Here's a great YouTube video from Bernardotech.org onStability and Swing Testing
CLICK HERE
"A tutorial on how to design a model rocket in such a way that it will be stable and fly correctly. If you want to learn about model rocket stability, this is a good place to start."
The video illustrates how a weather vane will turn into the wind. Using the same principles, a stable model rocket should fly straight.
I first tried swing testing in 1969 after reading about it in the old Estes catalog "Yellow Pages" Technical Section.
I wish had this video back then. My rocket slipped off the string right into a wood fence.
I did the swing test in front of a group of students today, in my first ever model rocketry class for kids.
ReplyDeleteIt went much better than when I tried it at home a few days ago.
Hi Daniel,
DeleteCongrats on teaching the rocketry class.
I thought the video was great, it's easy to associate a weather vane and a model rocket flying stable.