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Opinions are not lies, but they may not be absolute truths...
rocketry lies /stories
- Thread starter Wild Bill emeritus
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Opinions are not lies, but they may not be absolute truths...
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Story (True): (Reposted)
Towards the end of each school year, Mr. Deller of Ashland Middle School (Ashland, Oregon) would have his science class launch model rockets. It was a fun way to end the year.
In 1983, I was in his class, and we built our rockets. I had a Spin Fin that I had gotten in the class, as well as a Stiletto that I had made from a kit I bought with my allowance. This was my very first time launching model rockets with solid fuel engines, rather than the boring old water rockets we did in summer.
On launch day, he'd pull his truck up onto the field, pop the hood, and the launches would begin.
My rockets did admirably despite the lack of skill I displayed in making them. But one kid's rocket really flew well. After recovery he was being patted on the back by several of the guys for the nice flight and recovery of his rocket. He was only paying attention to the admiration instead of the next rocket being launched. While he was joking around with the guys, he repacked the parachute for his next chance to launch. I however was watching the rocket that the kid who had a reputation for trouble had just launched. A nicely built Nova Payloader.
Rocket goes up, and the we could see the smoke climb up straight, then it stopped, no sign of a parachute deployment. We quickly grasped that the rocket hadn't deployed its parachute, and was now heading straight down, and I mean STRAIGHT down!
Mr. Deller, starts yelling, as does the rest of us to look out, as it's falling, and FAST!!!
The kids around the previous launcher hear the alarm, and all look up, then scatter. Suddenly sensing that something was wrong (like the teacher, and 20 boys yelling at him to look out), he finally looks up from his rocket, sees the incoming missile, and falls backwards.
It hit, right where he had been standing. We all rushed to him and the earthworm seeking missile sticking out of the ground between his feet.
The rocket was pulled out, and Mr. Deller inspected it carefully to find the source of the malfunction. It wasn't a malfunction though, it was sabotage. The bad news kid had removed the parachute, and superglued the nosecone into the body tube without anybody catching on. All launches were subsequently stopped, while he was marched into the principals office. He was immediately suspended for two weeks (thus preventing him from advancing w/us). This incident could have seriously hurt someone, and gotten the program banned in our school/city, who knows perhaps even state.
The takeaway from this:
ALWAYS be the one who does the final inspection of the rocket before school sanctioned launches, you should NEVER trust the kids in this matter. If necessary, find another adult to assist you with the launches, I'm sure there's one out there with enough of a kid inside him to still want to help.
Be Safe Out There!
Jim
Addendum: After coming back to the US following my stint in the USAF, I found out that bad news kid had been drinking and partying with friends, and they got it in their heads to drive around with him standing in the back of their pickup truck. When they turned a corner a little too fast, he tumbled out. He said he was fine, and went home with a headache. A couple of hours later he was in the hospital with a subdural hematoma, and died soon after that.
Towards the end of each school year, Mr. Deller of Ashland Middle School (Ashland, Oregon) would have his science class launch model rockets. It was a fun way to end the year.
In 1983, I was in his class, and we built our rockets. I had a Spin Fin that I had gotten in the class, as well as a Stiletto that I had made from a kit I bought with my allowance. This was my very first time launching model rockets with solid fuel engines, rather than the boring old water rockets we did in summer.
On launch day, he'd pull his truck up onto the field, pop the hood, and the launches would begin.
My rockets did admirably despite the lack of skill I displayed in making them. But one kid's rocket really flew well. After recovery he was being patted on the back by several of the guys for the nice flight and recovery of his rocket. He was only paying attention to the admiration instead of the next rocket being launched. While he was joking around with the guys, he repacked the parachute for his next chance to launch. I however was watching the rocket that the kid who had a reputation for trouble had just launched. A nicely built Nova Payloader.
Rocket goes up, and the we could see the smoke climb up straight, then it stopped, no sign of a parachute deployment. We quickly grasped that the rocket hadn't deployed its parachute, and was now heading straight down, and I mean STRAIGHT down!
Mr. Deller, starts yelling, as does the rest of us to look out, as it's falling, and FAST!!!
The kids around the previous launcher hear the alarm, and all look up, then scatter. Suddenly sensing that something was wrong (like the teacher, and 20 boys yelling at him to look out), he finally looks up from his rocket, sees the incoming missile, and falls backwards.
It hit, right where he had been standing. We all rushed to him and the earthworm seeking missile sticking out of the ground between his feet.
The rocket was pulled out, and Mr. Deller inspected it carefully to find the source of the malfunction. It wasn't a malfunction though, it was sabotage. The bad news kid had removed the parachute, and superglued the nosecone into the body tube without anybody catching on. All launches were subsequently stopped, while he was marched into the principals office. He was immediately suspended for two weeks (thus preventing him from advancing w/us). This incident could have seriously hurt someone, and gotten the program banned in our school/city, who knows perhaps even state.
The takeaway from this:
ALWAYS be the one who does the final inspection of the rocket before school sanctioned launches, you should NEVER trust the kids in this matter. If necessary, find another adult to assist you with the launches, I'm sure there's one out there with enough of a kid inside him to still want to help.
Be Safe Out There!
Jim
Addendum: After coming back to the US following my stint in the USAF, I found out that bad news kid had been drinking and partying with friends, and they got it in their heads to drive around with him standing in the back of their pickup truck. When they turned a corner a little too fast, he tumbled out. He said he was fine, and went home with a headache. A couple of hours later he was in the hospital with a subdural hematoma, and died soon after that.
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Darwin Award nominee
A story: When I was about 12 years old, I built a Big Bertha, which was the largest rocket for me up to that point. My dad took me to our in-town local park (as usual) to do the launch, as this place had a patch of of open field next to the road that allowed us to use the car battery without removing it. A friend had given me a handful of C6-5 Citation motors, at my own risk, since they had blown up several of his rockets. I did a launch with an A8-3, then a B6-4. I had never launched a C motor though, so I said to my dad "let's see what this will do." Well I found out, as this was a small field! The Bertha landed in the public swimming pool across the street. I was thinking that this was just like the Apollo missions and was very pleased with myself. Fortunately it was mid-day between sessions, so no one was in the pool or the fenced area around it. The life guard fished it out with the rescue hook and threw it to me over the fence. He was not pleased, so I apologized, and was grinning ear to ear as I walked back to the launch pad. This actually happened.
I've never launched a rocket and realized I forgot to turn on the altimeter. Was a nice up though.
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Welcome to the Goldfish Club!!!
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Motors are free with each rocket...
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Just jam that chute in there with a stick or whatever, the down part is the easy bit.
