Sunny Side of the Moon

Floyd, the Boob Cancer Rocket, finally got air.



This was the last KCAR launch of the year, and the weather could not have been better. I wore my big Cult hoodie because I thought it was supposed to be colder than it was. It was in the low 50s and the winds were around 3mph. If there was ever fly-it-straight-up-on-its-biggest-balls weather, this was it.




The club equipment was tardy, which meant I had all my rockets prepped by the time it got there. We had our FAA notification in, so Floyd was covered there, and I had my Aerotech E30-4T motor ready to go.



Now here's a reason to join a club: I learned this lesson the first time when I joined the Kansas City Bier Meisters back when I started thinking about making my own beer. Everything looked intimidating and involved, but the beards in the club brought me along, showed me what wasn't really that hard and what was tricky (and often, what the trick to it was).



Dave Lucas helped me load the composite motor, get the Copperhead igniter in correctly (another flier today didn't do so, and half his engine burned before his rocket started to move, a mistake which would have made Floyd eat high speed dirt). He also pointed out that I really needed a second launch lug up the body, gave me a section of quarter inch and helped me get it mounted on there. Even taught me a new trick (baking soda as a fortifier of Super Glue).



I've said I probably wouldn't build another rocket on Floyd's scale. This one motor cost as much as nine of the Estes motors I usual fly on, making Floyd way too sexy for his shirt.



But I was told if I ever tried composite motors, I'd be hooked. I've heard the same thing about cocaine, and it's probably a good thing I never tested the theory. I've seen other guys fly on composite motors, but it isn't the same thing as when your own rocket actually hurts your ears leaving the launch rod. I can't fly this kind of thing often (both financially and logistically, it ain't no park flier), but I can't honestly say I wouldn't build another monster like this.



I also launched The Great Pumpkin Rides Again on a D12, which was great except he shucked his engine (too much wadding, methinks).



I got excited about the duration competition and remembered how close I've come to losing Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, my two-stager. I had him loaded up with a C6-0 and a C6-7, then decided to change the second motor to a C6-3. On a seven second delay, this rocket falls way too far for a duration contest before throwing out the laundry.



This was a mistake. The three second delay wasn't nearly enough because it meant the recovery charge blew while the rocket was still scooting along at a good clip. The 75lb test Kevlar chord and six feet of 1/8" elastic wasn't enough to take this stress. The Kevlar snapped and the bottom half of the rocket came down hard. Fixable, but a disastrous flight.



Then there was Punk Rock(et) Girl, who flew twice on E9-4's and was absolutely worthy of the Dead Milkmen. Straight, no perceptible body roll, got to maybe 1500 feet and descended slowly, landing gently and in tact. She probably should have been my duration entry, came close enough to ninety seconds of hang time.





Thor's Candycane and Mr. Creosote both failed to open their parachutes, though they landed safely enough in the tall grass. I should have powdered their parachutes (I will in the future).



Lots of other great rockets were out there. The helicopter recovery competition, those guys built some amazing things. Elaborate and fragile craft that go up us rockets and then sprout great balsa props to spin back down. Also some very involved glider recovery rockets flew today.







Mo and Em even got to see a couple of launches, include Punk Rock(et) Girl's second flight. Good time had by all.