Launch Reports

A cloudy morning started with a just a few launches between the rain drops, but the weather slowly improved and by mid-morning blue skies began to appear and activity on the launch pads picked up.  There were a total of 60 launches made by 26 participants including members from the Georgia Perimeter College Space Club.  There were twenty rockets being flown for the first time; six of these were scratch built.  We saw our first 3D printed rocket engineered by Denmark Hodges that completed two successful launches with an onboard GoPro HERO camera on Aerotech E28 motors (very extraordinary). Steve Bellio successfully launched and recovered four rockets that completed six total launches powered by everything from E15-4W to G77-4R.

Otherwise the B6-4 was the most often used motor throughout the day with twelve total launches followed by the D12-5 and B4-4 with six launches each.  Oliver Long was the most active participant with a total of fourteen launches including a return of his Estes Leviathan sent skyward on an E16-6 and successfully recovered.

So what began as a dreary start became an enjoyable outing with visitors arriving throughout the day to enjoy the October skies and many impressive flights.

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

We had twenty flyers at Saturday’s launch in Lilly, with a total of 104 flights running the full gamut from A to K impulse.

A full report should be coming up soon.

 
 
 
 

Jeff Coons brings us the launch report: “Although muggy and overcast at the start of the day, twenty-six participants completed ninety-eight launches with motors ranging from 1/4A3-3T on Tyler’s Estes Mini Mosquito up to an F16-6 used by Herb on his Art Applewhite 29mm Saucer. A8-3s were used for fourteen launches followed by eleven launches on B6-4s. C6-5s and D12-5 were frequently chosen (nine launches each). We also saw the launch and successful recovery of Oliver’s Estes Leviathan pushed skyward by an E20-7. Even with C6-5s launching smaller rockets we enjoyed very light winds during the morning hours and achieved many successful recoveries. Kevin Boyd brought many examples of nicely finished higher skill level models that entertained a good turnout with fifteen total launches from his collection. The day saw thirty-one First Flights.

William began a Marshmallow Eating Le Mans event that saw a half dozen competitors racing to the launch pads to launch a rocket carrying a marshmallow and then retrieving their rockets to race back to the starting point to consume the marshmallow. Best time was obtained by Glenn Harper who beat the second place contestant (Cole) by 5.5 seconds at a time of 1:02.14 using his Estes Sky Trax with an A8-3 (low altitude / close recovery strategy – a wise man). A special launch by Joel Downs of a D12-5 three-motor cluster on his Papa Joe 3X rocket celebrated the 67th birthday of his dad Joe. Throughout the day we had three two-stage launches – all successfully recovered I believe and one other cluster of three A8-5s on a Der Red Max by Glenn. Lots of visitors and lots of action made the day progress quickly with many comments being heard of those thoroughly enjoying their time at the field.