ROC January 2000 Launch

Report by Jeffrey D. Gortatowsky

We survived Y2K! Well, yes I expected that would be the case. Did anyone notice that the reporters were mad we had spent money avoiding the Y2K bug, but would have been just as mad if the Y2K bug had been widespread and caused problems? A lose-lose situation for software engineers like yours truly. In any case, to celebrate the new year ROC members gathered on the Lucerne dry lake bed for yet another showing of millennium madness, creating our own unique brand of fireworks.

George Perez wasted no time ringing in the new year with the launch of his L850 powered SkyRaider! George used two Missile Works RRC's to bring the rocket safely home.

Forget 2K! Try eight K! Yes the new year must have brought out new money as we had eight K impulse flights at a regular ROC "second Saturday of the month" launch! Cool! Rick McGee, Prefect of the L.A. based Lucerne Test Range (LTR of Springfest fame) used a K185 to power a scratch built rocket he named Naked Dragonfly. The 10.5 pound rocket was safely recovered using an AltsS2 for the dual deploy recovery chores. Mr. George Perez, mentioned in the previous paragraph, used the exact same 9.5 pound SkyRaider to punch a hole in the sky with a K550. Bill Seiders started the new year in "Grande" fashion with his Drano Dart Grande on a K1100. This Mr. Bill's Booster Company built rocket recovered safely using an AltAcc for deployment.

John "Y2K" Van Norman launched his now familiar 12.5 pound scratch built rocket of the same name using a K550 and a Olsen altimeter to do the recovery chores after a bug free flight to 7600+ feet. Bob Bodnar brought out his LOC Caliber ISP which calls Fear This loaded with a K185. This 11.5 pound rocket flew impressively and was recovered by an Adept AltS2. Kurt Gugisberg was on hand as usual and flew his Dynacom Python on a K550 recovering under the control of an Olsen M2. Another ROC regular, Hulan Matthies began his new year with a scratch built 9 pound K650 powered rocket he calls 98 Extreme. This rocket reached an extreme of 9200+ feet and recovered under the watchful eye of an Adept Alt S1.

Kurt Gugisberg also brought out another 'interesting' flight with his scratch built ROC Monster. This rocket used an initial kick of a J570, then used an Olsen timer to airstart 2 H180's, and then airstart 2 G75's. "And the crowd went wild!". A BlackSky AltAcc performed the recovery tasks. Hulan Matthies often has some nice Kosdon demos and this month was not an exception with Hulan boosting his scratch built Aries 75 Mount on a J130SS and using an Alt S1 for recovery. Hulan also used the same rocket for a demo of the J300F. John Kerrigan had a nice flight of his PML Eclipse on a J350. He used a Transolve P5 for recovery. Dave McCue had a pretty decent flight of his LOC Caliber ISP on a J90, while George Manning chose a J135 to boost his 7.75 pound PML AMRAAM 4.

Nothing like a good drag race to start of the 2000's so Andy Woerner and Joe Huber duked it out with J350s. Joe's scratch built Sandhawk was declared the winner. Dave Eckhart's scratch built We be tubes was totally tubular on a J-275, while good ole' boy Barry Forrest scratch built Plain Wrap was awesome on a J350. Barry used both Cambridge and Missile Works electronics to recover this 2.6 inch diameter dart. Kurt Lamoreax launched his Binder Designs Stealth on a J350 with another RRC doing the recovery honors. Ron "Gonna Fly More" McGough had his scratch built Starfire hit an Alts25 recorded 4400 feet using HyperTek J205 power. And Chuck Platisa round out the January 2000 J impulse offerings with his LOC Expediter flying well on a J90.

Rick Kempiak shredded his "10" on an I284, but Alex Hommes flew a buttressed Estes Shadow on a I300. Rick McGee threw his PML Quasar into the air on a I161 and used a Missile Works RRC2 for apogee deployment. Steve Schroerlucke launched his scratch built 4.5 pound Orion 2 on an I211. The rocket recovered under the watchful dual deploy eyes of an ALTS25. Another Steve, Szczuka in this case tossed his LOC Expeditor skyward on a I211 as well for a nice flight. Jim McMullin chose an I357 to power up his 6 pound 4 ounce LOC V2 for a decent flight, while choosing an I435 to give a real kick in the butt to his ever popular Totally Unproven Rocket Design II or TURD II. However we all know now that it's not total unproven as this 7 pound 13 ounce rocket flew just fine. Cloaked in secrecy John Walquist launched his Stealth on an I195. Unfortunately that is all we can tell you about the rocket or we'd have to shoot you. Ron Bremer, known for his duct tape prowess proved it once again as his Ex-patriot flew just fine on a I357. Not being one to learn from his mistakes, Joel Simon's AEM, Another Expensive Mistake mistook it's mission and successfully survived an AltAcc equipped I154 flight. Joel vows to make more mistakes in the future.

Apparently not learning from Sadaam, Barry Forrest scratch built a SCUD which seemed to perform much better than the real thing on a I195. And Rick "Don't need no stinkin' electronics" O'Neil proved this fact by launching a LOC Vulcanite on a I161. Most of us were surprised to see Rick already had in one flight by the month of January! Dave Rasmussen's defied all odds when his 5 pound Archer flew fine on an I211, as did Chuck "I did not prep the MPL chute" Lahmeyer's PML Phobos on a screaming I284 flight. Teaming up for reasons unknown, Ron and Ron launched the Argonia Express on a I154. That's McGough and Bremer for ya! Tom Dittman started his scratch built Metallica off on the right foot this new year with a decent I161 flight and a fine recovery under a parachute by ROC's own Priscilla's Parachute Pavilion.

When we last left Rick Dickinson he had vow to return again. Well he started the 2000's off right and certified Level one using his Blue Crayon and a H128-10. Also certifying in the new year were Dave Chapek using a PML Phobos with a H45, Joe Mullin using a PML Quasar and a H238, Bruce Pettus with a LOC HiTech and a H123, and last but not least, Alex Hommes with a scratch built Bullpup on a H123. Congratulations to ALL!

George Manning made good use of a G64 in his AeroTech Mustang, while Jacob Jennings used another Aerotech kit, a Mustang on a G80. Tom Dittman flew a way cool scratch built rocket called Double Barrel on two G80's for a very cool flight. More G80's were burned by in LOC Onyx's by Philp Maldonado , Chuck Platisa, and Jessica Barakat. Colin Rowe selected a G64 for his scratch built Night and Day Dream and his Just for Heidi an Aerotech Mustang. Colin also drag raced and won with Just for Heidi using a G38 against son Zac Rowe using Zac's Zinger and G38. Rick Kempiak also chose a G64 for is scratch built Bullet, while yet another G80 was being burnt by Bruce Pettus in his Aerotech Mustang. Carol Hooper used a G40 and a tower for a great flight of her Wisp and the ever lovely Larry "Bubba" Jacobs defied Rick O'Neil once again and successfully launched his scratch built Spiro Gyro on a G40.

All in all quite a start to the new year and a new decade! ROC is continuing to move forward with a new board elected. ROC is a vibrant, active, and large club and it takes some very special volunteers to run it. President of the club is now Greg Lawson with Ron "Gonna Fly More" McGough taking on the VP chores. Garry Bitterman is the new Member at Large, while Rick O'Neil remains as Treasurer and Jeff Stai has become the new Secretary. Rather than congratulations, let me offer thanks to all five for sacrificing their time to serve the club.

Motor Usage for January 2000

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