SoAR Dawsonville Launch Coming Up This Saturday
SoAR’s next launch happens this Saturday at our Dawsonville/Ball Ground site from 11AM – 4PM.
This is our mid-power field, where rockets up to G power can be flown. It is very hilly, and cow-patties abound, hidden in the tall grass in the recovery area, so pick your shoes accordingly. Spectators are always welcome. If you’ve got a rocket, come fly it with us.
As of the 25th it looks like we’ll have a clear day for this launch, with temps rising through the mid 50s by launch’s end. The wind is forecasted to be favorable coming in from the west at less than 10 mph.
January 14th Launch Event Report
Cold and challenging winds were constant throughout the January 14th launch event at Mill Springs Academy, but sunny skies and some excellent flights made for a good start to a new year. There were sixty-nine total launches accomplished by eighteen bundled up participants. The strong winds made judging proper launch angles a bit of a lucky guess and recoveries sometimes difficult (either long walks or… well… sighs) but through it all there was much to enjoy on a winter day.
Grabbing everyone’s attention was a scratch-built pyramid style USPS rocket by Chris Lucas that was flown on an E16 and some Whirlybirds (Kevin Scholberg built) that were flown by Gavin Lucas on D12s. Three of these going up together made for a spectacular drag race. Jeff Fellman brought out some vintage models like his Estes Reliant, an Estes Tornado, and a Wac Corporal all flown on A8-3s. Terry Bliss got to fly his Estes Flutter-By which streaked skyward on a B6-2 but met with unfriendly winds at apogee where it separated (as designed) in to two pieces for a tumble recovery which drifted quickly into an adjacent field.
All in all, it was a fun afternoon of SoAR rocketry and a good start for the year’s launch events. Some pictures of the event [here].
Engine Ignition counts:
A – 36
B – 13
C – 11
D – 7
E – 2
January Mill Springs Launch Saturday
SoAR’s first launch event for 2023 is this Saturday at Mill Springs Academy. The weather forecast looks a bit chilly but sunny. So, make plans to come out and start working on your New Year’s resolution to enjoy a day of rocketry where we will be launching from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Winter hours). This is our low power launch, where we recommend altitudes no higher than 1000′ (usually no more than D power level). As always, the public is invited to watch, or join in!