Model Forum / General / Rockets / November 2004

 I can agree with this for the above reasons. It also allows you to
also use larger motors that put on a better show for everyone, and let's
face it, it's all about the show with the smoke, fire, and sound.
Otherwise you could get the same thrill from tossing a ball up in the
air, it's doing the same basic thing as a rocket.
Up....down....up....down..... This isn't a dump on smaller rockets.
They're a heck of alot of fun and I can get as big a grin from an "A"
motor as I can from an "I" motor. Just remember they have limits if you
want them back.
 More spotters isn't an issue since I'm always flying with the local
club. Watching the flights is part of the social function of the launch,
so spotters are everywhere.
 The advice of contrasting colors I use myself. Almost all my rockets
are painted in broad stripes. One's light for visiblity on the ground,
one's dark for against the sky, and the third fits in between for
contrast in either. I also prefer parachutes that contrast both in the
sky and on the ground. Inspite of my best efforts I haven't lost one of
my big ones yet.
 Never tried colored talc/chalk dust, but I've seen it used to good
effect more than once.
 And remember the "economy of fun." If your kits are less than $15,
that's about the price of a dozen 13mm's, or 3 of the bigger 24mm Estes
C/D/E motors. Would you rather spend the money on yet another kit after
losing one, and the time to build it, or would you rather use that same
coin to grab some sky with a rocket that'll fly well on those things and
still come back? Hmmm, more time flying, fewer lost rockets....hmmm, boy
that's a hard call for me to make! ;-)

Chuck

Add talcum powder or colored powder to increase the visibility of ejection.

I would think that it would just come down quicker, and less likely to drift
away.  It's just down on the ground before you see it.<g>

Never heard this one before, but it makes sense.  Problem is, a black chute
would be harder to see once it gets to the ground.  So if you don't SEE it
land, you could be searching for a while.  So, I wonder what's the best
combination of colors to use?  Black, so it shows against the sky.  White or
orange for better visibility on the ground.  Orange rocket with a black chute?
I launched my Renegade(a black rocket almost 2 ft. tall) yesterday, and lost it
before ejection.  It just so happened that someone else saw it land, and was
able to point me in the right direction.  Another benefit of launching with a
bunch of people.<g>  When I got close, I was able to see the chute.

Eldred

Dwayne  wrote some great guidelines for flying rockets <snipped for
brevity>

Scott,

The bottom line is you made a BAR-rookie mistake.  Going from A to C is
4X.  Shoulda used a B first.  That said, on a BT-20 based 3FNC like the
Sizzler, even a B is flirtin' with losing it.

We've all done it.  There's a Quark out there somewhere we flew on an A.
Shoulda never tried that, at least not without less wind, more eyes and
a better choice of paint color.

Please don't get discouraged.  Build some more, and fly them with a tad
more caution now that you're a little wiser for it.

And welcome back after 15 years.

Doug

My attitude has been changing somewhat over the past few years.  I'm
leaning more towards bigger, clumsier (draggier) rockets, that require a
larger engine, but that don't go too terribly high on the 'stock'
engine.  Then, when I want some more altitude, I can use one of the
composite motors (RMS or SU) to get up there.  I particularly like some
of the upscale clones such as the QModeling rockets, or using some of
the Estes 'D' rockets (such as the Maxi Big Bertha or Maxi Alpha).  They
can be modified for the Estes E (and work great on them), work okay on a
D, but you can use an Aerotech F if you want to.

The larger rockets are far easier to see and recover, with the 'smaller'
engine (relatively) can still be used on a small field (and look
impressive as heck there), and can still get some altitude when you're
out on a larger field.

I still like the smaller rockets for many reasons (some nostalgic, some
just because they're 'neat'), but I'm trending more towards the
mid-power.  I don't, however, find myself trying for any altitude
records the way I used to with the smaller rockets (it's fun to see how
high you can go on a single 18mm motor).  Once they're going out of
sight, I find it more frustrating than satisfying.

I would feel different if I were in HPR, but at that point I'd be using
tracking signals, etc.  I'm just not at that point right now.

David Erbas-White