The next SEARS monthly launch is January 10th in Samson, AL. The events are:
       General: Anything but a Chute day.
       Youth: Make a colorful streamer and fly in a rocket
       Challenge: Fly a helicopter rocket
       Advanced: Fly a monocopter rocket

All event flights are on a green flight card. We will draw a green card at random for a pick from the prize pool. Note Art Applewhite is a good source for many rockets that don’t require chutes including his new monocopter kits. I am going to try out his Helix monocopter. I’ll bring a launch pad for his style of monocopters. Also note Apogee and Fliskits have helicopters. Oh yes any glider would work also.  The Edmound Glider Kits are good and available from JonRocket. So you have many options this month.

Greg

Tom Rackers loading his Big Birdie. Also notice the Estes Skywinder and Hefty Saucer rockets on the pad.

Tripoli Central Alabama is hosting a research launch on January 3rd beginning at 9am. This launch is open to all Tripoli members to fly commercial motors, and L2 certified to fly research motors. Please come out and enjoy some homemade motors with us and possibly some catos…. We will collect a $10 range fee for this launch to pay for our renewal. We will also hold prefect elections. Chris’ Rocket supplies will be there to supply commercial stuff for you.
 
Thanks
Chris Short

Please patronize these sponsors of SEARS Launches

Greens Grass Farm 
877 Sod Road,
Samson, AL 36477
(334) 898-7901

We appreciate the use of the field at Greens Grass Farm for our launches.

Portable Toilet Service
2321 N Range St
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone : (334) 794-2144

PTS provides excellent service at our launch site in Samson.

SEARS fliers enjoy themed launches. But in 2009 were are unleashing a new concept. General, Youth, Challenge and Advanced categories. General will be on the green flight cards and there will be the drawing for a prize pool item. Youth is for fun and will you will likely get your picture on the web site. Challenge is to develop your rocketry skills. Advanced: This categoy is for those who have the basic skills down and have been flying rockets for a year or more with appropriate certifications. These flights will be flown from the wireless launcher if they present a greater risk than normal flights. That would be monocopters, billiard balls, four stage rockets, 7 motor clusters and the like. The stand off distance will be determined by the Club Advisor. Details will be supplied on the next cut. Let me know if you have any tweaks to the events.

Greg

Jan 10, 2009
       General: Anything but a Chute day.
       Youth: Make a colorful streamer and fly in a rocket
       Challenge: Fly a helicopter rocket
       Advanced: Fly a monocopter rocket See http://www.artapplewhite.com/monocopters.html

Feb 7, 2009
    General: Egg Loft Day
    Youth: Decorate eggs as Eggstronauts
    Challenge: Egg Loft Duration
    Advanced: Billiard Ball Loft

Mar 14, 2009
     General: Maiden Flight Day
     Youth: Decorate A Rocket Contest
     Challenge: Kit Mash, build a rocket from two or more commercial kits.
     Advanced: Fly a Hybrid Rocket

Apr 18, 2009
        General: Peep Spot Landing
        Youth: Launch three different kinds of peeps
        Challenge: Deploy four or more peeps. The more the better
        Advanced: Fly a peep to as close to 1500 feet as possible based on an altimeter

May 9, 2009
        General:  Classic Day: Any published design or kit over 20 years old including clones and upscales.
        Youth: Bring a friend to the launch and show them how to fly a rocket
        Challenge: Scratch Build an original Design
        Advanced: Fly a dual deploy rocket

Jun 13, 2009
        General:  Multi Stage Day
        Youth: fly a two stage rocket and find both the booster and sustainer
        Challenge: fly a three stage rocket
        Advanced: fly a four stage rocket

Jul 11, 2009 
        General: Glider Day
        Youth: Bring a hand glider and fly it
        Challenge: Glider Duration
        Advanced: Fly an glider with 24 inch wingspan or greater (Maybe R/C)

Sep 12, 2009 
        General: Sci-fi / Futuristic / Alien Day
        Youth: decorate a rocket to have aliens on-board
        Challenge: Fly a Mars Lander type rocket
        Advanced: Warp Factor

Oct 10, 2009  
        General: Odd Roc Day
        Youth Build and fly an Applewhite 13mm saucer
        Challenge: Build an totally original Odd Roc
        Advanced: Fly an rocket on K or larger motor

Nov 14, 2009 
        General: Cluster Day
        Youth: Paint a rocket the same color as a pumpkin
        Challenge: Modify a rocket to take three motors instead of one
        Advanced: Cluster 7 or more motors 

Dec 12, 2009 
        General: Drag Race day
        Youth: Decorate a rocket for Christmas
        Challenge: Drag race a matched rocket and motor with a friend
        Advanced: Drag race H or larger rockets
      

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!

