Yesterday, the 30th, I had opportunity to fly with the fine folks at the Battle of the Rockets.
The day was overcast, spitting rain off and on with moderate wind and comfortable temperatures.
I will only discuss my own flights, leaving it up to the other individuals to document their day or not if they choose.
First up was a Cluster-R Standard ARM which I bought off fleabay last summer. Plastic nose, cardboard tube, basswood strakes and G10 main fins. This was the first flight for this model. I loaded it with a G33-7J. Boost was great, the smoke allowed following of the model as it climbed skyward. Ejection was another story. This model was supplied with a thin steel cable for anchoring the shock cord. The cable ends just below the end of the BT. I had attached 12ft of 1/8inch tubular kevlar between the cable and the nosecone. I failed to bunch and tape the kevlar, opting instead to just drop it into the tube with the chute. The kevlar tangled with the chute and the steel cable resulting in a failure to deploy. Ooops... Nose blow recovery is not enough for a 40inch tall, 600gm model. Minimal damage; one main fin broke out and was laying on the ground about 2ft from the rest of the model. It will be repaired, the steel cable removed and and it will live to fly another day.
Next up was my QModeling Vega on an F35-5, with an upsized chute. The model comes with a 30" chute which I find to be marginally enough. I choose to upsize to a 36", but it was a tight fit in the BT60 size tube. The flight was perfect, once we got good continuity on the crapperhead. The 36" chute seems to be a little much...I might have to make a 32 or 34". Oh and the 24/60 casing slipped past the motor hook, and is now laying out in the field somewhere. I think in the future I will add a wrap of tape on all hooks.
Since the SM2 has a broken fin, and I still was not in position to complete a cert flight, I sent the Vega up on an E9-4 as I have done in the past. The tight fitting 36" chute bit me, hard. It stuck in the tube. Nose blow recovery does not work with huge balsa fins...
I was getting down to the bottom of the flight box. I sent an Estes Farside up on a C6-5 after having traded the chute for a 3ft piece of plastic Caution tape. Confirmed that the 'C' motors will not get used in the back yard, and confirmed that 3ft for caution tape makes a great streamer.
About this time I find out that one of the gentleman setting in the RSO tent can witness my NAR L1 flight. An AT H238T, drilled to about 8 seconds delay, was installed in my Madcow Little John. Recovery harness connections were double checked, as was motor retention. Out to the rail it went for a perfect flight & recovery. Jokes were made and papers were signed. Thank you Brian for your assistance! Thank you Ben for your signatures!
New friends, 2 broken rockets and L1 signed off not a bad day at all.
I know this is long and boring, too bad.
The day was overcast, spitting rain off and on with moderate wind and comfortable temperatures.
I will only discuss my own flights, leaving it up to the other individuals to document their day or not if they choose.
First up was a Cluster-R Standard ARM which I bought off fleabay last summer. Plastic nose, cardboard tube, basswood strakes and G10 main fins. This was the first flight for this model. I loaded it with a G33-7J. Boost was great, the smoke allowed following of the model as it climbed skyward. Ejection was another story. This model was supplied with a thin steel cable for anchoring the shock cord. The cable ends just below the end of the BT. I had attached 12ft of 1/8inch tubular kevlar between the cable and the nosecone. I failed to bunch and tape the kevlar, opting instead to just drop it into the tube with the chute. The kevlar tangled with the chute and the steel cable resulting in a failure to deploy. Ooops... Nose blow recovery is not enough for a 40inch tall, 600gm model. Minimal damage; one main fin broke out and was laying on the ground about 2ft from the rest of the model. It will be repaired, the steel cable removed and and it will live to fly another day.
Next up was my QModeling Vega on an F35-5, with an upsized chute. The model comes with a 30" chute which I find to be marginally enough. I choose to upsize to a 36", but it was a tight fit in the BT60 size tube. The flight was perfect, once we got good continuity on the crapperhead. The 36" chute seems to be a little much...I might have to make a 32 or 34". Oh and the 24/60 casing slipped past the motor hook, and is now laying out in the field somewhere. I think in the future I will add a wrap of tape on all hooks.
Since the SM2 has a broken fin, and I still was not in position to complete a cert flight, I sent the Vega up on an E9-4 as I have done in the past. The tight fitting 36" chute bit me, hard. It stuck in the tube. Nose blow recovery does not work with huge balsa fins...
I was getting down to the bottom of the flight box. I sent an Estes Farside up on a C6-5 after having traded the chute for a 3ft piece of plastic Caution tape. Confirmed that the 'C' motors will not get used in the back yard, and confirmed that 3ft for caution tape makes a great streamer.
About this time I find out that one of the gentleman setting in the RSO tent can witness my NAR L1 flight. An AT H238T, drilled to about 8 seconds delay, was installed in my Madcow Little John. Recovery harness connections were double checked, as was motor retention. Out to the rail it went for a perfect flight & recovery. Jokes were made and papers were signed. Thank you Brian for your assistance! Thank you Ben for your signatures!
New friends, 2 broken rockets and L1 signed off not a bad day at all.
I know this is long and boring, too bad.
:dark:
