ROC May 2003 Launch

Report by John Van Norman, ROC Member

Lucerne Dry Lake Bed, California (JVN). In May the rocket gods really smiled on us. The intrepid ROC campers reported howling winds all night long on the Lucerne Dry Lake. By morning the wind had dropped to zero! This is the usual pattern here in the high desert this time of year, with nightly winds, calm mornings and increasing winds in the afternoon. But this Saturday it was not to be. The winds never reappeared, which rewarded us with a fine day of flying.

With the motor shortage still very much apparent the front row pads (which were doubled in number for this month's launch) saw a brisk business. That’s not to say we didn’t have some great HPR flights, highlighted by John Walhquist’s Level 3 attempt. “HAULIN’ mASS” used an M1315 to lumber into the clear desert sky to 2475' and everything went exactly according to plan. John did the Level 3 “strut” the short distance out to retrieve his rocket. Good job, John!

Click here for a cool photo of John's Level 3 flight, by Owen Phairis

Click here to view video of John's Level 3 flight, by David Reese

There were a couple of other cert flights this May, both NAR. Bill Allenbaugh nailed a Level 1 with a rocket called “Baghdad Express” on an H-180. Gary Bilek stepped from Level 1 to Level 2 using a Cesaroni J210. Unfortunately, he didn’t put the name of the project on the flight card. Congratulations to both and welcome to High Power!

Robert Brigham was finally able to get his air-start project into the air after a false start earlier in the day. “America the Beautiful” used an AeroTech K700, air-starting two I284s for a great flight. Gregg Halligan showed how clustering can be fun with an Estes Fat Boy. A central E9 and seven C6s all at the same time—it’s been awhile since we saw a Fat Boy move that fast! Mike Riss pleased the crowd when his two stage project “Mad Max” defied RockSim and did a little skywriting over the middle row—I hear there was little or no damage to the rocket and I think we’ll see that one again.

You can imagine the LCO’s surprise when handed a flight card for none other than ROC pres Greg Lawson. You board members still know how to fly? Yep, they sure do! Put a K550 in his Ultra Fat Boy and what happens? A high altitude call request to the FAA, that’s what! Ya gotta love it! Also asking for the extended waivers were Kevin Danjou and Dave Eckhart. Kevin tried a Cesaroni I287 in scratch built project called Desert Rattler. Alas, an early ejection forced a lower than optimal flight. Dave went the long burn route with “We Be Tubes.” This J135 powered bird posted a successful 7779' trek skyward. Allen Farrington put a K550 in his Magnum called “Yet Another Magnum” and posted a great flight.

Of course, a ROC monthly launch wouldn’t be complete without a few check marks in the “unusual” category. How about a flying cucumber? Rob Brigham switched from high power to flying veggies by putting fins, a parachute, and an E-9 in a foot long cucumber. Unfortunately, he diced it when the cucumber only made it about 50 feet in the air and the chute didn’t deploy. Then he flew, not once but twice, the “Flying Funnoodle of Death”—that’s right a pool toy flying on an E-9. There’s a rumor going around about Rob and something to do with heads of lettuce. I don’t wanna know. With the LCO shaking his head and saying, “This is wrong on so many levels,” Eric Williams kept the ROC inspired “Snitch Revolution” alive by sending one of the pesky little saucers up on a perfect flight powered by an H motor!

Hybrids put in a good showing in May. My bet is we are going to be seeing a lot more of these until this foolishness in Washington sorts itself out. Among the gasser flights was Dennis Dinga’s “Now Hear This.” He used a Ratt Works K240 to wake up the crowd. David Reese pulled a double—first with his 7.5" diameter project, “No Sniveling,” on a Hypertek L625. He returned shortly with a Hypertek K240 in a rocket called “Yo! J.” Phil Anderson put in a couple of great performances—first with his Ultimate Endeavor on a HT J330 in the morning and then a K240 flight in his V-2 in the afternoon. Chris Feenstra joined in with a PML Aurora flight on a J330 just a bit latter.

Click here to view video of David's L625 flight, by David Reese

Then our “Gas Passer in Residence,” Wayne Mrazek, brings out his 10" diameter V-2 and a HT M1000. The video shows that the ejection charge going off right at lift-off. The M worked great, the V-2 pin-wheeling around on the end of the chute until the rigging gave way. Then the big bird, minus its nose cone headed west several hundred yards horizontally. It slammed into the lake bed, skipped like a stone, and finally buried itself in a pile of shattered debris. This earned Wayne more check marks on his flight card than any other I’ve seen lately… early ejection, shred, separation, tangled chute, sky writer, cruise missile, flat landing, land shark, core sample—but most of all crowd pleaser! Way to keep the V-2 curse alive, Wayne!

Click here for a cool photo of the V2 separation, by Owen Phairis

Click here to view video of Wayne's V2 flight, by David Reese

Terry McKiernan, one of our local TAPs, brought out his scratch built SR-71 and flew it twice on AT I211s.  Chuck Platisa put a J180 in his V.B. Javelin, as did Bruce Pettus in his upscale Big Dawg. Both had great flights.

More Cesaroni motors are showing up at California launches, with Pro38s becoming popular. In fact, Andy Woerner of What’s Up Hobbies reports he was cleaned out of Pro38s by 9:00a.m. Dok Hanson used one in his PML Black Brant. He calls this rocket “Digger,” but the I205 did anything but that. Not to be out done, Christopher Heinrich tried an I205 in his Black Brant, also turning in a great flight. Jim Hawk used a three grain Pro38 in his D Region Tomahawk, putting a check mark in the “Good Flight” box. Those are just a few of the many Pro38 flights we saw in May.

Meanwhile, as mentioned, the front rows were doing brisk business. Gliders made a fantastic showing, led by a great couple of flyers, Gene and Lucille Stratton. They flew a variety of gliders several times and I think Lucille won the duration contest consistently. The Stratton family also claimed the most flights of the day award with nine. Of course, they did have the help of Summer and several other family members.

Young Joseph Conterrares had the most single flier flights with eight, followed closely by Stevie Hatfield with seven.

The hardest thing to do, as anyone who tackled writing a launch report will tell you, is deciding what goes in and what doesn’t. With 215 flights at our May 10 launch, this report is no different. To those who I left out, please forgive me!

May should go down as one of the best flying days we've seen in months—we didn’t even get sand blasted while we were tearing down the range! It doesn’t get any better than that. Let’s hope for that kind of weather for ROCstock next month!

It is also my sad duty to report the passing of another long time ROC member and good friend, Paul Sheffield, W6VLM. Paul passed away suddenly in Santa Barbara on May 16^th. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.

ROC would like to extend to everyone the hope for a great and safe upcoming flying season. Keep up the pressure on your political officials on the legal front!