Model Rocketry Club Member?

[AKPilot]

Someone made a good point that I'd like to explore . . .

Do you, as a member of TRF, belong to a model rocketry club - defined as capable of launching either LPR, MPR, HPR, or a combination of any of these?

 

[dedleytedley]

I've thought about joining the local club but their launch site is quite a distance from where I usually launch. I work on new homes, so there is always lots of open space nearby. I'd be interested to hear about the Calgary Rocketry Association if anyone has any experience with them. Ted

 

[shreadvector]

Once again, as on virtually all forums of all types, the poll question is worded in such a way that answering logically is impossible.

A "Model Rocketry Club" would be for "Model Rocketry" and not "High Power Rocketry".

A "Rocketry Club" could be for any form of rocketry (MR, HPR, AR).

A "Sport Rocketry Club" could be for MR and/or HPR, but not AR.

 

[Patch]

Trying to get a new club started in Oklahoma. There are none in the central and western part of state.:confused2:

 

[AKPilot]

Once the poll question is worded in such a way that answering logically is impossible.

I provided my own definition for the means of this poll. Use that one.

 

[MarkM]

Once again, as on virtually all forums of all types, the poll question is worded in such a way that answering logically is impossible.

You're being too critical with semantics. AK pilot, in fact, defined what he meant in his first post.

That said, I'm secretary/treasurer of FLASH rocketry in Ft. Myers, FL and fly with three other clubs in Florida...TTRA in Tampa, NEFAR in Bunnel, and TSA in Belle Glade (althouigh currently on hiatus due to loss of their field).

 

[jadebox]

I'm a member of two clubs, ROCK (Orlando) and NEFAR (NE Florida). I should also be a member of TTRA (Tampa) but I owe them dues and launch fees for the last two launches I attended.

If the local clubs didn't exist, I'd probably build and fly, at most, one or two model rockets a year in the local school yard.

The clubs certainly make things much more enjoyable. I still don't build many rockets each year, but most of the ones I build are much larger than model rockets. And I fly rockets much more often than I would on my own.

Not only is it great to have a place to "show off" your latest rocket, but at a club launch you get to see many flights in one day and enjoy the company of friends. The model rocket launches my wife and I attend are like spending a pleasant day in the park with friends (and rockets!). The high-power launches are like going to an outdoor party or picnic (again, with friends ... and rockets!).

-- Roger

 

[jadebox]

That said, I'm secretary/treasurer of FLASH rocketry in Ft. Myers, FL and fly with three other clubs in Florida...TTRA in Tampa, NEFAR in Bunnel, and TSA in Belle Glade (althouigh currently on hiatus due to loss of their field).

You know ... if I didn't live in Central Florida, I'd be jealous of us.

On the other hand, I watch videos of those launches out in the desert and I get jealous of them .....

-- Roger

 

[CharlaineC]

I'm thinking of koining cmas but other then that I do not belong to a group. mainly due to some personal reasions. and distence.

 

[Peartree]

Nope. I do not currently belong to a club but I probably will eventually. Cleveland, Akron and Columbus all have launch sites within an hour to an hour and a half from us. Schedule-wise I visit Columbus once or twice and Akron and Cleveland once each year despite wishing I could make it more often. If we flew more often with one club or flew HPR then it might make more sense but until that happens its cheaper just to pay the occasional launch fee (and Columbus doesn't charge one).

I'm still pursuing the possibility of finding a local launch site and opening it up as an optional field for one of the clubs without a HPR site. THAT would be very cool.

 

[fox_racing_guy]

I'm still pursuing the possibility of finding a local launch site and opening it up as an optional field for one of the clubs without a HPR site. THAT would be very cool.

Let me know and I'll be there, I have my own rail and controller and would be happy to participate.

 

[Art Upton]

Let me know and I'll be there, I have my own rail and controller and would be happy to participate.

Same here, let me know.

I would like to see more fields in Ohio.

 

[SCE to AUX]

Member of 3, actually:

https://www.metrarocketclub.org/
https://www.dinosaursrock.com/rocketclub.html
https://www.robnee.com/gsss/

 

[MarkII]

When I got into model rocketry in 1967, just after our family moved to Grand Rapids, MI, nobody else around there was flying them, or have even ever heard of them. I got into the hobby, and then I got a friend of mine from school into it, too. Until 2006, his rockets and mine were the only ones that I ever saw be launched. He lost interest after a couple of years, but I didn't. I remained an avid model rocketeer until 1971, and then I put it away for awhile because I needed to attend to other things (like graduating from high school and starting college), with the intention of resuming again after a couple of years (which turned into 33 years). But during that early period, I used to read about model rocket clubs in the Model Rocket News from Estes Industries, and I often wondered what it would be like to be a member of a club and attend group launches, competitions, etc.

