AirFest 15 Sept. 09

Over the weekend Cheri and I went to AirFest and had a great time.  The Kloudbusters really know how to put on a great launch.

Cheri took her PML Aerial with her and we picked up a H123 Sparky motor.  She had to take it out to the 60s pad becuase all sparky motors had to fly from the plowed land.  They still had a few fires they had to put out when some of the guys set dirt on fire.

She did not like the walk out to the away cell for an H motor so when we bought motors for the rockets next launch she did not get a sparky motor.  What she did get was a nice I motor.   We are thinking about attending the next West Texas Rocketry launch.  It should be a nice flight on that motor.

I took my new rocket...   I built a PML Thunder and Lightning and did it mostly according to the plans. I would have made a few changes to it knowing what I do now.  I am not a fan of the electronics that lights the sustainer not being part of the sustainer.  However, it's still a cool rocket and I had a good time with it.  I flew the rocket with a J330 in the booster and at 5.5 seconds after the launch a J285 was lit.  It turns out that the timing was perfect with that motor combination.

After I launched my rocket we went to look for the sustainer but was unable to find it.  We had to head back to the launch site since Scott Cook was heading out to the pads for his Level 3 certification attempt. 

I am sad to say that Scott did not get this L3 as the chutes tangled and the Der Big Red Max came in too fast.  It was damaged on landing with a couple of the fins being cracked, and one being driven through one of the couplers.

The next Level 3 certrification attempt was Crystal Greppo and her rocket Girlz Rule.  The rocket motor let loose on the pad and shot the rocket a couple hundred feet into the air.  The shot here on the left is actually showing either the nozzle or a fuel gain hitting the pad right before the rocket was thrown up.

There were a bunch of rockets flown over the weekend with fliers from all over the US.  Many of the rockets were well worth the time to watch.

I have plenty more photos from the launch on my web site.  You can check out my photo gallery at http://www.timsappphotography.com

Click on proofing and then use the password "airfest15" to get access to the photos.