TSM Launch - September 27, 2014

The September launch turned out to be a very nice day in Maple Island. Morning weather reports predicted a windy day, but the Missile Range was mostly immune to anything other than a sunny, warm, nice day!

Craig Knipple had a couple rockets out for flights, his Beer Here flew on a J270 skidmark to about 4000 feet in a very nice flight and she nestled down in the corn to the northwest. I missed his Partial Mantis flying on a J350, simmed at 2700 feet, but I did witness his Sugar Sugar rocket flying on a home brew AP motor with the signature Nelson orange glow blend. Sugar Sugar took off like a banshee and was only predicted to reach 3000 feet but I think she went a bit further and sadly found the airframe separated at the upper section and float pretty far north and was recovered with help of a tracker. Sugar Sugar a really beautiful rocket might need some TLC in the off season to remedy her ailments.

Jared had his Recon flying on a F50 to 1500 feet, but he found some issues too with the chute not deploying. The Recon came down to the West of the range head with a one hopper to the playa.

It was good to see Tom at the launch, and he had his Killer Crayon from Outer space, flying on an I165. Recovery was tough but the Crayon came home after a search in the corn to the South.

Joe had a great flight with his V2 on a L995 redline. The flight was great with a cool tell tail red flame, and the V2 came down past the moat pretty far to the south east. Scott helped Joe with recovery and both were able to traverse the moat without the ladder - using a couple rocks as an access point to cross. In a twist of fate, after recovering the V2, they came across another rocket of Joe's thought to be lost earlier in the season, here they stumble on Joe's other rocket.Joe had electronics on the V2 as a testing ground for his level 3 next month and happily Scott and Joe returned with her.

Warren had his Black Brant out with a H123 white lightning, sim'd to about 1/2 mile and he found really easy recovery just west of the range head - good deal!

Richard with his hybrid RGH MTV 5440 on a J330, sim'd to about 1-1/2 miles found a very nice flight and a bit of a trek for recovery to the north.

The September launch was a very nice day out at Maple Island, folks retreated to Bruno's East for a late afternoon lunch and some TSM comraderie.