Fiesta Island Launch

Every now and then I get to launch model rockets with my boys at Fiesta Island in San Diego.  Today I brought one of my keychain cameras and captured a few good pics of the bay area.

Apogee - Estes SkyTrax

Parachute Deployment

Apogee - Estes Amazon

Flight Line

For more information on the rocket launches at Fiesta Island, check out DART Rocketry.

Tripoli Level 3 Certification - 6 Apr 2013

My Level 3 project named California Screamin’ is based off the PML Ultimate Endeavour. It stands 120 inches tall and has a diameter of 6 inches. When loaded with the Aerotech M1297W motor, the total weight is approximately 42 pounds. Major modifications to the PML Ultimate Endeavour design include:

• Fully fiberglassed phenolic airframe with two wraps of 16 ounce glass cloth.
• G10 fiberglass fin thickness increased from .093 to .187 inches.
• Length extended from 108 inches to 120 inches.
• Airframe modified for dual-deployment.
• PML piston system removed.
• Extended altimeter bay to 10.5 inches. Electronics include the Featherweight Raven2 altimeter with Power Perch and the Telemetrum v1.2 recording altimeter with GPS and telemetry link.
• Main parachute upgraded to a Rocketman 12 foot Standard Recovery parachute. The drogue is a Rocketman 4 foot Standard Recovery parachute.
• Motor mount increased to 75 mm with Aero Pack motor retainer installed.

I started this project in Dec 2011 and completed the certification flight in Apr 2013. It would have taken less time, but I spent six months out to sea on a deployment to Japan and Hawaii. I was able to get most of my documentation written (31 pages) during my free time on deployment. If you are working on your Level 3 project and have any questions with the required documentation, send me a message and I'll be glad to assist. I took over 160 photos throughout the build.  If you would like more information or to see more pictures of the building techniques I used, just ask.

Pre-assembly - spacing out the centering rings on motor mount tube

Test fitting centering rings and steel rods on the motor mount assembly

Booster section prior to inserting into body tube

Sliding body tube over motor mount and fin assembly

Altimeter bay: 15" coupler with 10.5" liner, bulk plate, and 1" spacer

Screws and threaded inserts prior to altimeter bay bulkhead installation

Side 1 of altimeter bay sled with Telemetrum

Side 2 of altimeter bay sled with Raven2 and Power Perch

Altimeter bay aft bulkhead with ejection canisters, u-bolt, and two-circuit
barrier terminals

Inserting screws through the body tube into the altimeter bay bulkhead

PML expanding foam curing before the next batch

Fin fillets sanded

Rocket set up for ejection charge testing

Rocket, drogue, main 'chute, and 80 feet of kevlar shock cord

Assembled and ready for flight!

Rocket transport vehicle

Launch day!  Assembling the 5,417 N-sec motor

Lift off on an Aerotech M1297 White Lightening!

Screamin' to 5,770 feet

Drogue Deployment

Forward payload and nose cone before main 'chute deployment

Successful recovery!

Telemetrum flight data - lost power at apogee

Raven2 flight data

Ejection charge testing video with Telemetrum

Level 3 flight with footage from 3 different cameras

A special thank you to TAP members, Greg Smith and Jack Garibaldi!

Tripoli Level 2 Re-certification - 2 Mar 2013

When I originally built the Angry Birds rocket using a LOC Minie Magg kit, I never had the intention of flying it on a J motor.  This was a fun father-son project thrown together over Father's Day weekend.  My son had grown very attached to it and I knew he'd be crushed if anything happened, but after my two previous cert failures I was running out of rockets.  After much debate I finally worked up the nerve to send it up on a J357.

Ignition!  Cesaroni J357 Blue Streak.  The black tape on the body tube is
holding a keychain camera.  Unfortunately it didn't record the flight.

Finally Level 2 certified!

Tripoli Level 2 Re-certification - Second Attempt

My second attempt at re-certifying took place in Feb 2013.  For this flight I used another old rocket I built in high school - PML Black Brant X.  I modified the rocket for dual-deployment which extended the length about 6 inches.  This was the same rocket I used to earn my Level 2 cert back in 1996.  There's footage of that flight in my Vintage Rockets post.

In order to make the rocket flight ready again, I drilled some holes into the tailcone and used two bolts with washers to create a motor retainer.  I also replaced the plastic rivets around the altimeter bay with screws.  I selected the Featherweight Raven altimeter to control parachute deployment.  As you'll see in the video, it looks like a great flight.  Unfortunately it suffered major airframe damage during the parachute deployment.  The piston got stuck in the body tube and the main parachute actually came out of the middle of the forward payload section instead of the separation point between the body tube and nosecone.  The phenolic around the fin section bulkhead also shattered.  I noticed the phenolic was brittle when I drilled out the screw holes for the altimeter bay but I thought it would be strong enough for one more flight.  I'm sure the brittleness was due to sitting in storage in various climates over the last 17 years.  I salvaged the nosecone, parachutes, and shock cord but threw the rest of the rocket away.

