Whitakers, NC Launch - Sat/Sun Oct 26-27, 2002

[KenParker]

Ken Parker, Mark Brown, Phil Gerringer and his son Jonathan, made the trip to Whitakers for the weekend of Oct 26-27, 2002. It was probably one of the most comfortable Whitakers weather-wise that there has ever been. The temps were in the low to mid 70s, there was little to no wind, and there was enough cloud cover that we didn't even have to put up the shelters. In short, the weather has never been better for launching rockets. Here are the flight logs for each day.

Whitakers
Saturday 10/26/02
Flight Log for the TRF Crew

Flt 1 – Parker – Longshot – 3 stage – Estes C11-0/C11-0/C11-7 – 12” chute – Perfect Flight

Flt 2 – Gerringer, Phil – V2 – Pro38 H110-8 – Delay a bit too long - Minor finish damage on landing

Flt 3 – Brown – LOC Viper III – Aerotech 3xE30-7T SU – 2 out of 3 lit – still a good flight

Flt 4 – Gerringer, Jonathan – No Name – Estes A8-3 – Perfect Flight

Flt 5 – Gerringer, Jonathan – LOC Graduator – Aerotech F21-8 SU – Late ejection, no damage

Flt 6 – Brown – BullPup – Aerotech G64-7W 29/40-120 RMS – In the trees at flight line, 745’ altimeter, recovered, no damage

Flt 7 – Parker – PML AMRAAM 3 – Aerotech H180W-M 29/240 RMS – Perfect Flight

Flt 8 – Gerringer, Jonathan – No Name – Estes A8-3 – Good flight

Flt 9 – Gerringer, Jonathan – Estes Invader – Estes D11-P – Perfect Flight

Flt 10 – Gerringer, Phil – el Diablo – Pro38 J360 – Perfect Flight

Flt 11 – Parker – Aerotech Arreaux – Aerotech F20-4W SU – Perfect Flight, long walk to recover

Flt 12 – Parker – MultiPlex Combat Jet, Rocket Boosted Radio Controlled Glider – Aerotech F37W 29/60 RMS – Perfect Flight

Flt 13 – Parker – Wattage Mirage – Estes D11-P – Good Flight

Flt 14 – Parker – Wattage Mirage – Estes D11-P – Engine cato’d 2 feet above the launch rod, severe damage to rear of left wing

Whitakers
Sunday 10/27/02
Flight Log for the TRF Crew

Flt 1 – Gerringer, Jonathan – Graduator – Aerotech F21-8 – ignitor problems, but perfect flight on ignition

Flt 2 – Gerringer, Phil – Aerotech Mirage (much modified) – Aerotech G64-7W – Perfect Flight

Flt 3 – Brown – LOC Viper III – 3 Aerotech E28-10T – 2 out of 3 lit, 10 seconds is too long for the delay, but luckily no damage

Flt 4 - Parker – Longshot – 3 stage – Estes C11-0/C11-0/C11-7 – 12” chute – Perfect Flight

Flt 5 – Parker – Estes Snitch – Aerotech RMS 18/20 D13W – Perfect Flight

Flt 6 – Parker – Estes Invader – Estes D11-P – Perfect Flight

Flt 7 – Parker – Aerotech Cheetah – Aerotech RMS 24/40 D15-4T – Perfect Flight

Flt 8 – Brown – LOC Aura – Aerotech RMS 24/40 E28-10T – Perfect Flight

Flt 9 – Gerringer, Jonathan – Graduator – F14-9 – Perfect Flight

Flt 10 – Gerringer, Phil – V-2 – Pro38 H110-6 – Perfect Flight

Flt 11 – Parker – Estes Broadsword – Aerotech RMS24/40 F12-3J – Ignitor problem, then Perfect Flight

Flt 12 – Parker – Estes Invader – CHAD staged Estes D12-0/C6-0 – BAD IDEA – definitely not stable

Flt 13 – Brown – Quest UFO – CHAD staged Estes D12-0/C6-7 – BAD IDEA – 2nd stage lit while nearly horizontal

Soooo….. the final tally for the weekend was 27 flights:

1 - Parker 12 flights
2 – Gerringer, Jonathan 6 flights
3 – Brown 5 flights
4 – Gerringer, Phil 4 flights

What can I say? One person went to Whitakers to fly rockets. The other people…. Well, I guess they just spent most of the time wandering around the cow pasture…..

