Launch
Report for Saturday, June 5th, 1999
My father & I headed out to the schoolyard of Howard S. Billings Regional High School here in Chateauguay, Quebec, Canada at around 8:15AM with my Estes Omloid, Multi-Roc, Colossus, Cobra 1500, Alpha III (my second one), Mini Cobra, and my Custom Equinox.
The weather was great, visibility excellent, and there was a very slight breeze coming in from the southwest which unfortunately is perpendicular to the length of the field I was flying in, so I had to be especially careful with my launch angles. Temperature was around 25 degrees Celsius.
I used my Estes Porta Pad & Electron Beam launch controller that came with my Airwalker starter kit. I also brought my new video camera along to record every flight.
Flight 175, 50th flight
this year
Estes Omloid on an Estes B6-4 for its 1st flight
First
up was my Estes Omloid which didn't which I brought to the launch
last week, but I didn't get a chance to send it up. So up it went
today on an Estes B6-4. Omloid is a bit of a heavy rocket, even
without an egg, but a B6-4 seemed to look like it would work out
better than a B6-2 which is what Estes recommends when flying
without a payload.
Flight 176, 51st flight
this year
Estes Colossus on an Estes D12-3 for its 1st flight
Flight 177, 52nd flight this
year
Estes Colossus on an Estes D12-3 for its 2nd flight
Flight 178, 53rd flight this
year
Estes Colossus on an Estes D12-3 for its 3rd flight
Next
up was my 1982 vintage Estes Colossus on an Estes D12-3 which is
clearly underpowered for a rocket of this size, but considering
the wind direction, it worked out just fine and the boost was
really impressive with its slow liftoff and flight as well as the
vibrating noise it made on its way up. The flight was so
impressive, I sent it right back up two more times, also on Estes
D12-3's. It was tempting to send it up on an Aerotech E15-4W, but
the winds were blowing in the wrong direction for that today. One
fin was damaged on the second flight, but the damage wasn't
serious enough to prevent a third flight.
Flight 179, 54th flight
this year
Estes Alpha III 02 on an Estes B6-4 for its 3rd flight
My
second Estes Alpha III (designated Alpha III 02) was up next on
an Estes B6-4 and it practically flew into next year! I lost
sight of it, and I finally caught sight of it as it was coming
down about 500 feet from the pad. Flight time was over 52 seconds
which is the longest Alpha III flight I've had on a
"B". Maybe I got some bonus propellant in this motor?
:-)
Flight 180, 55th flight
this year
Estes Alpha III 02 on an Estes B6-4 for its 4th flight
After
angling the launch rod a little more into the wind, I sent the
Alpha III up again which didn't seem to go quite as high this
time around and it landed much closer to the pad.
Flight 181, 56th flight
this year
Estes Multi-Roc on an Estes B6-0 staging to an Estes B6-6 for its 5th
flight
Flight 182, 57th flight this
year
Estes Multi-Roc on an Estes B6-0 staging to an Estes B6-6 for its 6th
flight
After
such great flights with my Estes Multi-Roc last week, I just had
to send it up again. This time, I nearly lost my beloved 18 year
old rocket though. I sent it up on an Estes B6-0 in the booster
staging to an Estes B6-6 in the sustainer and it landed about 400
feet from the pad. I sent it right back up on the same motor
combination and this time it landed on someone's property...
where, I didn't know. After about 20 minutes of futile searching
and packing up and getting ready to leave for the day, a woman in
her 50's walked onto the field from the street I was searching,
holding my rocket! It landed on her property and she was kind
enough to walk over to the field to return it. I was lucky today!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Just to say Hi?
E-mail: kbedard@rocketryonline.com
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