Launch! Orlando R.O.C.K., April 1, 2017

This was our first HOT launch day of the season. A good turnout with light wind gusts. Launch racks were busy until about 2:30 p.m.




To test the waters my NIKE GOON went up first with an Estes A8-3.
A good, stable flight to about 125' with a spill holed chute for recovery.

My wasted engine of the day -

Check out the lead line looped over the "fin". I didn't see this when I took the pre-flight picture.

The lead went up with the Estes QUINSTAR causing what looked like an unstable flight. It was trying to right itself only reaching 35' with the C6-3 engine. One of the fin edges was cracked.

Later in the day it was launched again with another C6-3 for a textbook, spinning saucer flight.

Dave Hoffman joined us today with a design I had only seen on paper.
It's an upscale of the Estes Orange Bullet. This design was just the third published by Estes in the early 1960s. To see it, CLICK HERE
He had a great launch with a B6-4.

You may have seen Dave's collection of Red Max variations on the Rocketry Fanatics Facebook page.






One of my older models, the Quest RAPTOR had it's thirteenth flight with a Quest B6-4 to about 300'.
I've always liked this design but it usually has some damage with every landing. Today no damage except for some upper body tube snap back bends.






Danielle and Emma did two Little Green Man drag races with B6-4s.
For some reason Pad #2 was always the first to light.









I rarely launch my Estes GBU-24 PAVEWAY III. Today it flew with an Quest German made B6-4 to an estimated 300'.
For a model with a lot of fins and weight at the rear it is very stable.



Another older bird with many flights and flight damage is my Quest STRIKER AGM.
A German made Quest B6-4 raised it to an estimated 300' for recovery under a spill holed parachute.

Six launches with just small repairs needed on the Quinstar and Raptor. Two larger rockets (with electronics onboard) were hung on the power lines. The local power companies were called, they said they could get them down in the next few days. One was hanging low and might be a dangerous temptation for a state park guest to reach with a ladder.