The SouthEast Alabama Rocketry Society held their April launch on the April 12th in Samson, AL. The April 5th launch was cancelled due to rain. This launch was threatened as morning showers were expected. Therefore we planned a late start at Noon. I arrived in Samson at 11:00 and the rain was pouring. I was very worried the launch was a scratch but, we gave it 30 minutes and the rain began to trail off. But who would come with the iffy weather? Enough for a great launch it turned out. We had two new members Tom Macpherson and his wife Penny & Daymon Campbell and his wife Pearl. These folks are very enthusiastic. Tom had many flights and Daymon plans to bring rockets next time. We had most of the regulars including Bill Bosley and Reese. It was nice as the new wives were socializing as well as Bob Stetson’s and Jon Ward’s Daughters along with the other kids.

The event was Peep Spot Landing? The target was about 60 feet from the pad. The peeps were being lofted with great determination to hit the target. Various strategies developed including picking smaller motors and pointing the rod toward the target. There we about 50 Peep flights. Tom Macpherson had the closest peep to the target which was about 10 feet. Tom got the first draw from the special prize pool donated by Sunward. The remaining Sunward prizes were given out to those participating in the peep event.

The weather continued to improve with the clouds lifting and we had blue skies by 5 o’clock. This was very timely as Jon Ward and John Hansel made several L flights from John Hansel’s tower on the away cell.  Then Chris Short made the first N flight at SEARS on an N2020 in his 15 foot War Eagle rocket. The flight went to 6500 feet. Sarah Gifford made her Level 1 Cert Flight at the end of the day. Congrats Sarah!

So after being doubtful that the launch would even be a go, I believe it was one of the best ever. Funny, I keep saying that after every launch. The May launch has been moved from May 3rd to May 10th. I hope you can make it.

Greg

Click here for more pictures and here for videos.
 

Greg Lane’s Peeps on a Snitch

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All,
 
The next SouthEast Alabama Rocketry Society (SEARS) launch is May 10th 2008 in Samson, AL. The event is Upscale Day.  Use a green flight card for any upscale of a rocket kit and you will entered for a draw from the prize pool. 

John Hansel’s Upscale Shadow

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The Pack 124 Bear Cub Scouts launched their own rockets March 22, 2008 in a field near Headland. 12 Boys built Fliskit Thing-a-ma-jigs and got to fly them twice.(A6-4 and B6-4).  They boys even got to drag races their rockets on the 2nd launch. All rockets were recovered.
 
I put on a short demo before they launched. 
Estes Quark
Sunward Maverick
Applewhite Scimitar
Estes Executioner
Shuttle Thang.
 
I will submit their names for the NAR 50,000 event. Thanks to Jim Flis for the easy to build and fly rockets.  We had a couple of rockets come in with tangles chutes, but there was no damage.
  
Marty

More pictures here.

All,
 
The next SouthEast Alabama Rocketry Society (SEARS) launch is April 12th 2008 in Samson, AL. The event is Peep Spot Landing sponsored by Sunward Aerospace Group.

The three rocket flights that place a peep closest to a target on the field by 3 PM will draw in order, closest first, from the special Sunward prize pool.   The remaining Sunward prizes will be given out by random drawing of green flight cards. The prize pool includes four Sunward kits and lots of components. You may make as many peep flights as you like and multiple peeps are allowed on one flight.  Use Official Peeps of any variety. Peeps that are dropped must have a recovery device for their/our protection. Thanks to Sunward who provides high quality model rockets kits, parts, and accessories for the Rocketeer.

SEARS 572 held its month launch on March 1, 2008. The day started out a little cool, but turned into a beautiful day to launch. The high was about 65 F and the winds were mainly light.

Jim Flis day was the main event. Anyone who launched a Fliskits rocket had their name put into a hat for a prize. Jim Flis was very generous to send rockets for the prizes. 25 Jim Flis creations were flown and there was a mass launch of Fliskits.  The Fliskit Decaffinator and the Frick & Frack flew. They are both impressive and will make excellent demo rockets.  See pictures here and a video of the mass launch here.

There were many high power launches. There were two J motor drag races and 2 L motor launches. The Auburn team had an exciting L motor launch. The video can be seen here.

The quick flight stats show 98 flights from 19 flyers. Marty Wiggins was the “Frequent Flyer” of the day with 16 flights. We are missing a couple of flight cards, so the total is probably 101 flights. Here is the motor breakdown.

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SEARS 572 had its monthly launch in Samson, AL on Feb 2nd, 2008. You could not beat the weather as it warmed up nicely with high clouds and low winds. Our event was Egg Loft. Zachary Wilson won and chose the Exoskell from the prize pool. The Auburn SLI Team brought their 6 inch rocket with a instrument payload. They launched it on L motors. Greg Lane had a successful M flight with the Mighty Mo to 5352 feet. He also launched his new X15 rocket on a K550. Launch was fine but the chute did not fully deploy. It can be repaired. We were pleased to have Rob Wilson his wife Corinne, their three children and his Father and the In-Laws, Roger & Connie Leete. Thanks to John Hansel for the setting up the heavy duty launch gear and Randy, Kendall and John for the LCO support.

Rob Wilson with kids.

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SEARS 572 had its monthly launch in Samson, AL on Jan 5, 2008. The day started out cool, but warmed to the upper 60s in the afternoon. The winds were mainly light.  They got up to about 10 mph around noon, but fell as the day wound down.
 
The day was one of the biggest attended in SEARS history.  There were 18 vehicles at the launch.  The totals were 18 fliers and 102 flights.

Many came to see the flight of the “Hewes Space Special”.  The maiden flight was not great, as the rocket nosed in.  John says it is repairable.

John Hansel and Heather Parker with the the Hewes Space Special. Heather did the excellent artwork.  (more…)

Alabama’s Phoenix Missile Works club will be celebrating their second annual Founder’s Day this January 19th and 20th just east of Winterboro, Alabama, about 20 miles south of Interstate 20 and 10 miles south of the infamous city of Talledega.

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Eleven launches with interesting events are planned for 2008 at the Samson, AL launch site.

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Our next launch is January 5th 2008 in Samson, AL. The event is Maiden Flight Day. Use a green flight card for any first flight of a rocket and you will have a chance to draw from the prize pool. So this is a chance to get out the exacto and glue and show us something new. In particular, John Hansel will fly the Hewes Space Special for the first time. The Panama City Artist who painted the craft will be there to witness the flight.

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