The weather turned out really very nice for a club launch for February 9th 2020 at the WyEast Middle School
Vernon, Don and John Casey were in attendance along with me for the launch. It was sunny with little to no wind. The field was quite marshy, so the pad was set up on the pitcher’s mound since that was the highest and driest spot out in the field. John Casey launched a very cool model rocket from Estes called the Manta II.
It may be a discontinued kit, however Estes is offering starter kit called the Javelin which looks very similar: https://estesrockets.com/product/001436-javelin-launch-set/
The rocket was launched as least four times on Sunday and each time the little glider stayed up in the air for more than 30 seconds each flight and was really impressive to watch fly.
This kit would be ideal for anyone wanting to try for the NARTEK Silver patch: https://www.nar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/NTSilver.pdf
The NARTREK program is a great skills achievement program. They offer the Bronze, Silver and Gold Achievement and advanced programs: https://www.nar.org/members/nartek-skills-program/
Don Buchanan Launched the Estes Multi-Roc Rocket once with the boost glider attached and twice in the two stage configuration without the boost glider. The booster sections parachute caused the rocket to land up behind the baseball catchers mount fence. Before we knew it, Vernon was climbing up the fence and retrieved the booster section which was used again for two more flights as a two stage rocket. All flights were very impressive and successful. Then he launched the Sirius Rocketry Eradicator rocket: https://www.siriusrocketry.biz/ishop/sirius-rocketry-eradicator-29mm-1332.html
The First launched was on an Estes E motor which was a slow liftoff and achieved an altitude of less than 200 feet. He made up for it on the second flight with an Aerotech Economax F-67-4 https://www.rocketryworks.com/f67-4/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4TyBRDgARIsAOU75sqjFEguDZi7O6XuxNIGOZLM33xtuExu3vWbbVtuKOlWWF6XL58QLKoaAiodEALw_wcB which kicked that rocket up to 600 plus feet. Don had a Jolly Logic Alt 2 in the rocket so it provided data for speed (max speed was 192 miles per hour with close to a max g force of 10 gs).
That was the highest impulse launch of the morning. J
I launched four very light weight rockets from Discount Rocketry that were called Nexus rockets: https://www.discountrocketry.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=nexus&sort=4a they are pretty cool because they require assembly without any glue. They can easily go up to 1000 feet with an Estes C6-5 motor.
I launched two with Estes motors and then two more with the new Quest Aerospace C and D composite motors:
I was not impressed and honestly embarrassed and disappointed as to how the C and D motor under performed. Both motors sputtered on the pad and then caused the rocket to lift off and do a U-turn into the muddy ground. It was funny to see that happen, however if this had happened to a new rocket hobby enthusiast with a complex model they had spent hours on, hoping that the motor would push the rocket high up in the air like the Estes C and D motors normally do, then that would have been very bad and sad. Fortunately you as a hobby consumer can do something about it. First, retain the motor and take a photo like the one above that has the motors lot/batch number. Go to this web site: http://www.motorcato.org/ There is a link to report a motor malfunction. There is also a list to review of the most recent motor issues here: http://www.motorcato.org/latest
Sometime it may be a good idea to see what others have reported about a certain motor before buying it. Also sometimes you can email to the motor vendor such as Aerotech or Estes and they may try to compensate you with a new kit or new motors if the motor burned through the side of your rocket.
Towards the end of the launch window, I launched a FlisKits model rocket called the Borealis. It is a very cool looking Sci-Fi kit that I do hope the new owners bring back for further sales. It looks complicated, however can be built within two days. It was launched up into the sky with an Estes C6-3. The rocket lifted up perfectly and the rocket rotated while under thrust slowly as if it was going to be placed in orbit. The recovery parachute did not deploy perfectly, however the model is so light weight that the landing was fine and the rocket suffered no damage at all.
Next Sunday February 16th is our launch at Goldendale. I do hope the weather turns out nice like the launch we just had here at Wy East. Keep your fingers and toes crossed. I will see you all there.
“May the winds be light, and the skies be blue, and may all your rockets fly straight and true”
Quoted from Tim Van Milligan at Apogee Rockets