Personal Launch Report - UROC's Hellfire 19 - Bonneville Salt Flats UT - August 2014

[robbdm]

We traveled to UROC's Hellfire 19 held on the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, NV/UT. We launched Friday and Saturday, perfect conditions, UROC hosted a great launch.

Event/Location photos to show the flavor of the launch:





I'm holding my 7' Green Sub-Lime in back row center of this photo



Some our of launches:



Here is a video of our launches:

[YOUTUBE]ztthV7shYN0[/YOUTUBE]

 

[ChrisAttebery]

It looks like you had a great trip. I find it interesting that you and Alex both drove ~400 extra miles to attend launches on opposite sides of Nevada this weekend when there were two amazing launch sites available. I'd like to go to Black Rock again but I'm not ready for the 6+ hour drive from the bay area with the kiddos in the car. :bangpan: Maybe next year. I can't see myself making to trip out to Bonneville again anytime in the foreseeable future.

 

[robbdm]

It looks like you had a great trip. I find it interesting that you and Alex both drove ~400 extra miles to attend launches on opposite sides of Nevada this weekend when there were two amazing launch sites available. I'd like to go to Black Rock again but I'm not ready for the 6+ hour drive from the bay area with the kiddos in the car. :bangpan: Maybe next year. I can't see myself making to trip out to Bonneville again anytime in the foreseeable future.

I say that to... then I find myself driving to another far away launch to see what it is like... I said I wouldn't be going down to Barstow again after NSL 2011.. but we drove there again in June for Rocstock 39. After LDRS 32 last year I said BlackRock is too far and then end up attend XPRS in September last year.

I want to see the Oregon NXRS is like so next year I'll drive up there.

 

[chuck5395]

I want to see the Oregon NXRS is like so next year I'll drive up there.

Look forward to seeing you there. It, like so many of the launch sites, is quite unique.

 

[kenstarr]

Hope you enjoyed your time out on the salt! We were sure glad to have you. Your flights were excellent as was that video.
-Ken (the one that wore the red bandana all the time)

 

[robbdm]

Hope you enjoyed your time out on the salt! We were sure glad to have you. Your flights were excellent as was that video.
-Ken (the one that wore the red bandana all the time)

I enjoyed every minute there and would recommend to all.

 

[Wayco]

​Thanks for the great launch report (as usual). Looks really bright out there, what were the daytime temps?

 

[robbdm]

​Thanks for the great launch report (as usual). Looks really bright out there, what were the daytime temps?

It was very bright, snow blind comes to mind. I normally don't wear sunglasses but had to keep on new wrap around glasses on even under the pop up.

I cut my on board videos at apoggee since you only see brillant white coming down and upon landing.

I wasn't a hot Hellfire launch... pleasant for the desert.. maybe mid-90s if I remember. Cloud cover popped in a few times to help keep temp down... normal very hot I hear. Wind was calm the whole time, no dust.

 

[stealth6]

...... no dust.

While there are many things about launching at Bonneville that some folks don't like (heat/glare/salt on EVERYTHING/etc.) this here is one major plus. Especially if you've ever flown on most of the dry lake beds that are usual launch sites in this part of the country. (ask folks about the dust out at Black Rock).
I personally love being out there on the salt - one of the best places on the planet to fly if you ask me.

Sounds like you all really lucked out on conditions. Word had it that things were VERY wet and icky just days before the event, and the weather of late in this part of the world was such that more rain (and wind) was pretty likely. As it was, conditions seemed to turn out to be excellent when it counted. Once again - wish I had been there.

Thanks for the flight reports and nice pics/video.

s6

 

[robbdm]

Word had it that things were VERY wet and icky just days before the event, and the weather of late in this part of the world was such that more rain (and wind) was pretty likely. As it was, conditions seemed to turn out to be excellent when it counted. Once again - wish I had been there.
s6

There was standing water Wednesday AM, but dried out quickly. The Salt was moist in the mornings but dried as the sun beat down.