| Events | Rockets | Useful Stuff | Other | bobarnott.com |
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
I fully intended on flying two rockets, both scratch built, both relying on my AltAcc for deployment and both had never been flown before. On top of that I was going to launch one on an I200, the first to be launched in the UK, so it was going to be an exciting day, and I wasn't disappointed! I prepped my first rocket with an Aerotech H180, RockSim reckoned at just over 2,000 feet so even allowing for simulator error of 10%, 1,800 feet would be good enough to capture the H class altitude record. However, the motor experienced the biggest chuff I've ever seen and had to sit on the pad for five minutes for safety reasons. I then prepped my I200 and put it in my scratch built rocket "C U Irn Bru"; RockSim reckoned at about 4,000 feet and again allowing for 10% error, 3,600 feet would be a new I class altitude record. In the end the flight wasn't straight so it got no where near those figures, on initial inspection of the AltAcc 3,012 feet was recorded. This make it the third highest recorded I flight in the UK.
So I still had my H180 and a potential H class altitude record, but it was getting late and I was rushing to prep the rocket before the range was closed. I managed to sneak in at the death and mine was to be the last flight, so I made it very spectacular for all the wrong reasons... Remember, remember, remember, always arm your AltAcc before launching your rocket, otherwise like me, you'll need a spade to recover the bits. Stupidly in my rush to launch I'd forgotten to arm the AltAcc as I didn't take a screwdriver out to the pad, doh! I won't do that again. When we found the remains of the rocket it was smashed beyond repair, the payload section had been ripped open and my AltAcc had suffered major damage. I spoke to Scott Bartel at Blacksky on the Tuesday after the launch and unfortunately it's not worth getting fixed, I've learnt an expensive lesson. But on the bright side, it gives me an excuse to buy an R-Das... There were many good flights, Hugh Gemmell's PML Endeavour on an I211, Jim Mac's 54mm scratch built on a Pitfield H, Robin Tomes PML Ariel on yet another I300, Chris Key's scratch built on three H238's and Darren Longhorn's PML Ariel on a H180 to name just a few. The turn out was the best that Thrust has ever seen, which is good news for UK rocketry; hopefully it will just get stronger as the year goes on.
Copyright © 1999-2007, Fatboab, all rights reserved.
|
Well, what an event this turned out to be! The weather was warm with only a slight breeze blowing, practically clear skies with just a touch of wispy high cloud, perfect. I picked up Richard Osbourne of MARS at Cambridge railway station and we headed of to Garlands for some action.
I'll be trying again with the same rocket and motor configuration at the next Thrust launch so hopefully I'll capture the record then. Pete Waddignton flew his Aerotech Initiator on a G motor to a verified altitude of 1,427 feet for a new G class record, well done Pete! I really think that the class and total altitude records will take a hammering this year as they are currently so low.