(BLOGGER's NOTE: Because of the large amount of photos and data required for this post, it will be updated daily during this upcoming week. Check back often !)
Following nearly an entire summer and fall season of not flying any model rockets, conditions and circumstances were finally ideal to schedule a Colorado Front Range launch. Why this long hiatus from launching? Many reasons: personal travel and illness, constant local windy conditions, lengthy periods of fire danger restrictions, and smoke pollution from both Colorado and out-of-state wildfires.
It all ended this past Friday, when weather forecast models called for dead calm air along with the temperature at right around sixty degrees. In the previous week, Denver got hit with about a foot of snow, which provided enough moisture to end all burn restrictions. Perfect!
Even better, we could again enjoy the larger field at Dove Valley Regional Park in Centennial. This area had been off limits for use during an 18-month period beginning in March of 2023, due to park renovation and construction.
Being the first to arrive on the scene, I just had to take a photo of the spacious expanse of manicured turf spread out before me:
It wasn't long before the other troops began arriving. Joining me today were Jim Gazur, Mike Goss, and Mike Perreault.
In short order, launchers were set up and an interesting variety of model rockets were 'unsheathed'.
Mike Perreault had all of his models to be flown spread out on the turf. An impressive array, indeed. All were pre-prepped and ready to hit the skies.
I started things off with flight #17 of my flagship EAC Viper. The model flew straight up on a B6-4, deployed it's red, square, four-shroud-line parasheet (a la Model Missiles, Inc.), and descended slowly in the still air. I jogged underneath it and easily caught it before it touched the ground. A perfect start to what would be a great launch session.
This was immediately followed by Jim Gazur's Spacemonkey V2
(BLOGGER's NOTE: Following every launch session, I usually get a 'launch synopsis' email from each of the other participants. These write-ups always provide interesting information about their various flights. Rather than spend the time re-copying or re-wording these comments, I've found that it is better to cut and paste each rocketeer's model and flight descriptions in their own words. I have done this to some extent in past Launch Date posts and the results seems very satisfactory.)
Take it away, Mr. Gazur:
"Spacemonkey V-2 plastic model conversion on a research motor
in an Aerotech 24/40 case. The motor tested out at 43.8 Newton-seconds
with a 15 Newton average thrust. The average thrust is a bit deceiving as
I used a "moonburner" core configuration yielding a 70 Newton peak
thrust at 0.13 seconds in order to get heavy models off the pad. I don't
normally do "effects" propellant, but when the price of Ammonium
Perchlorate quintupled a few years ago I bought a bunch of Strontium Nitrate,
which produces the red flame. Yes, amateur rocketeers name their
experimental propellants, so I've dubbed this one King Crimson."
(Jim, does the propellant name bear any reference to a certain prog-rock band?)
After troubleshooting and fixing some issues with his launch controller, Mike Perreault had his first model on the pad ready to go:
"First flight was the ’Not So Hi-Flier’ … making
it’s second flight on an A10-3T …. a perfect launch and recovery."
Soon after that, Mike Goss had his first flight of the day ready on the pad:
"Rocketman Miss Riley 1/4 scale, C11-3, Ejection just
before apogee, great flight."
Since the weather forecast for the day had been so favorable, I packed along a number of glider models for the launch session. The first of these to be flown was the Edmonds Deltie Airshow, on its maiden flight. I'd been anticipating the launch of this three-glider contraption for well over a year.
Against my better judgement, I selected an A8-3 motor to power the model.
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| Yours Truly Blogger prepping the Deltie Airshow |
At ignition, my A8-3 trepidation proved to be well founded - the model flew straight up to about 100 feet, turned over and started streaking toward Terra Firma! As the bird(s) fell, I envisioned a spectacular 're-kitting' that would spew balsa splinters everywhere.
To everyone's surprise, the ejection charge went off when the model was around thirty feet above the ground! The three gliders separated, and the booster para-sheet deployed. All of the gliders transitioned into glide phase, but their durations were very short, due to the fact that they straightened out maybe five feet above the turf.
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| The Deltie Airshow shortly after ejection. Photo by Mike Goss |
To my delight, all four of the vehicles were recovered without showing even a scratch. The Deltie Airshow would fly again! If nothing else, this flight proved to be the most amusing of the day.
In quick succession, Mike Perreault had his next two birds on the launcher and in the air:
"Second flight was the ‘Mini Goblin’ making it’s
maiden voyage on an A3-4T. Great flight with a short recovery walk."
"Third flight was an Estes Doorknob, also making
a maiden flight. It launched on a E16-6, which proved to be a bit too
long of a delay. An E16-4 would be preferable, but was not available.
Had a perfect liftoff …. straight and stable, arched over and fell for a
tense few seconds before a successful deployment and safe landing."
About this time, some newcomers showed up on the flying field. These turned out to be the newest folks to recently join our Front Range rocketry group, Rich Wallner and his wife, Shelley.
Rich didn't bring any birds to fly today, but promised he would have some for our next launch session. We are very pleased to have the Wallners on board!
Back on the firing line, Mike Goss had his next bird on the pad:
"Estes Hornet reissue, B4-4, Great flight!"
STAY TUNED FOR MORE .......
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