Unofficial TRF Rocketry Goals for 2023 Thread

[tsmith1315]

4)Finish one rocket build before starting another

A record attempt, that’s bold!

 

[krislhull]

Im hoping I can do it with this Doorknob that I've found!!

View attachment 549422

Not a bad choice, but it will be a high flyer on a H motor

Not trying to sway you one way or another but you might want to do some sims before choosing an Estes Doorknob for your L1 attempt - even a low-end H is going to go over 2000 feet. With the right recovery area that’s probably doable, especially with a Jolly Logic Chute Release or a dual deployment setup. Adding plywood fins/rings and maybe some extra nose weight too would bring the mass up a bit and lower your apogee a bit. Keeping an L1 attempt low, slow and simple is not carved in stone, plenty of folks have done fine with high and/or complex flights, but the conventional wisdom does raise the odds for success.

+1!

I highly recommend getting the Vanderburn upgrades for the doorknob from LaunchLab Rocketry. I used the the Vanderburn plywood fins on mine, and I also added 3oz of lead shot to the nosecone. The nose weight allows the largest 29mm motors available to be flown safely. I have flown mine once so far, and it was on a H135W to about 2900ft. It is doable for a L1 attempt, but make sure you have a large enough field and a chute release.

 

[jmasterj]

Estes advertises your Wizard as going to 1600 ft on a C6-7, and it's pretty easy to build something that goes a lot higher on that power. Maybe get that built and launch it a few times, see what 1600 ft looks like. Try different (longer, more visible) streamers. Build your Goblin with a 95mm motor mount and see what happens with an E9-8 in it - consider more visible streamers as well. Maybe try something BT-60 sized with a 29mm F or G and a JLCR. When you get those back, you'll have more perspective on what's appropriate with the big ol' Doorknob.

For me at least a big part of the altitude consideration is visibility, which isn't really comparable between a BT-20 Wizard and a 3" Doorknob. I probably can't see the former at 1500', but I can likely see the latter at 2000'.

 

[EPflyer]

1. Attend 2 National Launches (NSL at Alamosa and AirFest Argonia)
2. Finish my Wireless Launch Controller
3. Reach 2 miles altitude (currently at 6200')
4. Build my rocket for Level 3
5. Attain my level 3 certification

 

[SolarYellow]

I'm so close, I need to go to this:

2023 FAI World Championships for Space Models for Juniors and Seniors
and World Championship S2/P Challenge Cup
1-8 July, 2023
Austin, Texas, United States of America

https://www.nar.org/site/wsmc-2023/...ext=Event Dates: 1 July through 8 July, 2023.

 

[DRAGON64]

Here would be an awesome goal for me; to not have so many excuses for not going to a launch, especially an LDRS!

 

[duodenumnums]

In no particular order:

-Get my Level 2
-Learn how to dual deploy
-Get experience with tracking devices
-Start using reloadables
-And have fun while doing it all!

 

[Raythain]

I know we’re a month and a half in, but I just found this. In no particular order
- Build and fly an MPR kit with an AV bay
- Fly a composite motor for the first time
- Break 2000’
- Get familiar with basic electronics - simple altimeter and maybe a JLCR
- Mod a kit to a two-stager
- Clone the Estes ARV Condor

 

[jmasterj]

1. 5 DD flights
2. Fly a K motor
3. Build either the Demon 5 or the 5.5" Nike Smoke I have in my build pile

#2 successful (twice!), and more than halfway to #1. I've also started the fin can for the Demon 5 in #3.

 

[Peartree]

Just to set a low bar, I think I'd like to actually attend a launch and fly something.

 

[Rocket86]

Attend LDRS
Complete L3 Certification
Attend as many launches as possible, for LPR, MPR and HPR
Attend BALLS

 

[SolarYellow]

Launched some stuff at ROCStock.

 

[Voyhager3]

Only a tad late to the party:

Be useful to my local club (Ongoing)
Build high power capable rocket
Fly said rocket on HPR motor
Build dual deploy capable rocket
Fly said rocket using DD
Get L1
Get L2
Figure out what college to go to

 

[KenECoyote]

Not get into politics on TRF.

(Oops! )

 

[GrouchoDuke]

1. Help my kids design & build their own mid-power rockets.
2. Fly my own electronics.
3. Fly at least 2 of my own new rocket designs.
4. Build an L3-capable rocket.

• Help my kids design & build their own mid-power rockets.
• Fly my own electronics.
• Fly at least 2 of my own new rocket designs.

One to go.