Oh yeah.... pics? You want pics? Well.... OK, if you insist.

On Saturday, I got some decent shots with my digital camera. Oh, don't get me wrong, I missed some. But I got an awesome ignition picture of my AMRAAM 3. I got some other pretty good shots as well. Here are the pics from Saturday:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/kparker/album/?dir=w102602

On Sunday, I started out missing a liftoff, and it was hit and miss after that. In addition, I wasn't able to get info on a lot of the pics as to what the rockets and engines were. Oh, well. C'est la vie. For what it's worth, here are the pics from Sunday:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/kparker/album/?dir=w102702

I did try something different on Sunday. I knew that my digital camera had some mpeg capability, but I had never taken the time to learn how to use it. On Saturday night, I found myself with some available time, so I spent that time learning how to use the mpeg feature. I tried it out on Sunday, again having some hits and some misses. I did get a pretty good launch video of Randy Ejma's L3 cert flight. He was flying a scratch built AMRAAM, and when I first saw it I thought that Carl had snuck down from Cincy. He flew it on an Aerotech M - I think it was the M1315W. At any rate, it was loud, bright, and long. I will include a link to the video page. (Assuming you have Windows) If you left click them, they should download and play in the Windows Media Player. If you right click, you will get an option to download and save to disk.

Here is the link to the video clips:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/kparker/album/?dir=w102702m

At any rate, fun was had by all. Hope you enjoy the pics and vids.
- Ken

 

[PGerringer]

Dude!!!! Great pictures. I hope to have mine up soon too when MY FREAKIN' WEBSITE GETS BACK UP!!!!

Anyway, you forgot to mention that this scratch built:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/kparker/album/?display=w102602/09 Scratchbuilt Liftoff.jpg

Was built with 7.5" SonoTube. Very cool and it went very high, but never deployed. This my first large lawn dart I have ever saw that went at least 1500' and whistled while it barrelled into the ground. While my heart goes out to the maker of the rocket, I could help but say "That was cool." I got some great pics of the wreckage. The 2 - 3' nose cone was burried, yes burried in the ground so far that he had to take a spade to dig it out. It was sad....

 

[Austin]

Dang Ken...by far the best report you have ever done bro!!! Dang impressive and the videos were goo to...glad you all had what I would call a successful weekend. Also, this had to be the first time I have ever seen you doo all 3 stages on the longshot...sorry I missed that. also, bummer about the Mirage...any chance of saving it ?

Carl

 

[KenParker]

I don't know yet about the Mirage, Carl. I have looked at it a couple of times, and I can't make up my mind whether to try to fix it again or not.

That engine cato was $%^$%^&# aggravating. I had a nearly perfect trim flight on the first D11-P. I almost loaded up an E11 to put into it, but I had promised myself that I would have the trims absolutely perfect before I put a bigger engine in it. Sooooo.... I made a tiny trim adjustment, shoved another D11-P in it, and put it on the rod again. Then, 2 feet off the launch rod and........ BLOOIE !!! I know catos are just a part of rocketry life, but...... schiznits !!!!! A real bummer.

I don't know... I'll look at it a few more times. We'll see.

If I don't repair this one, I will eventually get another one, as I now know how to set it up pretty close to how it should be. And, it is a GREAT flyer when it is trimmed right.

 

[PGerringer]

OK folks, the pics are in...

https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?dir=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/

Some interesting points...

The burried 7.5" nose cone can be seen here:
launch: https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3308.jpg
nosecone: https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3315.jpg
body: https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3316.jpg
nosecone w/scale: https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3317.jpg

Ken's A-3 (and Ken, I think I have you beat )
https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3354.jpg
https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3355.jpg

Enjoy!!!!

 

[KenParker]

What can I say? I just happen to have a very photogenic rocket !!!

They are good pictures, Phil.

Even a blind squirrel gets a nut, occasionally......

 

[PGerringer]

Thanks... I think...

After going through them and label them I have to say, my favorite picture of the whole bunch is the chad-staged UFO:

https://www.cybergatetech.com/phpgraphy/?display=Rocketry/launch 10-26-02/img_3464.jpg

If anyone has ever done chad staging on one of these beasts you know it is incredibly fast. I was very lucky to get it in flight.