This is old post from January/February 2006.  I am still enjoying this rocket.

Cliff Oliver’s 24mm DW on the left and mine on the right.

Greg Read the rest of this entry »

There was a mass invasion of twenty one Estes Snitch Rockets at the October 6th 2007 SEARS launch in Samson, AL. Thanks Kendall for the video from the ground.

Anyone see Odd Roc candidates here?

Greg

Andy Woerner and his crazy rocketeer friends have built a 21-foot long X-Wing model that can actually fly. Yes, this is a real X-Wing powered by four solid-fuel rocket engines complete with radio-controlled moving wings. It blasts off in California next week. More details here.

February 16-17-18, 2008. Start the year off right in Sunny South Florida. Three days of rockets on Presidents’ Day holiday weekend in sunny, warm Palm Beach County, Florida

More info here.

Cliff plans to do his L3 there. John Hansel and I plan to go also.

Greg

Our Planet is a Social Networking site for rocket folks. I had always been hesitant about social networking, but this is cool. There are 110 members so far. I have picked up a number of friends. It will be nice interacting with folks I see at out of town launches that I’d like to get to know better. If you are a rocketeer consider joining. Thanks to Darrell Mobley of Rocketry Planet for making this happen! Read the rest of this entry »

I recently was awarded my NARTREK gold from the NAR.  The NARTREK program is  a self-paced program designed to improve your knowledge and skill in rocketry step by step.  You can read more about it here. 

 http://www.nar.org/NARTREK/

The program is a lot of fun.  I heard from some people that they thought it was for kids, but I would say that it is far from it. 

The progression from Bronze to Silver to Gold seems easy, but some of the steps can be a challenge.  The main thing is that you really do not know which one will be your challenge until you do it.

 The Bronze has 4 steps:

• Perform a 60-second parachute duration flight with a kit model.
• Perform a 30-second streamer duration flight with a kit model.
• Perform a two-staged flight with a kit model.
• Perform a large model flight (D motor or above) with a kit model.

My rockets for the Bronze can be seen here. 

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I have spotted two Estes Astrovision Digital Video Rockets at the Panama City Hobby Lobby. With a 40% off coupon it would be about $45. Let me know if you want me to pick one up for you. I can bring it to a future launch.  I think this would be a nice Christmas present idea.

Greg

The Sputnik would be a very appropriate Odd Roc for the Oct 6th SEARS launch since the 50th anniversary of Russian Sputnik flight is on October 4th. This is John Stein’s Sputnik:

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