October 26, 1996 Launch Report

Contributed by Tom McAtee

Our Fall '96 season of Elsberry high power launches is off to a great start, with our biggest and best launch yet. Even with breezy conditions and overcast skies for much of the day, there was a record turnout of forty flyers and about as many spectators, and a record 112 flights. The day also included our club's first hybrid flights.

The most popular motors were D's, powering 32 flights, including several clusters and multistage flights. There were 3 1/2A's, 3 A's, 5 B's, 20 C's, 32 D's, 16 E's, 12 F's, 10 G's, 7 H's, 2 I's, and 2 J-powered flights. The long distance flyer was my brother Steve McAtee, visiting from Topeka.

Gary Buck, Central Illinois Aerospace prefect and experienced hybrid flyer, came down to lend a hand with our first hybrid flights. Mike Gitcho had the honor of the first hybrid flight, with a perfect flight of his large scratchbuilt scale model of the RP-3 sounding rocket on Hypertek J power. Ken Brightwell made a successful Level 1 certification flight, and then made a great Hypertek-powered flight of his Binder Designs Cobra (with a video transmitter payload yet) for Level 2 certication. Also certifying was Mike Hill, flying a scratchbuilt rocket for Level 1 certification.

Scale-model fans like myself had plenty to look at. One of the most techically impressive models was Steve Mizerany's scale X-15 boost-glider, which made several great D-powered flights. An AT E15 boosted the model even higher, but unfortunately the ejection charge was a bit too much for it, blowing off the canopy - it looked like the pilot had ejected! V-2's were much in evidence, with Steve Seger's 4" BecTec version, Rob Chapie's 2.6" Mountainside kit, and Jeff Brundt's 2.6" Estes and 4" Mountainside versions all putting in good flights. Rob Chapie also had a new Rocket R&D Army Hawk and a Scud (based on Launch Pad plans) to go with his 4-engine Patriot. Mike Heppermann and Jeff Brundt put up high flights of 2.6" Estes Honest John models on F25 and F12 motors. Steve Seger's well-done PML AMRAAM blasted to extreme altitude on I power.

Another high-altitude flight was put in by Mark Geislinger's EZI on I power. There were impressive performances by Jim Davis' very clean Estes Black Brant II and Jack Hollister's Estes Delta Clipper upper stage on AT E power, blasting to the limits of visibility and recovering successfully.

Our next launch is Saturday, Nov. 16.