When I finally resumed building and flying rockets 2004, my first priority was to try to catch up on what I had missed. Among other things, I joined the oldrockets Yahoo! group, and began posting there on a regular basis. In some of them, I mentioned where I lived and that I was looking for other adult rocketeers to fly with. Fred Talasco (yes, that Phred) saw those posts and contacted me to tell me about his club, ASTRE, which was based in the Capital District of NY, about 150 miles to the south of me. I joined in late 2005 and attended my first club launch in the spring of 2006. Due to the distance, it has been a bit difficult for me to be as active in the club as I would like to be. (No one else in ASTRE lives within even 100 miles of me.) Last year's spike in gas prices put a real crimp on my ability to attend launches, meetings and build sessions, and difficulties in finding steady employment (after 25 years of working for the state of New York) led to some curtailing of my club participation earlier this year. I did go on a day-long group trip with the club to NARCON, though, which was an absolute delight. Just being able to discuss model rocketry with some other people, and not have them squirm and quickly change the subject, alone is worth the 6 hour drive time to get to and from club events, but of course, there is so much more to it than that.

MarkII

 

[mikeyd]

Trying to get a new club started in Oklahoma. There are none in the central and western part of state.:confused2:

Not entirely true, there is https://www.tripolioklahoma.org/, in OKC with a launch site in far west Oklahoma, (Sayre), https://www.tulsarocketry.org/, and for NAR https://www.piedmontrocketry.org/, which is currently looking for a launch location. There is a meeting for https://www.piedmontrocketry.org/ 6-6 at 1:00, in the Piedmont city/event building.

Thanks, happy flying.
Mike Dickinson

 

[mkadams001]

I belong to CRASH in Colorado. Membership is cheep and they fly twice a month year round. In fact, the first time I went to check out the launch was in January, it was colder than a pickle in a freezer (having just moved from Hawaii anything under 80º is chilly) yet, there was the club president with a pad set up and flying solo. How can you not join a club with a dedicated president such as that? Plus, when people came out of hibernation, everyone is really great and it is a nice social event of flying rockets, meeting new people and just having fun.

 

[MarkII]

To me, any rockets that aren't built and launched as part of a research project, a weapons system or a national aerospace effort, that aren't fireworks, that are built by hobbyists and that conform to the relevant Safety Codes, can generically be called "model" rockets. When I refer to model rockets, it is usually in that sense. (This includes the honkin' big stuff that they launch out at Black Rock.) Yes, I know that one can make a distinction between low-power, mid-power and high-power rocketry (and I frequently use those categories too), along with a half-category of micros (a subcategory of LPR) that I also use. But generally, they are all model rockets to me. So I have no problem understanding Troy's definition for this poll. I can't precisely define a model rocket club, but I know one when I see it.

MarkII

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I'm a member of the FLASH club that MarkM mentioned a few posts back.

It's a great club with a lot of great people. Unfortunately our site is a bit of a letdown, being in undeveloped residential area with quite a few access roads and a lot of high weeds. This is the reason why we don't allow Skids or any other sparky motors.

I've got a few rockets that I refuse to fly there because of the roads. My King Kraken being one of them.

I also fly on my own quite a bit too on a hay farm. The owner has been nice enough to allow me to fly out there for several years.

 

[troj]

Once again, as on virtually all forums of all types, the poll question is worded in such a way that answering logically is impossible.

Wow, Fred, loosen the skivvies a bit.

He explained exactly what he meant, and nobody else seems to be having problems understanding it.

-Kevin

 

[troj]

I'm Prefect of our local club, which is joint NAR/TRA.

I've thought about also joining KLOUDBusters.

-Kevin

 

[AKPilot]

Membership is cheep

Baby chicks? Man, I didn't know any organization took dues "in-kind" anymore? :roll:

 

[rstaff3]

Oh let me count some of the reasons I belong to two clubs: MDRA (micromax thru P power, indie in nature) and NARHAMS (NAR, thru mid-power only).

