Model Forum / General / Rockets / May 2004

1. National Space Society Visit

On Friday, May 21, George Rachor and I visited for an hour with George
Whitesides, the new Executive Director of the National Space Society.
He promised to give us a hand when we needed action, either around
NPRM's or legislative activity.

2. Capitol Hill Visit

After our NSS meeting, George Rachor, John Kyte and I spent 45 minutes
with House and Senate staff discussing legislative options.  John has
some follow up work to do after this meeting and, as we all know, the
process of education about rocketry matters on Capitol Hill is slow
and requires patience and persistence.

We did identify some possible opportunities for both legislative
action and Congressional interaction with ATFE directly, and John will
be following up with staff and Members to further investigate and
determine how real the opportunities might be.  We will keep you
apprised of any action, especially if we need support for Members of
Congress.

3. TARC Launch

Ross Arends, Executive Assistant for Congressional Liaison to the
Director of BATFE, spent about 3 hours at the TARC flyoffs in the
company of Senator Enzi, myself, NAR Secretary George Rachor, John
Kyte, and many NAR members.  

Ross came in response to Senator Enzi's invitation to the Director to
attend TARC, and I would like to take this opportunity to publicly
thank Ross for spending a part of his weekend with the NAR at TARC
2004.

A group of NAR/TRA high-power fliers, led by Bill Schworer, put on a
carefully-designed and extremely professional display of HPR
technology and flying for Ross, and for the large crowd of TARC
flyers, aerospace industry and NASA VIP's, etc. in the late afternoon
between the end of the flying competition and the award ceremony.

Bill and his team also went over EVERY detail of the safety and
technology of our hobby with Ross, letting him handle and see the
technology in action.  All in all, it was an excellent opportunity to
communicate directly to the top of BATFE (outside of a courtroom) who
we are and what our concerns are with BATFE. (Senator Enzi also
participated directly in some of these discussions out on the HPR
range.)

All those involved came away recognizing that Ross was there to listen
and learn. Everyone involved, Ross, the HPR crew and NAR "management"
was polite, engaged and completely professional.  Ross promised to
take our messages back to the Director, but obviously could not
predict results.

Wall Street Journal reporter Bobby Block also attended TARC on
Saturday afternoon, and maintains a strong interest in our hobby and
our challenges.  

4. Summary:

We used an excellent opportunity to educate a senior ATF official
about our hobby and concerns.  We continue our education process in
the Congress. We're continuing to make more friends in the aerospace
and education communities.  We're generating more and more good press
about the safety, education and fun of sport rocketry.  The public is
"getting it," understanding that our hobby isn't a threat to their
safety in any way.

All of these things are working to create an environment where we can
secure that unregulated future we need and want.  Your patience,
persistence and continued support will be needed to help us reach that
goal.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mark B. Bundick           mbundick - at - earthlink - dot - net
NAR President             www - dot - nar - dot - org

"A dark night in a city that knows how to keep its secrets, but high
above the quiet streets on the twelfth floor of the Acme Building,
one man is still trying to find the answers to life's persistent
questions. Guy Noir, Private Eye."