Low power and mid power launch sites???

[Steve Shannon]

Tripoli prefecture #80 exists at HARA. Manchester HPR flying field doesn’t exist anymore.


Harrison State Park.
https://tnstateparks.com/parks/harrison-bay

Other park contact info TVA controlled areas.

https://www.tva.gov/file_source/TVA...ent/Recreation/pdf/chickamauga_rec_matrix.pdf

I think I need help from HARA. And more time.

Okay, another member interceded on your behalf. I’ve unblocked you. Rocketry is more important. (Thanks, Tim)
Music City Missile (Nashville, the closest club to Chattanooga) and HARA no longer have high power fields, but they do still have places for low power flights according to their websites. If I were you I would contact both of them about launching models. They have experience and if you can bring them a potential site they might really appreciate it.

 

[SaintJohn]

I think that if you take your time and think it through you can find somewhere to launch. I live in New York City (Staten Island) and I teach at a school here. I also run a model rocketry program for the school and I use the school's athletic field to do our launches. The field might be about the size of a football field. Over the past few years we have launched well over 150 flights and lost only 3 rockets to trees or neighboring back yards. We've burned A8-3s, B6-4s, and C6-3s (to loft eggs). I even did a demonstration flight using a D12-3 in an Estes Liquidator (with the nose cone pay load bay filled with Dr. Pepper) and was able to keep it in the field. If I can do it in the middle of one of the largest cities in the country, you can figure out a way to do it in Tennessee.

 

[boatgeek]

For every place you are thinking about contacting, look up their rules in advance. If it's a public agency, they'll be posted online. They probably won't say anything about rocketry, but look for ways to stretch what is there. Do they talk about drones/quadcopters? Model aircraft? If those are specifically allowed or even aren't banned, then you can make a good case that rocketry is much the same when you go in to an in-person meeting.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

These places don’t specifically ban R/C toys. They never mentioned model rockets, aircraft, boats, or cars. They would be more open to electric models which don’t have a fire hazard. I think it will be hard to make a case for rocketry.

 

[boatgeek]

If fire risk is their main concern, then you should have a pretty good case for hobby LPR. LPR is pretty benign since you don't have sparky motors and separation is all motor eject (well, mostly, but those people are special). You will need to get a meeting with someone who can make a decision (manager or director). You'll want the NAR/TRA Big Packet(tm) of info and some suggestions about how you specifically would mitigate fire risks (launch on grass, raise launch platform on sawhorses, etc.). It would probably be helpful to have an adult with you (professor and/or NAR/TRA local leaders would be ideal). You may want to offer to demonstrate a launch to them, since that will probably make them feel better about LPR not being fireworks.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Does anyone have more paperwork from Bong to reference? Or other parks’ paperwork that have dedicated low to mid power launch sites through NAR and TRA?

 

[tim cubbedge]

If you haven't done so already, have you considered city parks? Check with the local Fire Marshall.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

For the big packet of paperwork I am thinking of including the following in printed format. I don't know if powerpoints are accepted at say a Park Ranger's desk for example.

- FAA regulations on Amateur rockets
- Tripoli Downloads section, Safety codes, and the works
-Tripoli Membership binder
-NAR information (fuzzy on this one)
-NAR filing a 7711-2 instructions for high power option
-FAA 7711-2 form for high power option
-Bong State recreational area special use documentation
-Supply a low power model and a high power model as a visual aid for a presentation. Perhaps a low power demo could be arranged if client feels okay.
-Have an experienced rocket club or at least the professor in person. I would feel more confident with a rocketry club leader in person.
-Any kind of facts about insurance policies from either organization, supportive statistics on members, total clubs, and successful launches.
-**Any other documentation you guys and gals need to link or suggest.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

If you haven't done so already, have you considered city parks? Check with the local Fire Marshall.

I have not checked with the local Fire Marshall. One place Coolidge park has enough flat land for LPR I would guess. I have a phone number for Coolidge but have not called. If I do call Coolidge it should be to arrange a face to face meeeting.

I don’t think Coolidge park would appreciate a show up and launch attitude which seems dangerous or selfish and bad to hobby. Sorry I don’t have a lot of common sense but I figure there’s a correct process to use a Public park for LPR somehow involving permission and or TRA/NAR club help.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

These people are scared of LPR and I don’t know the correct process.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

I guess this needs to be written permission of the land owner or park management and face to face. I’m not really certain of what is involved.