1. There are no suitable sites close by so I might as well let the clubs do the logistics (schedule the sites and launches etc).
2. I join and pay money to NARHAMS just to support them. There is no cost to fly or need to join. (MDRA makes adults pay)
3. I can show my stuff off, but more importantly...
4. I can gawk at other peoples stuff.
5. I like seeing rockets go up even if not mine.
6. I can visit with my buds.
7. I can borrow (and lend) materials, motors, advice.
8. I can buy on site and save shipping.

I bet I missed something.

 

[o1d_dude]

Nope.

The local rocketry club went defunct some years back. The nearest active NAR club is approximately 90 minutes away and mostly holds low power launches about 2-1/2 hours away (Moffett Field).

The nearest Free Flight club is right here in town and we fly about 20 minutes away from my home. Fifty years we've been flying on the same field so there's history there.

My dues to the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) unfortunately don't cover me for the National Association Rocketry even though the AMA delegates rocketry to the NAR. My AMA number is therefore worthless for NAR purposes. I suppose I could pay dues to both...

 

[mkadams001]

Baby chicks? Man, I didn't know any organization took dues "in-kind" anymore? :roll:

:blush:

 

[AKPilot]

My dues to the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) unfortunately don't cover me for the National Association Rocketry even though the AMA delegates rocketry to the NAR. My AMA number is therefore worthless for NAR purposes. I suppose I could pay dues to both...

There's both pros and cons to this arrangement, but yes you're right AMA doesn't cover NAR. I carry both membership cards.

BTW, I grew up almost entirely in the Bay Area. Then actually lived on Moffet for a while, when it was an active P-3 base, while being stationed at Sunnyvale Air Force Station (now Onizuka AFB).

 

[astrowolf67]

I don't belong to any currently. The main reason is I haven't been active enough in the hobby for the past few years (the financial burden of multiple surgeries, plus the nearest club is 3 hours away). There are other reasons, but, not worth discussing here. I had planned to become active again this year, and may yet still. It depends on how quickly I recover from yesterdays surgery.

David

 

[Bazookadale]

I am President and 21 year member of SPAAR NAR section 503. I also fly with MARS-PA section 647 (chartered to provide NAR insurance for the local TARC teams). It's always more fun to fly with others, if you don't have a local club why not form one? It takes 2 flyers to form a club, and if you can get 5 or more NAR members you can charter with the NAR
https://www.nar.org/sectguide/index.html

 

[JAL3]

I joined the local NAR club because it has a field and because I figured I could learn something about rockets and field operations. That has worked out well except that we are barely hanging on in terms of numbers.

I wanted to join the local TRA club for the same reasons but they hold meeting when I have to be at work and they have not had a field for a few years. From what I understand, they get together at a local burger joint and show off their projects but fly with other clubs.

I also "belong" to an ARSA club and actually get to go out and fly with them a few times per year. I joined that one because the organizer is a friend, they have an HPR field I can actually get to occasionally and because they do some things that are not TRA/NAR type of activities. For that, I just like to watch and learn.

 

[powderburner]

If there was a local club (in Ft Worth, or even in Parker Co.) I'd be part of it. I have not seen one in my area for a long, long time. (No, I don't count DARS in Dallas, that's a two hour drive in traffic just for the club meetings, and further than that to their launches.) We sort of had a start at a NAR club in west Ft Worth about 20-30 years ago (remember that one, Chas?) but I don't remember what happened to it.

In Ft Worth it's also a problem finding a good location for launching that is close to town and easy to reach. There are lots of large and small airports in the Ft Worth area and the air traffic and controlled airspaces complicate things. I have a couple small launch fields to use but my flights top out at only 1000 to 1500 feet. If I launched mid- or high-power stuff to 5K or 10K then I'm sure I would have to drive 100 miles away from town, like DARS does.

On top of all that, it's often quite windy around here, and for the past few years we have had outdoor burn restrictions (due to drought conditions) that make me nervous about holding launches of any size.

We almost had some school clubs started up over the last 20 yrs or so, on the west side of town. They just never quite seem to get the necessary momentum (it doesn't seem to be "cool" enough to stand up to teenage peer pressure).

Still, I keep hoping--

 

[Gillard]

i belong to UKRA, and run two rocketry clubs, although the second one is nearly dead
i'm in the process of moving into HPR so i guess i'll nbe joining a big boy club soon