Jun 5, 2024
SoAR’s Mill Springs Academy launch event is this Saturday, June 8th. The weather forecast calls for clear skies all day and warm temperatures with light winds picking up in the afternoon. So, make plans to come out early and enjoy a wonderful day of rocketry where we will be launching from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Remember to bring water to help stay hydrated. 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!
May 24, 2024
SoAR’s next launch happens this Saturday, May 25th at our Dawsonville/Ball Ground site from 9AM – 2PM.
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.
The latest forecast shows mild winds from the west in the morning and the chance for showers later in the afternoon with temperatures reaching the mid-80s. So come early and enjoy the most favorable conditions. Setup begins at 8:00 and help is greatly appreciated.
May 11, 2024
The May11th SoAR launch event at Mill Springs Academy had near perfect weather with mild temperatures, low humidity, sunny skies, and low winds during the first hours. Attendance was good and the launch pads stayed busy throughout the event with a nice variety of sport and scale rockets providing excellent spectator viewing. Members of Trail Life Troop GA-1613 participated in the event with a good number of successful flights and tons of enthusiasm. By the afternoon some of the forecasted gusty winds arrived but with enough lulls to still get in some excellent flights. For this event there were 154 total launches and a good recovery rate (but less than 100%).
Some of the more interesting or challenging flights included a successful result of Jorge’s Fliskits Tres powered by three A8-3s all igniting for an impressive liftoff. Davud did multiple qualifying launches of his Cirrus Breeze boosted glider on A3-2Ts and his scratch-built Up In The Clouds parachute duration with some excellent results. Kevin Scholberg’s Condor ESO went up on an A10-3T with parasite glider that performed very well, and he also had a scratch-built Bullet Skeet with a cluster of three C6-5s for power.
Moving up to D, E, and F powered rockets there was Darren’s scratch-built Colonial Viper rocket named Starbuck and his X-Wing Rev 02 “Not Porkins” each flown on D12-5s and his Dynastar LexxJets powered by E12-4s. Then finally for F power there was Steven’s successful flight of his Aerotech HV Arcas launched on a F67-4 and Kevin Scholberg’s Aerotech Initiator powered by an F15-6.
Here are a few [photos from the event].
Motor Ignition Count:
A – 52
B – 53
C – 30
D – 9
E – 10
F – 4
May 10, 2024
SoAR’s Mill Springs Academy launch event is this Saturday, May 11th. The weather forecast calls for clear skies all day and mild Spring temperatures with winds picking up in the afternoon. So, make plans to come out early and enjoy a wonderful day of rocketry where we will be launching from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Remember to bring water to help stay hydrated. 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!
Apr 27, 2024
Excellent field conditions, mild temperatures, manageable winds and mostly overcast skies encouraged a good turnout for the April 27th launch event at Dawsonville. There were many mid-powered flights that were successfully flown and recovered but also more than a few heartbreakers as fate would have it. In total the day had twenty-eight participants launch 107 rockets – a busy day.
Some of the more impressive mid-powered flights included Darren’s North Coast SA-14 Archer powered by a F67 (twice), Gary Knotts launched his Estes Nike Smoke PSII on a G64, Ray Lecture got in a good flight with his LOC Goblin 4” with a G76, Steven flew his Aerotech HV Arcas with a F67, and Brian & Austin launched their scratch-built Apollo on a F41. To end the day there was Katina’s Estes Mega Mosquito with two flights, E then F powered with good results.
Other remarkable flights were accomplished by Jorge with his third flight of the two-stage Apogee TTV (“Hope”) that proved the technology worked, but after the E30-7 initial stage separated the upper stage C6-5 did not ignite (may not have been recovered if it actually had) although the igniter had been successfully activated. So, we look forward to the next TTV launch in May. Then there were a number of mid-power and low-power flights by Kevin Scholberg with rockets pulled from his deep inventory that were needing a day out. Most (if not all) of these were creatively designed and finished like the impressive Purple Firebreather (Estes Ventris) flown on an E16, a scratch-built Megafin powered by a E28, and a scratch-built Venom going up on a D21 to name a few. See some of these and other event photos [here].
Engine Ignition Count:
A – 11
B – 15
C – 30
D – 18
E – 24
F – 8
G – 3
