- Joined
- Feb 22, 2017
- Messages
- 191
- Reaction score
- 17
This Saturday I had a successful launch for my NAR Level 1 cert.
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone here on the forum who offered advice and answered my questions over the last few months. I've really learned a lot since I re-discovered the hobby, and look forward to the many more exciting things to come.
The Details:
I flew a 2.6" Madcow DX3 on a single-use AT H135W.
My first flight of the morning was not a success: the ejection charge went off almost immediately after (possibly during) the burn. It tore the nomex blanket clean off the kevlar shock cord and thrashed the chute - it held on by a single shroud line. Rocket fell from 1800 feet to the dry lake bed without any other damage. The helpful cub director (thanks Gregg!) who observed me drill the delay, prep my rocket and witness the launch suspected motor malfunction.
It's not the first brush with mortal peril this rocket has had. On its maiden launch a few months ago, the wind was a bit "aggressive" and dragged it over a half mile across the lakebed. If not for the scrub on the other side of the highway, it would have kept on going. Needless to say, this is one tough bird. 99% wood glue too. Rocket earned its name that day: "Road Rash".
So after scraping off some (but not all) of the lakebed dirt, I put on another nomex, packed it full of dog barf for good measure, attached a new chute, and with a fresh motor was back on the pad within in an hour. 3090', good deployment, and other than a bit of a hike to pick it up, I had my papers signed and was in the high power club.
Next up: going for my 5280 stripe in the LOC Vulcanite I recently completed. (I had contemplated flying this one for my L1 but felt like good 'ol Rash deserved the shot).
Edit: here are the actual stats from the flight from my JL Altimeter 3. Interesting fact: my Open Rocket sim said the optimal delay was 10.9 seconds. I drilled it to 12. According to this, it ejected at exactly 10 seconds - .6 seconds too soon. So OR was almost right on the money with the sim. Also proves what I have been told that delay times have a tolerance of +/- 2 seconds...
Max altitude 3091 ft
Date 9/9/2017 11:11 AM
Mode Rocket
Duration 2 mins 17 secs
Notes H135 W Level 1 cert flight
Thrust time 1.75 secs
Max speed 445 mph
Peak accel 16.00 Gs
Avg accel 11.56 Gs
Ejection delay 10.00 secs
Coast-Apogee 10.60 secs
Apogee-Eject -0.60 secs
Ejection altitude 3062 ft
Initial descent 25 fps
Landing speed 25 fps
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone here on the forum who offered advice and answered my questions over the last few months. I've really learned a lot since I re-discovered the hobby, and look forward to the many more exciting things to come.
The Details:
I flew a 2.6" Madcow DX3 on a single-use AT H135W.
My first flight of the morning was not a success: the ejection charge went off almost immediately after (possibly during) the burn. It tore the nomex blanket clean off the kevlar shock cord and thrashed the chute - it held on by a single shroud line. Rocket fell from 1800 feet to the dry lake bed without any other damage. The helpful cub director (thanks Gregg!) who observed me drill the delay, prep my rocket and witness the launch suspected motor malfunction.
It's not the first brush with mortal peril this rocket has had. On its maiden launch a few months ago, the wind was a bit "aggressive" and dragged it over a half mile across the lakebed. If not for the scrub on the other side of the highway, it would have kept on going. Needless to say, this is one tough bird. 99% wood glue too. Rocket earned its name that day: "Road Rash".
So after scraping off some (but not all) of the lakebed dirt, I put on another nomex, packed it full of dog barf for good measure, attached a new chute, and with a fresh motor was back on the pad within in an hour. 3090', good deployment, and other than a bit of a hike to pick it up, I had my papers signed and was in the high power club.
Next up: going for my 5280 stripe in the LOC Vulcanite I recently completed. (I had contemplated flying this one for my L1 but felt like good 'ol Rash deserved the shot).
Edit: here are the actual stats from the flight from my JL Altimeter 3. Interesting fact: my Open Rocket sim said the optimal delay was 10.9 seconds. I drilled it to 12. According to this, it ejected at exactly 10 seconds - .6 seconds too soon. So OR was almost right on the money with the sim. Also proves what I have been told that delay times have a tolerance of +/- 2 seconds...
Max altitude 3091 ft
Date 9/9/2017 11:11 AM
Mode Rocket
Duration 2 mins 17 secs
Notes H135 W Level 1 cert flight
Thrust time 1.75 secs
Max speed 445 mph
Peak accel 16.00 Gs
Avg accel 11.56 Gs
Ejection delay 10.00 secs
Coast-Apogee 10.60 secs
Apogee-Eject -0.60 secs
Ejection altitude 3062 ft
Initial descent 25 fps
Landing speed 25 fps
