Launch Report for Friday, July 27th, 2001

Total Impulse Today:  222 N-s

Launch Location:  Chateauguay, Quebec, Canada

My one week of vacation and rocket launching continued today with a launch of all the big stuff that I didn't get to fly yesterday.  My father & I arrived at our new launch site here in Chateauguay, Quebec, Canada just before eight this morning.

I brought my NCR Command Control launch controller, Aerotech Mantis & Estes Porta Pad 03 launch pads, and more rockets that I prepped for flight last night as well as the ones that I didn't get to launch yesterday.  As usual, I also brought my camcorder to record every flight.

Winds were coming in out of the northwest at about 5km/h and the temperature was about 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees F) with mainly clear skies.

All the motors I used today were made by Estes unless otherwise specified.

Let the launch begin!...

Flight 548, 67th flight this year
Estes Shadow on an Estes D12-3 for its 2nd flight

My still unpainted Estes Shadow was first up on a D12-3 for only its second flight.  A nice boost with a bit of veering towards the south and a landing on the asphalt track.  Thankfully, all the fins have been soaked in CA so there was no damage.

Flight 549, 68th flight this year
Estes Super Big Bertha on an Estes D12-3 for its 3rd flight

Next was my Estes Super Big Bertha on another D12-3 for its third flight.  This one also veered a bit towards the south and it made a perfect landing on its 18 inch chute.

Flight 550, 69th flight this year
QED Dude on an Estes D12-5 for its 2nd flight

Next to go up was my QED Dude (no, not the new Estes Dude) on an Estes D12-5 for its second flight.  This rocket uses a large shroud at its base for stability.  As it turned out, this was the only rocket to use the Porta Pad today since it was the only one that I flew today that uses a 1/8 inch launch rod.  This flight was quite a shocker since Dude went unstable at about 40 feet altitude and managed two complete loops before it plopped to the paved track before it spewed out its "dog barf" wadding several seconds later.  This rocket was flown last year without incident so this flight was puzzling.  The base and shroud took substantial damage and will both need to be replaced.  Obviously, nose weight will also need to be added.  It'll be quite some time before this rocket flies again.

Flight 551, 70th flight this year
Estes Silver Comet on an Estes D12-5 for its 2nd flight

The Estes Silver Comet is fun to fly and mine went up on a D12-5 for only its second flight (yes, this one's not painted yet either) for a straight and true flight with a perfect recovery 100 feet east of the pad.

Flight 552, 71st flight this year
Estes Python on an Estes D12-5 for its 12th flight

The Estes Python is a veteran of my BAR fleet and it went up again today on a D12-5 for its 12th flight.  This flight had some spin to it probably because of some fin damage that it took when it hit a football goal post during its last landing a few weeks ago.  I'll have to fix that.  The recovery today was perfect with no damage.

Flight 553, 72nd flight this year
Aerotech Arreaux on an Aerotech E15-4W for its 3rd flight

The winds were starting to pick up a bit and I really wanted to fly some E motors, so even though I still had some smaller rockets to fly on my 3/16 inch rod, I changed the rod on the Mantis to the 1/4 inch rod so That I could start flying the larger rockets.  Next to go up was my Aerotech Arreaux on an Aerotech E15-4W for its third flight.  This was its first flight since losing it for a week last year until someone called me with news that it had been found.  It was a wreck, but I repaired it and it made a perfect test flight and recovery today.  Love that AP!!!! :)

Flight 554, 73rd flight this year
Aerotech Initiator on an Aerotech E30-4T for its 2nd flight

My Aerotech Initiator was up next on an Aerotech E30-4T for its second flight.  Although Initiator didn't get quite as much altitude as the Arreaux, it drifted further during recovery since its chute was quite a bit larger and the decent rate was slower despite its heavier weight.  Another perfect flight with a landing 118 feet south southwest of the pad.

Flight 555, 74th flight this year
Aerotech Mustang on an Estes D12-3 for its 2nd flight

As a prelude to flying the Aerotech Mustang on an E15, I sent it up first on a D12-3 for its second flight and it did land fairly close to the pad, but another asphalt landing caused one of the fins to snap off at the root.  Mustang would not make its E flight today.

Flight 556, 75th flight this year
Aerotech Arreaux on an Aerotech E15-4W for its 4th flight

Since I couldn't send Mustang back up on an E and I was determined to burn another E motor, I sent up Arreaux again on another Aerotech E15-4W for its fourth flight.  Another perfect flight and recovery, although it just narrowly missed that paved track again.

A little after nine, kids started showing up on the field again just like yesterday so we had to pack up and leave.  Today was a great day of flying although there was some damage to some rockets due to some unlucky landings on pavement.  Oddly enough, it should have been fairly difficult to land the rockets on that track, but they kept coming down in that general area.  Before my vacation ends, I hope to squeeze in at least one more launch...  This is getting expensive! :)

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