 

[Voyhager3]

Only a tad late to the party:

Be useful to my local club (Ongoing)
Build high power capable rocket
Fly said rocket on HPR motor
Build dual deploy capable rocket
Fly said rocket using DD
Get L1
Get L2
Figure out what college to go to

Update:
Be useful to my local club (Ongoing)

Build high power capable rocket

Fly said rocket on HPR motor (well, I guess it kinda flew)

Build dual deploy capable rocket

Fly said rocket using dual deploy (need a bigger motor to do so)

Get L1 (attempt two next weekend!)

Get L2 (postponed to next year)

Figure out what college to go to (Iowa State!)

 

[ONAWHIM]

I'm new and learning, attending monthly launches.
My goals are to introduce myself to other flyers, have conversations and ask questions.
There's a wealth of knowledge out there.

Oh yeah, and fly.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Update:

Figure out what college to go to (Iowa State!)

How did you pick that college?

 

[boatgeek]

I guess I never wrote this down, but my 2023 goals were a recycle of my 2022 goals:

Finish my current build before starting another build [check]
Build a new spool (maybe a cluster spool) [Nope]
Fly the K motor that's been sitting in the basement for a few years [check]
Help the TARC team I mentor get to Nationals [check, placed #44]
Fly all of my rockets at least once in the year [check]

How did we all do this year?

 

[DaHabes]

1. Build RDD AV-Bay for my Super DX3 (flew single deploy for my L1). Will use for all 4" DD birds. COMPLETE
2. Scratch build 3" White Wolf clone with 54mm MMT and RDD AV-Bay. Will use AV Bay for all 3" DD birds. COMPLETE
3. Scratch build Big Daddy clone (Bigger Daddy) with 38mm MMT and Nose Cone AV-Bay. FAILED
4. Scratch build 7x24 cluster for Ds, Es, Fs, with custom nose cone AV-Bay using Mach1/BadAss Deployment/Tracker Sled (already built). COMPLETE and flown.
5. Scratch build Long Burn 3 (3x29mm) & Evolution 2 (Evolution 1 design with 38mm MMT) and break Mach with either. Traditional builds, LOC tubing, plywood fins, no FG, no CF. Finsim indicates it's very doable without shredding the birds. FAILED
6. Start planning for L3 build to commence late 2023/early 2024. COMPLETE
7. Build Estes Super Orbital Transport for Fall 2023 launch. FAILED
8. Incorporate Flightsketch SST into my LPR/MPR fleet if it ever comes to market. NOT POSSIBLE
9. 5+ RDD flights PARTIAL - flew 3 of the 5.

Updated above in bold.

 

[Voyhager3]

Looks like I hit all of my goals!
Even hit my L2!

 

[jmasterj]

1. 5 DD flights
2. Fly a K motor
3. Build either the Demon 5 or the 5.5" Nike Smoke I have in my build pile

1. Almost, got 4
2. Twice, K1103X and OOP K980BL
3. Nope, only halfway though the Demon 5.

 

[cwbullet]

Time to start 2024?

 

[jmasterj]

Time to start 2024?

Aff.

 

[neil_w]

1) Avoid setting specific goals that will just disappoint me if I don't achieve them
2) ....

In retrospect: best goals ever.

 

[John Kemker]

1) Finish sanding and painting the 4" LOC Goblin DONE
2) Build the Cherokee-H, then sand it and paint it Partially completed
3) Actually attend a launch DONE (4x!)
4) Re-cert level 1, maybe even level 2 DONE -- BOTH!

 

[John Kemker]

Time to start 2024?

Yes.

 

[Voyhager3]

1) Finish sanding and painting the 4" LOC Goblin DONE
2) Build the Cherokee-H, then sand it and paint it Partially completed
3) Actually attend a launch DONE (4x!)
4) Re-cert level 1, maybe even level 2 DONE -- BOTH!

It was fun getting to meet you, and welcome back! (I was in the tent next to you, for your first launch)

 

[KenECoyote]

1. Attend more club launches...people are fantastic there and rockets are cool. A Happy place.
2. Launch bigger and better to have more fun and in preparation for...
3. Start plans for L3 in earnest.
4. Buy more stuff from our onsite vendors. They support us, we should support them. Online and bf sales are good, but a person showing up and offering help and products is better than the savings imo.
5. Spend more time on TRF. *Already Done!
6. Try to not get in trouble with the wife for buying too many rockets! (wish me luck!)

I did pretty well except for #6...

 

[cwbullet]

I am sure my wife feels I should cut back on my build pile.