Holtville 2/1/2020

Once again I've been too busy at work to pack/prep for this month's launch at Holtville.  I shot even more vid than usual, however:

And here are my still photos.

I've made two intriguing discoveries with my GoPro Hero 5 black: 1) The GoPro app rules and serves as the POV previewer I've craved and 2) Somehow I never checked for updated resolutions when I bought this hero 5.  After shooting the above vids I learned that the Hero 5 supports 240 fps shooting in 720p!!  So this will be my last vid shot in 480p and scaled to 720p.  I also learned that the Hero 8 shoots 240fps in 1080p.  So, now that I've discovered 720p/240, perhaps it's time for an upgrade.  Enjoy.

Holtville, 1/4/2020

It's been awhile since I've updated my blog.  I'm now trying to catch up so here are three flights at Holtville on January 4th:

And here are my photos.

I'm quite certain that the first was Val Derkatch's, the second Mark Treseder's, and the third... well I just don't remember.  But check those titania sparks, huh?!

Bailing on NSL

In addition to owing many blog updates I've just decided to bail on NSL.  Both would seem to underscore my recent lack of blog worthiness.

Today I was planning to fly an Aerotech M4500 Super Thunder (98/7680 casing) in the Madcow 8" Mega Cowabunga.  That would have been a new thrust maximum for me but, after a lengthy but cool day at work yesterday, I went to bed having forgotten to bond the grains.  I also just discovered that my Raven LiPo batteries are bloating and will no longer charge.  As such this exciting new thrust maximum will have to wait.

I went to FeatherweightAltimeters.com to order replacement batteries and discovered the Raven4.  I bought one also. :)

Thanks for occasionally checking in and I expect to rebuild my rocketry prowess in the coming weeks and months.

Holtville launch, May 4, 2019

I promise to catch up on blogging soon.  For now just some hot, CTI K1200 action:

Holtville launch, April 6, 2019

Once again I'll write more later but yesterday's launch was a good time:

Holtville Havoc 3

I'll write this up soon but thanks to Mark Treseder for this excellent shot:

Rain... and rain again? [...and again]

I attended the January launch at Holtville... but was rained out!  It rained quite persistently and for a substantial duration.  As such I didn't fly anything.

It seems that rain might be pending for February as well so we'll see.

Update: The February 2019 launch was cancelled due to rain.  We'll try again next month.

Holtville, October 6th, Launch Report

Last weekend's launch was the club's first since it's cooled a bit.  I had planned to attend this weekend's Lucerne launch, Octoberfest, but received notice it had been cancelled due to previous rains and pooling on the lakebed,  Oh well... back to last weekend.
     I had packed lightly, only bringing two well-flown rockets, but the launch still rocked.  First off was my trusty, unpainted 3" Madcow Nike Smoke on a AT H550 Super Thunder.  I'll reiterate that this is my new favorite, punchy propellant.  In the video notice that the rocket's gone in the upper-left corner before the rock debris even passes the camera:

I forgot which motors that Val and Bruce had flown.  Oops.  Finally I busted out a Pro29 CTI 138G106 Skidmark for my trusty, painted DarkStar Lite.  I was a bit surprised that very little titanium made itself available for inefficient yet spectacular external combustion.  I like sparks.

1 Mega Cowabunga, 2 months, 2 L motors

I'm behind.  I therefore deem it appropriate to place my April and July 2018 Lucerne flights in a single blog post.  'Cause that's how I roll.
     This Mega Cowabunga simply rules.  It's of a stubby aspect ratio but it's diameter is eight inches.  And is has a 98mm motor mount screaming for increasing thrust.  It's inaugural flight was on an AT L1500 Blue Thunder and I've continued with increasing thrust.  In April I flew it on an AT 4668L2500 Super Thunder.  In July I flew it on a CTI 4807L3150 Vmax.  The vessel takes that accelerative abuse like a champion (full-screen viewing remains recommended):

Both flights were very similar. Rapid ascent off the pad, ejection at apogee, gentle unfurling of the 'chute via deployment bag, and recovery less than one mile away on the lake bed.   Flight didjits:

AT L2500 Super Thunder
Max acceleration: 19.355 Gs
Max velocity: 765 ft/s
Max altitude: 5719 ft AGL
Raven 1: graph | tabular | motor trace
Raven 3: graph | tabular | motor trace

CTI L3150 Vmax
Max acceleration: 23.38 Gs
Max velocity: 871.5 ft/s
Max altitude: 6407 ft AGL
Raven 1: graph | tabular | motor trace
Raven 3: graph | tabular | motor trace

I think that Super Thunder has become my favorite punchy propellant of late due to its excessive flame length.  Unfortunately I failed to catch a photo of that in April but I seem to remember it being over 15 feet long.  I did, however, get a sweet sequence of the L3150 ascent and here's a peak shot:

I've ordered an AT M4500 Super Thunder so you know what's next.

Holtville 4-8-2018

I drove out to Sunday of April's launch to witness Cris Erving's L3 attempt.  Saturday was supposed to be horrible so I didn't bother.  Cris certified without a hitch: