Personal Launch Report - MDARS 2023-09-23

[gdjsky01]

This is my first launch report since the woman I loved for 27 years passed away 158 days ago.


The launch site was the monthly launch of the Mojave Desert Advanced Rocketry Society. Or MDARS. MDARS is a TRA Prefecture. I am an L2 certified TRA member. #5678. My drive north to the site, 15 miles or north of Edwards AFB was uneventful except I noted that my night vision (I started out at 5am) is not so great anymore… total milage is 270 (430km) roundtrip. 12 gallons. $68 in gas.

Upon arriving I setup my pad but left my controller in the box. MDARS has a new launch system from Wilson FX and it’s pretty sweet. The only thing it lacks is a foot switch which I use on mine to launch and take images at the same time). No matter. There is always someone willing to be LCO and RSO.

 

[gdjsky01]

My first launch was an Estes Pro Series Nike-Smoke. It’s pretty light. I loaded an AT F50-6 which Open Rocket (OR) says would do about 875’ (267m). I’d say it was about right. I’ll never know because the Estes Altimeter read 0. I buried the altimeter. I am tired of that. Jolly Logic works so much better.

MDARS-2023-09-23--1.jpg

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MDARS-2023-09-23--6.jpg

 

[gdjsky01]

Next I flew my Starchaser 2.6. This is a scotch built I have flown many a time. It’s old. It’s beaten. It’s clear packing tape, but people still love it from a distance. Based on a BARCLONE Design. I flew on a CTI F79-6. It was a great flight to around 680’ (207m) or so. The JL Altimeter One worked fine. However the ejection charge barely popped the cone off. So it tumbled into the dirt cracking two fins. Repairable.

MDARS-2023-09-23--35.jpg


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MDARS-2023-09-23--36.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Next up the never yet flown 29mm Duces Wild from Flis. I extended the motor tubes to take 3 grain CTI motors. I built it over the winter and then my life CATO’d and it sat. Today It flew on a two G131s set to 7 seconds. There was a Eggtimer Quark along for the ride to test, and a JL chute release set to 500. The flight was great! If not a tad weird. Maybe I did not got one of the ematches all the way to the top. But one motor lit and the other lit later. So I have an image of what looks like one motor lifting the rocket off, then the other thrusting with the first burned out. But true to form it just flew. Flew to Quark recorded 1078’ (328’). Well below the predicted 1600’ But the 7 seconds seemed spot on and the chute release did its thing and deployed the 48 PML w/spill hole chute.

MDARS-2023-09-23--71.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr






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MDARS-2023-09-23--74.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


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MDARS-2023-09-23--75.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr



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MDARS-2023-09-23--80.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


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MDARS-2023-09-23--81.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

I then flew my own design AGM13 lucky-striker. An AT G33-5 lifted it to 771’ (235m) or so. The deployment was VERY late. BUT I had used a MissileWorks webbed recovery harness. And therefore there was no zipper.

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MARS-2023-09-23--96.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--102.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--108.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

The Apogee QuickDraw was next. It has interchangeable motor mounts. Today I used the simple 29mm. It used yet another F50-6 and flew great. No altitude as I forgot to arm the Alt One. Oooops…

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MDARS-2023-09-23--127.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--128.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Next up the bane (and still is) of my rocketry. The Extreme-12. E12-0 to a E9-8. Sure enough the booster lost its mind (and nozzle) and it lit the upper stage pointing about 30* from vertical. It did deploy way out there. When I got it back, the sustainer motor mount was pushed up into the sustainer a good 2 inches (50mm) and the tube fried. I shoved the motor mount out with a dowel. Dunno if I’ll try and fix it. Or just move on.

MDARS-2023-09-23--136.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--138.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Because I had time, I flew the real Deuces Wild on two Quest C6-5s. Great flight to around 500' (I think).

Finally waited until everyone was done and heads up. I launched a MPC Zenith Payloader. A high thrust B motor to a long burn B motor with a 6 second delay. perfect flight.

I packed up. Came home to an empty house. And cried. Lonely. I had a good time. But God Damn coming home was awful.

Album is here https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAVNeh


Thanks for reading
MDARS-2023-09-23--1-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr



MDARS-2023-09-23--3.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


MDARS-2023-09-23--8.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[kuririn]

Great pics, Jeff.
Good to see you launching again.

 

[bad_idea]

Very glad to see you launching again. Hang in there.

 

[86mustang408w]

Nice pictures, I got to see a Fiskits Deuces Wild last weekend on two C6-5s it was nice. Thank you for sharing, keep going.

 

[speed]

Very glad you came out. It was good to see you again. I loved your Duces Wild flights(both). Folks need to see the quality of your builds, their really nice! Plus, you take great pictures!!

 

[boatgeek]

Nice pictures. Love all the smoky motors!

 

[jqavins]

Sounds like a great day at the flying field. I'm glad you made it. Strangely, I'm proud of you.

 

[Wrightme43]

Sir, I dont know you, but my heart goes out to you. Not everyone gets what it seems to me you had. I cannot imagine the loss, and hurt, and loneliness, it seems though that you were with a good woman you loved, and lived for. A good woman with a good heart is the most precious thing on the earth. I hope you can look at the good times and joy and know how lucky of a man you are.

On a different subject, you are a excellent photographer, rocket builder, and story teller.

Steve

 

[86mustang408w]

Nice pictures. Love all the smoky motors!

So do I! Jusy did my SBB with a 14 year old F23-4FJ, it was glorious...lol.

 

[gdjsky01]

Very glad you came out. It was good to see you again. I loved your Duces Wild flights(both). Folks need to see the quality of your builds, their really nice! Plus, you take great pictures!!

Thanks Jeff. Trying to rise... trying

 

[tsmith1315]

Well done. Great pics and a nice report, thanks for that!

 

[Joshua Smith]

Next up the never yet flown 29mm Duces Wild from Flis. I extended the motor tubes to take 3 grain CTI motors. I built it over the winter and then my life CATO’d and it sat. Today It flew on a two G131s set to 7 seconds. There was a Eggtimer Quark along for the ride to test, and a JL chute release set to 500. The flight was great! If not a tad weird. Maybe I did not got one of the ematches all the way to the top. But one motor lit and the other lit later. So I have an image of what looks like one motor lifting the rocket off, then the other thrusting with the first burned out. But true to form it just flew. Flew to Quark recorded 1078’ (328’). Well below the predicted 1600’ But the 7 seconds seemed spot on and the chute release did its thing and deployed the 48 PML w/spill hole chute.

MDARS-2023-09-23--71.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr






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MDARS-2023-09-23--74.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


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MDARS-2023-09-23--75.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr



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MDARS-2023-09-23--80.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


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MDARS-2023-09-23--81.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

It's almost like it was on purpose! Pretty decent outcome given the staggered light + the cant. All the rockets look amazing in the photos, that's all that matters

 

[Joshua Smith]

I then flew my own design AGM13 lucky-striker. An AT G33-5 lifted it to 771’ (235m) or so. The deployment was VERY late. BUT I had used a MissileWorks webbed recovery harness. And therefore there was no zipper.

---

MARS-2023-09-23--96.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--102.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--108.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

Really love the design and the finish! Great color choices

 

[Jeffery Brown]

This is my first launch report since the woman I loved for 27 years passed away 158 days ago.


The launch site was the monthly launch of the Mojave Desert Advanced Rocketry Society. Or MDARS. MDARS is a TRA Prefecture. I am an L2 certified TRA member. #5678. My drive north to the site, 15 miles or north of Edwards AFB was uneventful except I noted that my night vision (I started out at 5am) is not so great anymore… total milage is 270 (430km) roundtrip. 12 gallons. $68 in gas.

Upon arriving I setup my pad but left my controller in the box. MDARS has a new launch system from Wilson FX and it’s pretty sweet. The only thing it lacks is a foot switch which I use on mine to launch and take images at the same time). No matter. There is always someone willing to be LCO and RSO.

I’m very sorry for your loss.
It makes what I lost on my very first launch in my life (I’m 59) ABSOLUTELY TRIVIAL!

 

[gdjsky01]

Thank you all for the well wishes. And the compliments.


It is to this day the most pain I have ever felt.
But I am only 22 weeks out... I am told it gets better... slowly.

Again thanks for all the encouragement

 

[Rob Campbell]

The Apogee QuickDraw was next. It has interchangeable motor mounts. Today I used the simple 29mm. It used yet another F50-6 and flew great. No altitude as I forgot to arm the Alt One. Oooops…

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MDARS-2023-09-23--127.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

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MDARS-2023-09-23--128.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

How do you like the Quick Draw? I've been looking at it and it looks like an innovative design.

 

[gdjsky01]

It is really nice. Like most Apogee kits it is also expensive. The dual 29 mount is short and therefore only takes the smallest of 29mm. I bought the set of motor mounts. I like it. But then I bought it so there might be some bias there. Like I said, it's expensive. But is lightweight. So it's performance is good for its size. The fins are plywood so that is a plus. However since they stick out the back, and there is no TTW tabs (because of the switchable motor mount) I put good size fillets on them.