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Please contact me if you want to launch on the 7th of feb or if someone can take over the Feb and March regular launch days. I have a conflict in schedule those two weekends.
Happy Holidays.
The third Sunday falls on Dec. 20. This’ll be the last launch of the year for the group.
We will be collecting annual dues for members in January and I will try to make up a roster of the members so I’ll probably be emailing for more info from some folks. In the mean time I hope you’ll enjoy this video of our October Launch
Thanks to Rey we have some pictures of the November experience. I really like that picture of Don with his 2 stage on the mega pad. See the link to his site on the left.
There sure has been a lot of enthusiasm for flying rockets lately! Such enthusiasm they can’t get enough in once a month. I understand that launches are taking place about every other week; and certifications are happening monthly. It is a little alarming actually, how fast people are diving into the alphabet race even to the point of skipping letters so it seems. Actually, I’m glad to see others jumping in so quickly because the club needs new people with excitement in their approach.
Even though we have a monthly launch other launches are being held. There are research launches that by Tripoli rules are not supposed to be held on the same calendar day as a commercial motor launch. Then there are the fun launches. We have approval from Mr Strano to use the land but it is important to respect the rules of the field and keep it clean. Both Paul and Jose C have been given copies of the waiver so these launches can be hi-power legit by the FAA.
This coming launch I plan to get there early and leave early because my family is having a get together sort of an early Thanksgiving. So If there are certs that need signing off Let’s have them ready. Tom – I have a 38mm H if you want to use it.
Lastly, although it isn’t obvious in the rule book, ONLY members over 18 can be certified by Tripoli.
JS
The group is really growing in size! With this kind of participation we are going to need to delegate some responsibilities to our active members. Tripoli national requires that we think like a club with an organized leadership and so forth. With this in mind we should start planning something that hasn’t happened in a long time – elections. January seems like a good time for these kind of events so start thinking now of who you want to be responsible for YOUR club.
I’m going to put the burden of the election on Marc S’s shoulders as far as making and counting ballots. Hey, he volunteered to be secretary! We’re going to need a Prefect, President, VP, treasurer, secretary and various minions who are willing to act as LCO, RSO, fee collector, membership keeper, etc.
Also, I have put a poll up about money; this is typically a touchy subject so having a poll means I don’t have to go around asking uncomfortable questions. TSF is obligated to pay TRA $100.00 annual charter fees that help to pay the TRA insurance. Annual dues to our small club will now cover this easily. Additional funds can be used for cert flight H motors or whatever the leaders decide. Maybe a party, a gift for Mr. Strano our gracious land owner, or contest prizes.
The choices are self explanatory. You can vote on multiple items so if you say non-members you can also choose a dollar amount.
Have you seen the Facebook page?
The third Sunday seems to be the day that works best for the folks on the poll. So with that let’s schedule for October 18th. This is likely to be another low power launch if we don’t get any info from the FAA. We will pass on any information when it becomes available.
UPDATE – 10/1/09 – I talked with Pete Acevido from the FAA this morning and he has verbally approved our waiver. I am expecting an emailed copy as well as a hard copy in the mail very soon. SO this month should be ok to do high power!
September 20th turned out to be a very nice day with a big crowd of launchers. Be sure to check out the links to pictures from Rey and Rick. There are some excellent captures. The spirit of camaraderie was tremendous with everyone out to fly and have fun.
Congrats to Jose C and Joe D for taking the written part of the level 2 test and passing with ease.
We had some new comers to the launch. Wes joined us with his splendid little flying saucer and there was a father and son, Omar and Richard, passing by who stopped to watch for a while. Martin K was nice enough to let him launch a small rocket, his very first. Also, Manuel L. has paid in and joined the Prefecture.
Mark S has volunteered to do Secretary duties for the club. I’m not sure what all that entails other than preparing and officiating an actual election at the beginning of 2010. Mark has also said he would put together a facebook page for TSF. That sounds like a link!
Looks like a good time to launch will be Sunday September 20.
We do not have a “Class 2 ” high power waiver so this will be restricted to G and below impulse.
