Subject: SLRA Launch Report
Date of Launch: 05-15-2004
Launch site: Buder Park
by: Dan Welling
The day started around 12:30 with a half dozen
or so members arriving early for setup. When all the work was done Bruce
arrived (just as planned, I think).
Despite a good turn out even before launch time, the first rocket didn't leave the pads until 1:45. Starting the day's flights was Steve Galayda offering up his Falcon boost glider flying successfully on a half A - making the first of several graceful glides. Later, on a full A, it held together despite this oversized motor. (I'm not really sure how many loops it did, but I know the wings stayed on and brought it down safe and sound.)
It was bright and sunny all day. Winds were a little worrisome but proved no major issue as at higher altitudes the air current swirled around the end of the park we occupied. Don Richard had a perfect first flight on his scratch built Little Joe I. Steve Galayda provided us all a blast from the past with a half-A powered bad mitten birdie. A steady stream of fliers launched a veritable plethora of craft. William Gast Jr., Dave Welch, Bill Hrach and many others flew time and again. Answering Steve G's unspoken challenge - to fly the oldest rocket, came Gary Siebert. Having at least one good flight under his belt, Gary had the only CATO of the day. The rocket cleared the launch rod (barely) while the motor seemed to shoot through it bursting in the process. The rocket did not have severe damage and the grass fire was easily extinguished. Just a note on safety here: really old motors CAN burn well, but thermal shocking and excessive humidity (never a problem here in St. Louis) can cause them to be a tad unreliable. Michael Lohrum flew his scratch built Cone Fire straight as an arrow on an A-8. Don Hanson was among the first to show that park launches need not all be under 500' by flying his "Scrap Industries" built "Lawn Dart" 2-stage on a pair of D-12's. The Welch's also seemed to favor the higher altitudes. Dave's LOC Weasel flew straight and high on an F-40 but was kind enough to come down close to home. Ryan Corley must have had the closest landing to the launch pad - within 20' easy. (Of course that is if you don't count Dave Welch's Totally Tubular that needed a slightly larger launch lug. It attained a maximum altitude of 3" ABL (Above Blast-deflector Level.) Needless to say, not all of the day's flights were successful. There were many separations, lack of chutes and various other problems but most resulted in little to no damage. Jack Schultz corkscrewed an Estes Viking, but was able to recover it successfully and corkscrew it again and again. In answer to Steve's Galayda's other un-voiced challenge for the smallest rocket (his bad mitten birdie), William Gast Jr launched his beautiful but tiny Estes 220 Swift on a 1/2 A never to see it again. (I know my eyes followed the motor at ejection and the rocket seemingly disappeared in the fist sized cloud of smoke in line with the sun.) Did I mention it was sunny and beautiful all day? It got a little warm after a while, but it was a great day for flying rockets. Young Mr. Chris Franklin arrived early and repeatedly flew his Estes Kit, the Orange Crush, with great success. It seems his mother, Deborah, has the bug now, too. I look forward to seeing a wide range of motors used in a variety of rockets from these two. Dave Welch and his son launched countless rockets including some high flying jobs as I mentioned. We also had a representative group of eager Cub Scouts at the launch along with a few of their adult ringmasters. The kids kept the grown-ups busy to say the least. They seemed to particularly enjoy naming their creations. I have never seen so many rockets land gently with wadded, burned or tangled chutes. They sure had fun and I think learned a little more about rocketry. We will have our hands full in July when they come out in force. Don Richard brought out another example of his fine craftsmanship in the form of his beautifully painted Aerobee. Alex Lohrum was on his heels with Gecko blaster. This slick looking rocket boasted a clear payload section containing a non-bio Gecko. It flew textbook perfect on a cluster of 3 B-4's. Sam, a little boy who escaped from the RC modelers, adopted Chris and his mother, Deborah. Don Hanson, ever popular with the short enthusiasts, let him fly a 1" Dia rocket, his Orange-O-La on an A8. Later Don Hanson provided one of the most entertaining flights of the day with his 2-stage "Smokey Sam" a Double Trouble. After it darted into the air on the first of its 2 D-12's, it coasted briefly and then shot nearly out of sight on the second. The fun really started when the rocket was under canopy. While the rocket remained below the chute it certainly did not plummet to the ground. In fact, several times after hovering it actually began to rise. Don ought to think about re-naming that bird Buteo jamaicensis, the red-tailed hawk, since it soared on thermals with silent ease for an amazingly long time. Eventually it did leave the firmament and actually touched down at the far end of the field from which it started it's long journey. With a little help from Child Exploitation Recovery, Don didn't have to take a step to retrieve his sustainer- just cough up a buck to an eager, energy filled youngster. Don Richard, a level 2 flier transplanted to St. Louis from out of state, continued to fly his beautiful scratch built semi-scale Little Joe I on E-9's one picture perfect flight after another. I can't wait to see what he brings to Elsberry. John Buckley eventually showed up to provide us with a little entertainment. A half hour after a relatively tame flight of his Big Bertha with some 'chute problems, John showed us the good stuff. His "Born to Shred" upscaled "Gyroc" gyroed under boost from a D-12 and continued its gyration right until it lawn darted (at which time it stopped spinning rather abruptly). Later he regained face with his Boost Glider that "looked like a purple martin swooping for bugs" (in his own words) and a beautiful, slow straight flight of his Estes Shadow on a D-12. Bill Hrach gave us all a little fright when only a single motor of a 2-motor cluster ignited on his Estes Impulse. That single D-12 really moved that rocket, unfortunately thrust was a tad off the centerline and it arced over under power and was coming in hot. At no more than 50', the chute deployed just in time to turn it around and stick in the ground fin-first. No injuries - another great flight. Rockets took to the sky with little lag time all the way until a little after 5pm. Bill Hrach flew his Impulse again on a cluster of 2 D-12's. What an impressive flight! John Buckley was goaded into flying his Estes Shadow just one more time. Well, thanks for the entertainment, John. After a very clean ascent on an E-18, the chute did not deploy until the rocket had become downwardly stable (going ballistic and accelerating fast). The chute wrapped nicely around the leading end of the rocket. Hmmm... a nose bra for a rocket, what a concept. Thanks to some soft grass and damp soil the Shadow lawn darting caused little damage (not even tearing the chute).
By the end of the day we had logged a total of 53 flights, no major damage and only 1 un-recovered rocket. A great time was had by all.