 

[tim cubbedge]

You need to find a park that has the space, then find out where the closest fire department is. See if you can contact the chief or marshall. Tell them your intent and ask if open flames from rockets are permitted. It's not that difficult. Be courteous and act professional. Like a job interview. People do it quite a lot in Florida when looking for a LP launch site. I know the local scouts landed an LP launch at a church in the parking area.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

You need to find a park that has the space, then find out where the closest fire department is. See if you can contact the chief or marshall. Tell them your intent and ask if open flames from rockets are permitted. It's not that difficult. Be courteous and act professional. Like a job interview. People do it quite a lot in Florida when looking for a LP launch site. I know the local scouts landed an LP launch at a church in the parking area.

Do I additionally contact the city park or just the fire Marshall? If it’s just the fire Marshall this simplifies life greatly. People haven’t done this in Chattanooga, TN that I am aware of and by how freaked out your random average non rocket person is.

 

[tim cubbedge]

The fire marshall will tell you right off the bat if open flames & rockets are allowed. If he/she says no, then I wouldn't bother asking park department. But that is where I would start, find out what the local laws are.

 

[tim cubbedge]

Here is some good info provided by NAR which might help you land a field.
https://www.nar.org/find-a-local-club/section-guidebook/launch-sites/

 

[Steve Shannon]

For the big packet of paperwork I am thinking of including the following in printed format. I don't know if powerpoints are accepted at say a Park Ranger's desk for example.

- FAA regulations on Amateur rockets
- Tripoli Downloads section, Safety codes, and the works
-Tripoli Membership binder
-NAR information (fuzzy on this one)
-NAR filing a 7711-2 instructions for high power option
-FAA 7711-2 form for high power option
-Bong State recreational area special use documentation
-Supply a low power model and a high power model as a visual aid for a presentation. Perhaps a low power demo could be arranged if client feels okay.
-Have an experienced rocket club or at least the professor in person. I would feel more confident with a rocketry club leader in person.
-Any kind of facts about insurance policies from either organization, supportive statistics on members, total clubs, and successful launches.
-**Any other documentation you guys and gals need to link or suggest.

Andrew,
I would be careful not to give them too much information up front without clearly connecting the dots between the material. Because you’re not asking for Class 2 flights none of the FAA 7711-2 info applies. Later you can always assess whether you want to do that.
You need to accomplish one thing, show that model Rocketry is a safe hobby enjoyed by millions over the past 60 years that benefits STEM education. Although my focus is on Tripoli, I am also a NAR member and I believe that NAR is the better fit for this type of park launching. They have better resources for model rocketry.
Here’s what I would suggest you do. Check out the TARC website and find out who the TARC mentors are in the location you’re trying to get a launch site in. They will have sites where they launch their rockets. Introduce yourself and have a conversation with those mentors. Explain what you’re trying to do. Ask if they can help. Offer to help them with TARC. It’s an excellent program that you might really enjoy also, teaching all of the basics.
Here’s the TARC website: https://rocketcontest.org
Here’s list of mentors:
https://3384f12ld0l0tjlik1fcm68s.wp...ent/uploads/2015/09/Mentor-List-17-Sep-15.pdf

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Ok I’ll contact a nearby TARC mentor when able. I can skip the high power rocketry stuff as that is extra complexity. I appreciate you reviewing my list. I need to start at the city fire department and the city park level in person. Sorry it took nearly forty five replies to get an idea of how to approach this scenario. My professor and I were completely stumped. I don’t think my university has plans of TARC. As a student I can’t really speak too much about them. We do have resources to help TARC students manufacture items if they desire to tour university.

A longer term goal would be an additional high power launch site at a state park if feasible. The shorter term goals are open up Chattanooga and surrounding areas to LPR safely.

 

[tim cubbedge]

State parks are feasible, but they can be expensive. A club in south Florida was recently granted access to a park for HP launches but they have a hefty fee to pay per use because they have to close down all other park activities. They need to get enough flyers to cover the cost otherwise it's a bust. First launch will be in September as a trial launch mostly to see what kind of turnout. The FAA waiver was the easy part!

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Visited Chickamunga Military National Park in person today. They had a bunch of civil war history. 4,000 people lost their lives in American history here. 34,000 wounded. The death knell of the Confederacy it is called as Chickamunga. The confederates won Chickamunga but lost Chattanooga with its four rail companies straight to Atlanta from Ohio and the entire war to the Union after retreating to missionary ridge. Grant replaced the other general and predicted this behavior. I try to respect both sides of history. I think it’s a good thing the Union ultimately prevailed so all men of all races and later women became treated equal as we have America today. I highly doubt they would allow rockets out of respect for those fallen. However large parks have large fields. Only toured the site today not to inquire about rockets. Hopefully historical content and personal opinions aren’t too touchy here.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Here were other images. It’s interesting what one can find at parks. There is an 85ft tower monument erected by a Union veterans group.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

More field.