The August launch was one of the best attended events in a very long time! We had 2 certification flights. Congratulations to Mark and Joe on achieving cert one level. I’m sorry that Jose could not certify because we were missing an aft closure on the 29mm cesaroni motor. I know I saw people taking pictures at the field but no one has sent them in or posted links. If you have pictures be sure to upload them somewhere and post a comment link for everyone who wants to see.
Unfortunately, the next few launches will be low power only. I applied to renew our FAA waiver this spring and since then there has been no response in spite of emails, phone calls and letters. This past weekend they removed our waiver information and we must completely reapply. I have found some new (to me) information and will be sending in the paperwork this coming week. There will be a minimum of 45 days and probably 60 before a response – hopefully an approval- is expected putting us solidly into October and likely November before we can lawfully Hi-Power launch again.
Also, I have emailed Ben Russel for permission to schedule all our launches as research launches. This should allow people who want to make their own motors and commercial motors to be used at the launches. This brings up a number of issues for younger flyers as under 18s are not allowed to fly during a research launch. Only Tripoli members are allowed to fly launch.. Non members may not. And for sugar motor Martin, PVC is not allowed. Maybe he can cast them in a liner and put it into a non-frangible, i.e. aluminum, casing.
We may be required to state our upcoming launch dates for the year or 18 months ahead. Anyone want to comment on that? Do you want to pick dates or should we have a fixed weekend schedule? See polls. Should we make every other launch a research launch?
For a very long time TSF has been a relaxed, uncomplicated group. Rules have been very lax because they could be, but now with the club getting bigger it is going to have to establish and enforce some rules. I am calling out for some volunteers to help with these kinds of duties. We need to get together and come up with some guidelines for club membership fees, flight fees, RSO and LSO activities. Someone will have to act as secretary and will be required to conduct an annual Prefect election.
September 20 looks like a good day for a LOW POWER only launch. G power and below.
We have a new member in Tripoli South Florida, Joe Dejesus of HobbyShop World. He sounds very interested in high power, electronics and all things rocketry. His website isn’t quite filled out yet; I’m sure he is looking for ideas and input on what to carry in stock. Click on the Link and check out the shop. Send him an e-mail and let him know what you’re looking for and he’ll be able to get it.
He asked me what altimeters to carry and I suggested Adept because they have always been reliable and easy to move from one airframe to another without any confusion or fuss. You might have other ideas and so I put on a new poll to get him some easy information.
Joe should be at our launch in August. If you talk to him NOW maybe he could bring some things out to the field.
With new rocket people joining the club there are several new members who want to certify for L1. Tripoli members should be able to buy one H-load from an actual rocket vendor like Giant Leap when they are ready without any trouble. And now storage requirements are relaxed it should be even easier. I have spent some of our club dollars from dues and donations to purchase some Cesaroni H-class hardware and loads for club sponsored L1 certs. We currently have 3 motors on order from Wildman; one 29mm H and two 38mm H’s.
UPDATE: The motors are in. We have a 29mm 4-grain H170 blue streak. this motor is already spoken for by Jose a new member. The other motors are both 38mm 2-grain loads. One is an H152 Blue streak and the other is an H125 Classic. Mark and Tom have dibs on these loads and will have to sort it out between themselves who gets which.
It is my thought that the club would keep possession of the hardware and certifying individuals would make a donation to the club so we can replace the propellant. After the flight, the hardware would return to the “officer in charge of these things”. If the casing should become damaged or lost during a flight, the flyer would have to replace it as well.
I chose Cesaroni because they are very easy to assemble and light very reliably. If you use motor ejection you had better run a sim to determine the optimum delay for your rocket. Cesaroni delays are adjustable using a drill like device to remove some of the delay grain. By drilling out the delay element it can be configured to the individual flight profile. If you want to use one of these motors you must know your delay time! And you’d better include a positive motor restraint, friction fit / masking tape retention will not be allowed. A sheet metal screw in the base ring with a wire hook isn’t ideal but it will be allowed.
Comments welcome
Good news to the crews! I called Wildman Rocketry once again today (7-31) and Heather answered. She said they just made it back from LDRS and were finally receiving some cesaroni goods to ship out orders. That means we should be getting 3 – H motors and casings for certs.
How about a launch on the 16th of August? This is technically the 3rd weekend of the month.
Keep looking up
John
