BlueSkies 35 Report
December 12, 2009

It started out cold with temperatures in the low 20s with ground winds less than 5 mph. High temperatures were in the low 40's around noon time with ground winds near 10 mph and upper winds much higher as we usually experience. The higher up winds caused some problems for the HPR rockets. As the day moved along it became mostly cloudy skies with dropping temperatures and higher ground winds toward the end of the day. This made it feel cooler than the ambient temperature. Once again Dennis Steven's warm tent saved the day and provided a safe warm place to hang out and tell rocketry stories.

We had 7 fliers with 31 flights and 31 motors burned. The total impulse was 2290.7 ns.(Loki K830) .

Motor breakdown:

  • 1/8A - 0
  • A - 4
  • B - 0
  • C - 11
  • D - 3
  • E - 5
  • F - 3
  • G - 1
  • H - 1
  • I - 2
  • J - 1

    Flyers and their Birds.
    Name Flights Comments
    Dennis Stevens 10
    1. Silver Comet (D12-6) Good Flight.
    2. Big Daddy (E9-4) Good Flight.
    3. Eliminator (E9-6) Joes Rocket CATOed on an old Motor.
    4. Eliminator (E9-6) Joes Rocket CATOed and destroyedon an old Motor.
    5. Stealth Interceptor (C6-5) Nice Looking rocket and flight.
    6. Saturn I SA-5 (C6-3) Nice details.
    7. Big Bertha (C6-5) What can you say on this Estes Classic?
    8. SR-71 Blackbird (C6-5) Nice Flight even though it flew with the wind instead of its usual into the wind. Fooled us.
    9. Blackhawk (C6-5) Nice Flight.
    10. Pegasus (A10-3T) Classic.
    Joe Magginnis 9
    1. Big Dawg (C6-5) Always flys good.
    2. BatRay (F45-5RR) Nice Flight. A bit of a walk to recover. Dennis got the recovery dead on.
    3. BatRay (F50-7) Better Flight. Shorter walk.
    4. BatRay (G80-10) Best Flight. Had a longer walk but worth the altitude.
    5. Big Betty (E15-7) The E15 took this model to the moon. If not for eagle eye I could not have seen where it landed.
    6. UFF Odyeseus (A3-6T) Recovery of the saucer is more to my liking. only had to walk about 50 feet to recover.
    7. UFF Athena (A3-2T) Another good flight with short recovery.
    8. UFF Persephone (A3-4T) Landed about 2 feet Northwest of Athena.
    9. Intruder (C6-3) Great Flight and almost landed in a tree limb. Another short recovery.
    Darryl Hankes 5
    1. Lightining (I220SK) Ugly flight. Delay blew through about 25 feet off launch pad causing rocket to spin shooting a shower of sparks in a pinwheel style.
    2. Tempest (J230SK) Beautiful flight. Recovery was a bit of a challenge but recovered in good condition.
    3. Old Yeller (D12-7) Beautiful straight flight.
    4. Drago (F50-6T) Good Flight.
    5. Mach (C6-7) Another beautiful flight using a C Motor.
    Jack Stewart 3
    1. Altus Newing 3" (D12-3) Jack's Golf Ball lofter.
    2. Phoenix (E30) Motor CATOed causing extensive damage to bottom of rocket. This one needs a MESS report and replacement by Aerotech.
    3. ASP WAC Corpal (C6-5) Nice looking rocket.
    Aaron Morgan 2
    1. Unknown (C6-3) Nice flight.
    2. Ugly (C6-3) Flight was a bit wobbly. Must have been the heavy air.
    Megan Perkins 1
    1. Drago (H128) Level 1 Jr. Certification. Congratulations! Don't forget to turn in you Certification along with your Membership application and monies.
    Jeremy Girton 1
    1. Callisto (I357T) Good Flight. Lost rocket was found later in the day in field further than expected. Beeper was weak and did not aid in recovery.

    Thanks to all the rocketeers who flew today and thanks to all who assisted. Thanks to those who watched. We appreciate your participation. Hope to see you at the next launch and bring along a friend.

    CALL FOR HELP: If anyone who took pictures would be willing to share them with us please email to: lancebeta@gmail.com

    Our next launch is January 9, 2009 at Sims Farm 9-5 if weather permits. Backup site is ADC Park 10-5.

    Stay tuned to the Bluegrass Rocketry Society web site for launch schedule updates.

    END 12/13/09 END