blackbrandt
That Darn College Student
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2012
- Messages
- 9,281
- Reaction score
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Well, after waiting for months on end for the launch date to arrive, I have finally achieved my Level 1 Certification. 
I'd like to start off this post with a MAJOR shoutout to Bridgett Haislip, Brent Bierstedt, and anyone else out there who helped me over the course of my prep and launch. Also, major credits to Claudia (the girlfriend) who stood out there in the freezing rain to watch me launch 1 measly I motor.
It all started Friday, when my dad looked at the forecast and saw a large chance of rain on Sunday, of course. We kept our fingers crossed.
We woke up early today to reports of rain at the field. I called Ken at the field, who said that the launch was a go. We loaded everything up in the truck and started the 3 hour drive to the field, where it rained on and off the whole time. I got a bit nervous that I would have to scrub the launch and wait a few more months for another launch, maybe even LDRS, which I didn't want to do.
So, we get to the field (keep in mind it's about 40 degrees and drizzling), where there's a nice cluster of about 5 cars, and everyone huddled around their heaters. I hop out and ask if I can launch just 1 flight. They agree, and tear down the rest of the range, leaving me 1 pad for my flight.
I go to set up a few things on my rocket. But, my masking tape decides to puke on me. It won't stick to anything. Someone, not sure who, gives me a roll of duct tape. I proceed to use duct tape and zip ties for everything. It worked very well.
I prep all my charges. Takes me 3 times to prep my main charge because I can't feel my fingers.
Rocket is completely ready to go to the pad. And of course, it starts raining. I pick out my motor. I would have done it on a Loki load, but I didn't have a fast enough motor in my Loki 240 case, so I decide to put in my CTI Pro38 3G. Now, I got this motor from Jim S a while back at LDRS. I could have SWORN it said it was an I212, which was a nice Smokey Sam. No assembly, so I throw it in the rocket. While we wait, we huddle under our tent and watch the radar. There's a window that will appear in about 10 minutes, and that's my launch time. So we wait, and when the rain starts to die, I run this rocket out to the launch pad. I load it up, and turn on the gopro. Which is dead.
I run back to the tent, grab a new battery, throw it in, and I'm ready for flight. RRC3 is chirping nicely, Eggfinder coordinates showing, and I'm ready!
They let me hit the button. I give the countdown... 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! I hit the button.
Remember how I said I thought it was an I212? Well, my brain immediately got confused when I hit the button and saw this:
Turns out it was an I180-SK. Nice lobbing flight up to about 1500 feet or so, where the drogue charge proceeds to give half of us hearing damage. Might have gone a bit overkill, but oh well. I wasn't taking any chances.
And then the horrid wait for the main chute. We wait. And wait. And wait. And that rocket (drogueless) is coming in lower, and lower....
And then the charge blows. Short walk, only about 200 feet or so.
At this point, we're all ready to go. Everyone else goes to break down the remaining launch equipment, and I run out to the rocket. PERFECT recovery. I even stuck the landing with the nose cone. Someone signs off my L1 form. As I sign it, my hands are so cold that the signature is more or less just a few scribbles that vaguely resemble my name. But it counts. And I have successfully achieved my Level 1
Again, MAJOR thanks to everyone on the field.
Now to start planning the Level 2 flight.....
I'd like to start off this post with a MAJOR shoutout to Bridgett Haislip, Brent Bierstedt, and anyone else out there who helped me over the course of my prep and launch. Also, major credits to Claudia (the girlfriend) who stood out there in the freezing rain to watch me launch 1 measly I motor.
It all started Friday, when my dad looked at the forecast and saw a large chance of rain on Sunday, of course. We kept our fingers crossed.
We woke up early today to reports of rain at the field. I called Ken at the field, who said that the launch was a go. We loaded everything up in the truck and started the 3 hour drive to the field, where it rained on and off the whole time. I got a bit nervous that I would have to scrub the launch and wait a few more months for another launch, maybe even LDRS, which I didn't want to do.
So, we get to the field (keep in mind it's about 40 degrees and drizzling), where there's a nice cluster of about 5 cars, and everyone huddled around their heaters. I hop out and ask if I can launch just 1 flight. They agree, and tear down the rest of the range, leaving me 1 pad for my flight.
I go to set up a few things on my rocket. But, my masking tape decides to puke on me. It won't stick to anything. Someone, not sure who, gives me a roll of duct tape. I proceed to use duct tape and zip ties for everything. It worked very well.
I prep all my charges. Takes me 3 times to prep my main charge because I can't feel my fingers.
Rocket is completely ready to go to the pad. And of course, it starts raining. I pick out my motor. I would have done it on a Loki load, but I didn't have a fast enough motor in my Loki 240 case, so I decide to put in my CTI Pro38 3G. Now, I got this motor from Jim S a while back at LDRS. I could have SWORN it said it was an I212, which was a nice Smokey Sam. No assembly, so I throw it in the rocket. While we wait, we huddle under our tent and watch the radar. There's a window that will appear in about 10 minutes, and that's my launch time. So we wait, and when the rain starts to die, I run this rocket out to the launch pad. I load it up, and turn on the gopro. Which is dead.
I run back to the tent, grab a new battery, throw it in, and I'm ready for flight. RRC3 is chirping nicely, Eggfinder coordinates showing, and I'm ready!
They let me hit the button. I give the countdown... 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! I hit the button.
Remember how I said I thought it was an I212? Well, my brain immediately got confused when I hit the button and saw this:
Turns out it was an I180-SK. Nice lobbing flight up to about 1500 feet or so, where the drogue charge proceeds to give half of us hearing damage.
Might have gone a bit overkill, but oh well. I wasn't taking any chances. And then the horrid wait for the main chute. We wait. And wait. And wait. And that rocket (drogueless) is coming in lower, and lower....
And then the charge blows. Short walk, only about 200 feet or so.
At this point, we're all ready to go. Everyone else goes to break down the remaining launch equipment, and I run out to the rocket. PERFECT recovery. I even stuck the landing with the nose cone.
Someone signs off my L1 form. As I sign it, my hands are so cold that the signature is more or less just a few scribbles that vaguely resemble my name. But it counts. And I have successfully achieved my Level 1 Again, MAJOR thanks to everyone on the field.
Now to start planning the Level 2 flight.....
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