SLRA Launch Report - September 15, 2001

By Jeff McCoy

 

The weather was about as good as it gets, light breeze, sunny, temperature just right.  50 flights were put up by 12 flyers. Flights were slow to get under way, so the LCO/DJ stirred-up things by playing nerve stirring opera type selections with the incentive that the music would stop when the flying started. Frequent flyer goes to Candice Turner with 12 flights for the day.

 

Don Hanson flew an Estes Mongoose on a C6 booster to an A8-3 sustainer.  He did retrieve it for a second flight stepping it up to a C / B combination.  Candice Turner made 4 flights with her Astro-cam.  Mike Walsh Jr. flew an assortment of rockets; one even named “Take Cover” on a C67.  Most unusual rocket goes to Claudi Paquin with his AutoZone Special on a D12.  This rocket basically is a long oil funnel resembling a mini “Grim Reaper”.  Jon Pennington flew his V-2 four times.

 

John Buckley was working hard to test a piston launched Rocket Glider. After several attempts, it flew great.  The reported problem turned out to be a “smoooshed” ignitor.  Jenny Dooling made her first flight with an Estes Gnome on an A10.  How many of us remember our first flights.  Michael Ludwig flew a scratch built Saturinian from old Estes plans. Bruce Weidner flew twice in one day.  He even flew a rocket besides Ugly Space Junk.

 

Everyone had a great time.

 

Flight numbers were as follows:

                    Name           # of Flights          Motors

          Candice Turner            12                1/2-A,A(3),B(4),C(4)

          Don Hanson                  6                  A,B,C,E,G

          Nicholas Dooling           5                  A,B(4)

Mike Walsh Jr.               4                  C,E,F,G

          Claude Paquin               4                  B(3),D

          Jon Pennington              4                  D(4)

          John Buckley                 4                  1/4-A(2),1/2-A(2)

          Jenny Dooling                3                  A(2),C

          Michael Bollinger           3                  B,C,D

          Michael Ludwig             2                  B,C

          Bruce Weidner              2                  A,D

          Dave W.                       1                  B