For the March 25^th launch event at Dawsonville there were forty-eight participants launching 127 rockets including many students from Fulton Science Academy participating in the American Rocketry Challenge (TARC).  This was SoAR’s Roy Green memorial launch to honor one of our key founding members, model rocket historian, and award-winning website developer and operator of the SoAR website.  Roy passed away late last year.

The weather at the time of range setup was overcast but clearing.  By the event’s start time, blue sky was beginning to break through, and the forecasted stiff winds had yet to arrive.  For the next few hours, those coming early had excellent conditions for launching their mid-powered rockets.  Many of these flights were made in memory of Roy Green with rockets painted green or those actually built by Roy.

Kevin Scholberg launched an Estes Alpha III on a neck snapping D21 just as Roy had done at Kevin’s first SoAR launch event.  He also sent up other Roy-built rockets throughout the day including a beautiful New Way Geometric with a C6, a Flistkits Preator with a C6, a Semroc Launch Magazine on a B6, and an Estes Pershing 1A Maxi Brute powered by an E18 – and many others.  Chris launched an Estes Cherokee for Roy Green with an E12.  Jeff Fellman brought a Mad Cow Mini DX that went up on an E26 for his memorial flight, Ray Lecture launched his Estes ‘Roy Green’ on a C6, and David Cain scratch-built a Unicon that uses a very unique break-apart recovery system (Roy would have loved this).  The Unicon was launched twice on a C11 and then a D12.  There were many other “Green” themed rockets launched throughout the event.

Another special part of the Roy Green Memorial launch was a contest for a ‘Green’ rocket that best personifies Roy Green.  These special contest rockets were laid out on a table for viewing and mid-event there was a call to cheer out loudest for a favorite and declare a winner.  The winning rocket was Rainbow by Rayna who won an Aerotech Mean Green for her entry.  Congratulations Rayna!

During the last few hours of the event, the forecasted gusty winds finally arrived, and activity began to slow down (other than a few final flights by those willing to take up the challenge and do some walking for their recoveries).  Chris Lucas put his green-themed LOC Goblin up on a G76 with parachute tethered until 200′ and was successful in having beautiful flight and an easy recovery. All-in-all it was an enjoyable day and one that truly honored a respected and much-missed SoAR member. Some event photos [here].

Motor ignition count:
A – 19
B – 21
C – 35
D – 17
E – 18
F – 15
G – 2