February 17, 1996 Launch Report

Contributed by Tom McAtee

Our February 17 launch featured temperatures in the upper 30's, overcast skies, and winds around 15 mph from the NW. Still, we hard-core rocketeers never say die. Flyers included new member Robert Chapie, Dave Kuntzmann, Jack and Peter Hollister, Mark Henriksen, Bruce Weidner, Dane and Thomas Kell, and Tom McAtee. (I may have a reputation for flying in any weather, but it's the other guys like Dave and Jack who had to talk me into it this time.) Chad Rogers, Rich Tabor, and Tim Schaiff spectated, but elected not to fly anything themselves. Along with our rocket flying, we also had a flyover by an F/A-18E out on a test flight (it's an airplane dear to my heart, since it pays for my toy rockets).

After letting the F/A-18 pass by, Robert Chapie launched his Bullpup missile for a good flight. Unfortunately his veteran Phoenix was the day's sole casualty, coming down in some trees upwind. Robert also had several larger Estes models like a 4-engine Patriot; hopefully we'll see them fly when we get better weather. The Hollisters were the most frequent flyers, with 5 flights, including a C-powered flight of (I believe) their Beta-Tron rocket, one of the highest flights of the day.

Mark Henriksen had a nice Firehawk which made a good flight, and a rugged Prime Number Explorer whose chute didn't open. Bruce Weidner wanted to make sure I mentioned his flights, so here goes: Bruce was the high-power leader of the day, with two good D-powered flights of his reliable Space Junk. Dave Kuntzmann had a wobbly but high flight of his tube-stabilized rocket on D power. Dave also found someone's unpainted Zinger (I think) rocket on the field while looking for the Space Racer he lost at our last launch. Dane and Thomas Kell tested our vision with several good flights of the Gnome and Sparrow mini-rockets, all successfully recovered. Tim Schaiff, though he didn't fly, showed us one of his new projects, the square Spinnaker rocket from Stellar Dimensions - quite interesting.

Our next meeting will be on March 12 at Duffy's, and the next launch will be March 16 at Elsberry.