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The next SEARS monthly launch is December 6th in Samson, AL. The event is Drag Race Day. A drag race is two or more rockets launched simultaneously. Challenge anyone to a drag race. Use a green flight card for the drag race so we can draw the winner. It is nice when the rockets and motors are matched to make it fair. But not required. Anyhow I don’t know how you score a drag race but it is fun anyway. We will be also having a Almost Anything Goes Drag Race on the Mass Launcher. Launch any rocket that will fit and fly nicely on our short 1/8 inch rods. Load them up! As always Christmas themed rockets are encouraged for the December Launch. So bring your creation.

Greg
 

Santa Rocket Drag Race

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The November 1st 2008 SEARS launch proved to be an excellent day for flying rockets. The sky was cloudless and temps around 70 in the PM with a light breeze. The event was Cluster Day. Not sure how many we had yet. Russ Roberts won the event. He picked out an Fliskit Proconsul (Like a Drake) from the prize pool.

Dave Brassell of Panama City made a sucessful Level 1 cert on his LOC Bullet four inch rocket. The rocket flew on a Aerotech H148 redline motor. Congrats Dave!

Roy Houchin of Shorter, Alabama has joined SEARS. Roy is a NAR member. He flew his Estes Skywinder at the launch. Roy is the historian for the ARCAS sounding rocket and has a lot of the hardware. Maybe we can do some type of ARCAS club project.

John Hansel flew his Old Blue which is a four inch Performance Rocketry Intimidator (I think) an a K motor. It went over 6000 feet and landed off the field at the creek. It was drapped across several trees and required chain saw recovery.

Bob Stetson flew his Apogee Aspire on an Apogee F10-8. This combination sims out to a mile high. Apparently the shock cord frayed. Bob Stetson recovered the nosecone and Rick Gutknecht found the rocket body later.

We were glad to have Doug Harrell who teaches Science in Bristol FL attend. He brought his wife and some members of the Liberty County High School Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) team.

Rick Gutknecht and Arron Gutknecht of Panama City attended. Rick flew his Halverson Wicked Winnie and Arron an Guardian Estes rocket with a nice paint job. 

Bob Mullins flew his “Flame On” six inch Rocket on an AMW L1800. It was great boost. The main did not come out but the rocket had no damage, Thanks to Bob for bringing his EZ-GO rocket cart. It got a real work out.

Of course this is just a snippet of the activity at the field, Thanks for a great launch day! Pictures can be seen at http://sears572.com/gallery/2008-11-01 and videos at http://sears572.com/gallery/2008-11-01Vids

Greg Lane

SEARS President

Dave Brassell and his LOC Bullet.

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SEARS had the pleasure of supporting the Webelos Rocket Rally on October 25th 2008 at Emerald Coast Skydiving in Elberta, AL.  The October weather was perfect and the Skydiving center has a beautiful field.  There were over sixty Webelos this year, the biggest turn out yet and it could double next year. Russ Roberts and Greg Lane put on two rounds of demo launches. The Webelos launched their Starhawk rockets twice individually and then they did mass launches with the SEARS Mass launcher. We enjoyed the Skydivers between launches. The event was well orchestrated by Richard Gean and his team of leaders. The response to the demos and mass launch was very positive. Of course we plan to return next year.  See all the pictures at http://sears572.com/gallery/2008-10-25.
 
Greg

Webelos load their rockets for the mass launch

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All,

Taking orders for the classic, authentic, nostalgic, vintage, rare, orignal, limited edition, printed in Alabama SEARS shirts. You can’t get them in stores. Great for Christmas gift giving. So put your request in by an email to LaneKG  Orders close Nov 1st 2008.

Available in Adult L, XL, XXL, XXXL and Child M & L

Adult L & XL for $12

Adult XXL & XXXL for $14

Child M & L for  $8

Please pay John Hansel (Treasurer) if you like when you see him or pay when you pick up the shirts. 

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The next monthly S.E.A.R.S. Launch is November 1st at Samson, AL. The event is Cluster Day. A cluster rocket has two or more motors in a single stage. We setup at 8:30 AM, the waiver opens for launches at 9:00 AM. We usually go untill about 4:00 PM. Beginners are welcome. Bring the whole family!. Everyone is also invited to Crews BBQ in Samson after the launch. For more info see http://www.sears572.com/sears-launch-info

Greg Lane

S.E.A.R.S President

Two seven motor Hydras drag race

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