems to have motors in stock.

 

[DexterLB]

The motors have just arrived. I'm pretty happy with the order - it was very cheap, cery well packaged, and shipped only in a week.

The only bad thing is that there aren't any igniters. Just fuses.

 

[spacecadet]

Yes, the SF motors always come without electric igniters so you have to budget for those. Hope you've got lots of spares.
Unless of course your own personal safety code allows the use of blue touchpaper.

 

[dave carver]

..or you can make your own

Many threads here on how to do that, maybe someone here could send you a small amount of Nickle chromium wire to help you out