Ready To Fly Rocket ?

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user 28305

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Hello Everyone I have 3 simple questions
is a ready to fly rocket a good to way to start and learn ??

and what is better (more powerful) engine A or B or C ??

and what launchpad do you suggest (if you can send a link pleas)?
 
1. Ready to fly (RTF) are good if you just want to launch a rocket with no effort. If you want to learn about model rocketry then a skill level one or almost ready to fly (ARF) is a good place to start and learn building skills.

2. Engines increase in power exponentially so basically a C is twice as powerful as a B and a B is twice as powerful as an A. What motor is best depends on the rocket it is going to fly in. Most manufacturers like Estes state the recommended motor for the best performance. Once you get more into the hobby and build your skills you will probably start using a rocket simulator like Rocksim or OpenRocket to simulate your flights and help decide on the best motor to use.

3. One of the kits that a lot of beginners seem to start with are the Estes kits and a popular one is the Alpha III which can be found rather cheaply here:

https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/estes_1427_alpha_3_launch_set.html

I'm sure others will chime in shortly with their suggestions. Welcome to the forum. You will learn a lot from the folks here.
 
There are several Estes starter sets that have a ready to fly, or nearly ready to fly rocket, and a launch pad (see link below). Motors get more powerful as the letter increases. Therefore, a C motor is more powerful than a B which is more powerful than an A. HOWEVER, you need to follow the manufacturers suggested motors for each rocket. These are printed on the package for the rocket. A bigger motor is NOT always the best motor to use. If you have a small recovery area, or if it is windy, or if this is your first time flying a rocket, you should choose a smaller motor from the suggested list.

I recommend you look for a club close to you and attend one of their launches if possible. You will learn a lot and get some great advice. Where are you located?

https://www.erockets.biz/starter-launch-sets/
 
The OP is located in Israel (from a previous thread), and may not have access to all resources we take for granted in the States.
 
1. Ready to fly (RTF) are good if you just want to launch a rocket with no effort. If you want to learn about model rocketry then a skill level one or almost ready to fly (ARF) is a good place to start and learn building skills.

2. Engines increase in power exponentially so basically a C is twice as powerful as a B and a B is twice as powerful as an A. What motor is best depends on the rocket it is going to fly in. Most manufacturers like Estes state the recommended motor for the best performance. Once you get more into the hobby and build your skills you will probably start using a rocket simulator like Rocksim or OpenRocket to simulate your flights and help decide on the best motor to use.

3. One of the kits that a lot of beginners seem to start with are the Estes kits and a popular one is the Alpha III which can be found rather cheaply here:

https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/estes_1427_alpha_3_launch_set.html

I'm sure others will chime in shortly with their suggestions. Welcome to the forum. You will learn a lot from the folks here.
thank you
 
There are several Estes starter sets that have a ready to fly, or nearly ready to fly rocket, and a launch pad (see link below). Motors get more powerful as the letter increases. Therefore, a C motor is more powerful than a B which is more powerful than an A. HOWEVER, you need to follow the manufacturers suggested motors for each rocket. These are printed on the package for the rocket. A bigger motor is NOT always the best motor to use. If you have a small recovery area, or if it is windy, or if this is your first time flying a rocket, you should choose a smaller motor from the suggested list.

I recommend you look for a club close to you and attend one of their launches if possible. You will learn a lot and get some great advice. Where are you located?

https://www.erockets.biz/starter-launch-sets/
thank you alot
 
I agree that the Estes Alpha series are great classic rockets to start with. But there are other starter sets. One interesting one is the Estes 1403 Riptide Launch Set. I just happen to have made a video of those two rocket types.



Granted, that was an Alpha. I believe the launch sets come with an Alpha III. The Alpha III is classified as "Easy to Assemble" and the Riptide is "Ready to Fly." For the Riptide all you have to do is tie the shock chord to the nose cone and attach the parachute.

Personally, I think you should go with a "Ready to Fly" to get started. To me the most rewarding thing is the launch. Granted, building is also a worth while endeavor. But the launch is where all that work pays off. Get a launch going and I think you will be hooked from then on.
 
I dont remember exactly where I read it, but I read that a B motor has 2x the amount of propellant of an A motor. C has 2x the amount of a B motor so on and so fourth. How true this is I am not sure.
 
I dont remember exactly where I read it, but I read that a B motor has 2x the amount of propellant of an A motor. C has 2x the amount of a B motor so on and so fourth. How true this is I am not sure.

Not exactly correct, but close. The letter indicates the impulse range. For A motors the range in Newtons is 0 to 2.5. Any motor that falls into that range is an A motor. The Estes A8 is around 2.3N total impulse, so it is near the top of the range for an A motor.

For B motors the range is 2.5 to 5 Newtons. The Estes B6 is about 4.3N.

For C motor the range is 5 to 10 Newtons. The Estes C6 is about 8.8N.

For D motors where the range is 10 to 20N. The Estes D12 is about 16.8N. Not as near the top of the range as the others.

Things really change when you get to E motors, where the range is 20 to 40N. The Estes E12 is about 27.2N. Not even to the middle of the range.

So for Estes ABC motors I listed it is OK to say that a B is twice the A and that the C is 4 times an A. For other A, B and C motors this doesn't hold true.
 
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