Orlando R.O.C.K. Monthly Launch, October 3, 2015

Tom Dennen took over the RSO duties while Brian was away. The field was wet and most didn't chance driving on it unless you had a truck or four wheel drive. With any luck, this would be the last hot Summer launch. In central Florida, the humidity always seem to drop off on October 15.
The Orlando R.O.C.K. section is a great group. Launch fees are low and the well maintained equipment always works!

For the Fall and Halloween season I dug out the RAISIN' MAIZE corn-roc.
It's a styrofoam corn cob reamed out to slide in a BT-5. With an A10-3t it probably got to 175 feet. Boost was straight with a long yellow streamer for recovery.
The shock cord and streamer were wrapped around the fins at ejection. When I picked it up I found the Kevlar was burned through. The only thing holding the streamer on the rocket was the shock cord wrapped around the fins. No damage.




Another test of the new Odd'l Rockets BREAK-AWAY had a great flight.
The Estes B6-4 got it to 375', higher than I thought it would reach.
At ejection all six sections popped apart and it slithered down to a soft recovery in the tall grass.





This mostly plastic Estes R2-D2 is popular with spectators.
It takes a while to pack the 12" parachute and shock cord between the centering rings on the rear eject pod.
A straight labored boost with a C6-3 got it to 275'. There was a loud pop at ejection. Full chute and no damage.





My older Quest NIKE SMOKE had it's eighth flight on a sooty German made Quest B6-4. You can tell a older German Quest engine by the silver color of the nozzle. The Chinese made Quest engines have a tan colored nozzle.
Estimated altitude would be 325'.
A textbook flight with full parachute deploy and no damage.


Last up for me was the flight worn Quest RAPTOR on a Chinese B6-4. Altitude was 325'.
Before the flight I commented to a friend that the Chinese Quest engines are louder than the Estes with weaker ejection charges.
This one didn't disappoint, it was louder. The parachute did eject but the wadding stayed in the body tube.
The exposed "Super Shroud" nozzle shows no damage.

Except for one failed Quest Tiger Tail igniter, all ignitions were Estes Starters with Quickburst Quick Dip tips. Five up, five recovered with no damage. A good day.