On Monday morning I went to the soccer field early - 7:00 a.m. The winds were already starting up. I set up my camera tripod launcher in the middle of the field.
Flight was good with streamer deploy before apogee. There was drift.
I angled the launch rod a few degrees into the wind.
The Semroc ASTRON was next with a Quest A6-4 to an estimated 300'. After a loud boost (Quest engines are louder than the Estes) it flew to the west - not because of the winds.
After ejecting the parachute, I thought it would land in the street. It did land in the field, 200 feet away. Time to move the launcher 200 feet to the southwest.
The best flight of the day was the Centuri FINLESS with a B6-2.
I hadn't flown this one since it went unstable with a C6-3. (C engines are not recommended on the plan sheet.)
Perfectly straight boost, with a little tail wag at burnout.
Full parachute ejection and I caught it before it hit the wet grass.
This was the only disappointment of the morning.
My Dr. Zooch ARES 1 with an A8-3 to 195' (OpenRocket estimate)
Boost was flawless, you can see the angle the rod is set at now.
I was waiting for the 8" parachute but it never ejected!
The picture with the grass shows the nose cone section pushed into the body tube. The nose cone shoulder is pretty much gone, shaved off by the body tube edge.
When I got home the Estes A8-3 was checked. The clay ejection cap was still in place!
No ejection = repairs!
Below the nose section, the rest of the model is fine.
Maybe I'll just build a new one, I have a new Ares 1-X kit upstairs.
Textbook launch and recovery. Indestructible.
Also flown:
Art Applewhite QUBIT with the Stars and Stripes decor.
This "freebie" arced off to the south during boost with an Estes A10-PT plugged engine.
No damage, just a little ink running after it landed in the wet grass. (I'd better spray the next one with a clear coat.)
If this were Facebook I would click "Like". Yeah, it's a bummer that TTRA was rained out. I did some solo launching on Sunday morning and the wind picked up on me as well, but not bad. I flew some new acquisitions (Moondog, Snitch) and a couple of projects I finally finished (Mid Bertha, Quasar 2) with excellent results.
ReplyDeleteThe only downside about that morning was the 150% humidity that was making the glue on my repaired rockets turn cloudy. But it feels like drier, cooler weather is soon on the way. Yeehaw!
Hi Lonnie,
ReplyDeleteAfter the TTRA was cancelled I had to get some launches in.
Humidity really screws up finishes and glue fillets. That and the heat can soften up a fin joint.
In Florida I always wait for October 15th. That's the first day I notice the cooler weather. Mark my words - October 15!