TSM June Launch
With the low ceiling and lower number of flights expected, thoughts for setup were to leave the trailer at storage and load up necessary equipment via pickup to ferry to the range head but sadly with everything earmarked for transfer to the launch site we were missing a couple key items and Ron was very helpful to try to locate the items in the trailer - or at least after 30 minutes of searching and failure to locate the launch cards - they somehow materialized at the range head - a definite hats off to Ron for his effort!
TSM Will try to construct a item list for transfer to the launch site if we dont take the trailer. With folks arriving late or leaving early its much easier for the crew to handle setup/tear down and manage the equipment to and from storage with a spartan set of launch items.
The fields were still in a state of recovery from the spring rains so not much of anything was above the ground to deal with - making it a very nice day for flying at Maple Island - even with the low ceiling and a steady breeze.
For the June launch, the report will be organized by "Awards"...
Award for coolest Scale Rocket on the 50th anniversary of Apollo II - Andy Limper Andy had a very cool 1:200th scale Saturn V at the launch powered by a C6 motor with a three second delay. The Saturn V took to the air with a little squirrely wiggle and found late deployment landing to the east in a nice flight with no damage. I believe the Saturn V will find its way to Andy's desk at work having now taken to the skies in a successful flight.
Andy had another scale rocket - a SpaceX Falcon 9, with a D15 motor. It also displayed a little wiggle in flight and came back to terra firma in the southwest.
Last in the Andy rocket corral at the June launch was an Impulse that had a pair of F15 motors - this was a test flight for Nevada later in the year to be flown by a pair of very long burn motors. She too had a little saunter in flight and landed also in the southwest
Award for the best exhaust plume from a rocket was hands down to Craig's PVC rocket which was fitted with an Animal Motor Works K555 skidmark. Very very cool off the pad with a fire of sparks raining down - It was an awesome flight and luckily the Prefect spotted the chute in the northwest for a flight to 6,000 feet.
Craig also had his venerable NOS rocket powered by a H165 Redline for a flight. The redline looked very quick in flight and with no crops yet- everyone was able to see the green chute with her landing in the NW.
Award for damning Copperhead ignitors on multiple occasions - Carl with his Arreaux. Yup - I think by the 5th launch attempt and a transition away from coppperhead ignitors - the Arreaux took to the air with a puff of smoke on the pad with a slight delay until the grains took to a full burn powered by a G8- motor sim'd to 2,800 feet. She landed by the E-W road in a nice flight.
Carl also flew his "Naked Patriot" on a H123 motor. She took to the skies with an arc to the east with a slightly late deployment but a very nice flight.
Award for best flight with a Green flame - Joe and his Nike Smoke. Joe had his very cool looking Nike Smoke at the June launch - she was previously lost in the fields but was thankfully returned by a farm crew that found her last year. Joe had a K805 Green Gorilla motor in a flight that was straight and true but the chutes tangled on deployment, luckily with the soft ground she happily made it back landing almost due east from the range head.
Award for flight landing closest to telephone poles at the June Launch - Warren and his AstroBee 150. She was sim'd to 4,400 feet and found her way back to earth missing the telephone poles - a nice flight!
With rain reaching Maple Island, the June launch had to be shut down a little after lunch - Scott, I believe, had the last flight of the day as rain started to fall on the Island - with the spartan setup - things were quick to get our equipment under cover in the tear down
Everyone retreated to Brunos for some TSM comraderie after the launch on a very fine June outting!