[RocketsNW] FITS 2008 Launch Report

[Aaron Fogg]

First things first if you stayed away because of the weath.....Well you get
the idea. I flew a total of 4 times this FITS. The PML tiny pterodactyl did
really well on both a H-165 and a H-238. Both flights screamed off the pad
and were found close by with zero damage.

Michelle my wife finally made it to a launch, and surprise surprise loved
it. She will be going for her L1 in OCT. :)

Now for the L2 attempts. Last year was attempt number one on a Giant Leap
escape velocity. There was an "issue" with the delay grain and needless to
say that flight ended in 200mph catastrophe.

Attempts two and three were at FITS this year on a Binder Velociraptor. I
was contemplating how I was going to go for it this second time around when
Bryon Shcopp stopped by and gave me a bit of advice. He told me I should
just use the main at apogee and skip the drogue. Well I got the chutes
rearranged, loaded up the main charge and beeline then asked John H. to help
me with the motor purchase (thanks again John.) Once ready I set off to the
range and crossed all of my digits. The boost looked great and
then.......nothing. It was coming in on a flat spin and heading for what I
thought for sure was going to be the road. It missed the road by 50 feet or
so and the only damage was cosmetic. The causes seemed to be a e-match that
lost continuity in the air and a delay grain that got some grease on it. The
next attempt would have to wait till Sunday.

 Attempt three was setup the same way. Boost again looked great and this
time I had separation at apogee, the only problem was the chute was now
tangled on those oh sooo cool talon fins. Around 300 feet the chute came
free just in time to blow the rocket into the power lines. Attempt 3 had
come so close but those damned power lines would be the undoing of my L2, or
so I thought.

Around 9 or 10 that night Dave, Brad and Denny came over to camp and asked
to talk to me, great now what did I do. Then the good news after looking in
the rule book they had decided that I had my L2 flight counted. The chute
had deployed and it had returned able to fly again.

I am so relived to be done with stress of trying cert and being able to just
get back to why we all fly........The fun of it.


Debbie Downer
NAR 86102 L2

PS Thanks to all that helped me with this, you are all appreciated very
much.
PPS K.I.S.S.
-------------- next part --------------
Michelle my wife finally made it to a launch, and surprise surprise loved it. She will be going for her L1 in OCT. :)
Now for the L2 attempts. Last year was attempt number one on a Giant Leap escape velocity. There was an "issue" with the delay grain and needless to say that flight ended in 200mph catastrophe.
Attempts two and three were at FITS this year on a Binder Velociraptor. I was contemplating how I was going to go for it this second time around when Bryon Shcopp stopped by and gave me a bit of advice. He told me I should just use the main at apogee and skip the drogue. Well I got the chutes rearranged, loaded up the main charge and beeline then asked John H. to help me with the motor purchase (thanks again John.) Once ready I set off to the range and crossed all of my digits. The boost looked great and then.......nothing. It was coming in on a flat spin and heading for what I thought for sure was going to be the road. It missed the road by 50 feet or so and the only damage was cosmetic. The causes seemed to be a e-match that lost continuity in the air and a delay grain that got some grease on it. The next attempt would have to wait till Sunday.
 Attempt three was setup the same way. Boost again looked great and this time I had separation at apogee, the only problem was the chute was now tangled on those oh sooo cool talon fins. Around 300 feet the chute came free just in time to blow the rocket into the power lines. Attempt 3 had come so close but those damned power lines would be the undoing of my L2, or so I thought.
Around 9 or 10 that night Dave, Brad and Denny came over to camp and asked to talk to me, great now what did I do. Then the good news after looking in the rule book they had decided that I had my L2 flight counted. The chute had deployed and it had returned able to fly again.
I am so relived to be done with stress of trying cert and being able to just get back to why we all fly........The fun of it.
Debbie Downer
NAR 86102 L2
PS Thanks to all that helped me with this, you are all appreciated very much.
PPS K.I.S.S.