9' rocket + 9' flame and sparks!  Photo by Greg Smith

Liftoff on a Cesaroni J381 Skidmark!

That white speck in the upper-left corner is my oldest son and I at the
launch table on the flight line

Drogue deployed at apogee

Too many body tube pieces.  The section visible in the middle of the
screen and at the base of the fin can are broken fragments.

Raven2 Flight Data

Tripoli Level 2 Re-certification - First Attempt

I had a great plan to re-certify Level 2 the same day as my Level 1 using an old LOC Bruiser I built in high school.  Unfortunately it didn't work out that way.  The shock cord was too short and the ejection charge was too strong resulting in the shock cord snapping when the chute deployed at apogee.  The nose cone descended safely from 2,000 ft on a 6.5 ft parachute and the rocket came crashing back to the ground with no chute at all!  I was impressed with how well the rocket survived - a relatively small zipper, two cracked fins, and a few cracks in the glass cloth that run the length of the body tube.  I haven't decided if I'll make the repairs or keep it as a trophy piece in my garage.

Beautiful Liftoff!

Aerotech RMS 54/852 J275W

Nose cone descending safely.  Can't say the same for the rocket

Airframe with cracks, zipper, and broken shock cord

The business end

Tripoli Level 1 Re-certification - 6 Nov 2011

A few days after returning home from Iraq I purchased a PML Small Endeavour (that's how PML spells it) and got right to work on re-certifying Level 1.  My son and I were excited to complete the build - I think it only took us a week from start to finish!  This was a very easy rocket to construct.  I'd recommend it to anyone trying to certify or those who want an easy 38 mm rocket to fly.  This was my first time working with the PML Quantum tubing.  It's very strong and easy to work with.  After a little sanding it bonds well with standard 30 min or 1 hour epoxy.  I made three small changes from the standard kit instructions.  First, I added glass cloth fillets to all six fins.  While probably not necessary for an H motor, you never know what you may want to fly later on.  Second, I cut the leading edge of the launch lugs at an angle to reduce drag and to give the rocket a sleek look.  And third, I added a motor retainer from Aero Pack.  When I certified the first time in 1995, masking tape was my "motor retainer."  The Aero Pack retainer was very easy to install and much faster and cleaner than tape.

A few weeks after completing the build I went to Plaster Blaster X hosted by Tripoli San Diego to certify.  The most challenging part for me was putting together the Aerotech RMS 38/240 H73J reload.  It had been a long time since I'd built a motor.  After installing the motor, packing the parachute, and turning on my AltimeterTWO to record basic flight data, I got the approval from the RSO to position the rocket on the pad.

"Sky is clear, range is clear, going in 3-2-1-Ignition!"

And with that I was re-certified Level 1.  I only wish my Level 2 flight went as smooth.

Vintage Rockets - 1995 & 1996

Here's video of my original Tripoli certification flights back in high school.  The quality is horrible, but that's what happens when you copy a VHS tape 3 or 4 times over the years and then try to covert it to digital.  These flights bring back a lot of good memories.  We used to launch on Saturday mornings at a private grass runway airport on the outskirts of town.  The Level 1 flight was on an H-something "Smokey Sam" expendable motor.  This was a dual-deploy rocket using an Adept ALTS2 altimeter.  The Level 2 flight was on an Aerotech J350 reload.  Also a dual-deploy rocket using the ALTS2.

My first post

I'm starting this blog to document my successes and inevitable failures in high power rocketry - one of the most exhilarating and unforgiving hobbies one can have.  First, a little about me... I built my first Estes rocket when I was 7 years old and I've been hooked on all things rocket science ever since.  One day at the local hobby shop I stumbled upon an issue of Rockets magazine and my life has never been the same.  It was then I was introduced to "high power rocketry" and learned rocket motors go much larger than "C" or "D."  Who would have thought you can fly an L, M, N and larger?!?  I quickly joined the Tripoli Rocketry Association and became Tripoli Level 1 & 2 certified before graduating high school.  After a 14 year lapse for college, career, and family, I rediscovered my passion for rocketry and resumed building and flying in 2011.  My eyes have been turned skyward ever since.  In 18 months I re-certified Levels 1 and 2 and earned my Level 3 certification in April of 2013.  Although I've achieved Level 3, there are many, many things I have yet to accomplish.  The aim of this blog is to document my rocket builds and launches and to share information with those who also enjoy high power rocketry.

My very first rocket - 16" tall, 1" diameter, 2.8 ounces

My Level 3 rocket - 120" tall, 6" diameter, 42 pounds