X-wooshprez
03-15-2012, 02:16 PM
I thought I'd share this. It relates to many of the reasons why I like to fly hybrids.
It's a challenge to fly them and many shy away from more complexity. I say that if you do not work in a few roadblocks in your hobby when do you expect to see growth in your knowledge and experience?
Scotty
What attracts hybrid flyers?
I've been following the conversation about the dwindling number of hybrid flyers. One thing I think important is considering what it is about hybrids that attract flyers in the first place.
If it weren't for hybrids, I wouldn't have gotten back into rocketry at all. I flew Estes/Centuri as a kid, dropped out as an adult, but became aware of high-power stuff around 2003. I considered participating, but frankly, APCP seemed just another whoosh-pop - Estes rocket on steroids, especially the single use motors that were in vogue at the time. I'll acknowledge some structural complexities as velocity and mass increase, but it's still pretty straightforward. Engineering, not art.
Once I became aware of hybrids, I jumped in - and I really don't fly anything else. As Todd's website says (or used to say) the "quirky complexity" of hybrids keeps me interested, focused, and keenly aware of the potentially large effect of small changes. If it weren't for the wacky stuff that happens I'd probably be bored stiff.
There have been a number of points made about what keeps people out of hybrids - cost of GSE, lack of on-field support, system complexity, lack of hybrid ready kits, long (overstable) rockets, etc, etc.
For me none of these things has been an issue, and some have been attractions. The cost of the GSE spread over a number of flights is pretty reasonable. Knowing there's no on-field support I ensure I have *everything* I need to fly in advance. I love designing and building rockets and launch control systems, so who needs kits?
As long as I've been flying hybrids, I've heard (repeatedly) what's wrong with them. I take that input and use it as the next design goal. If someone complains that hybrids have wimpy thrust or lousy sound I'll pitch a flight using one of Contrail's 38mm xfast motors in a minimum diameter airframe.... hurts the ears and the neck. The complaint that the rockets are long is true enough - if you use the techniques found in many APCP kits, especially for dual deployment. Innovate and rethink the process, and try something new!
When I started in hybrids I learned about the 'garage' nature of most rocketry businesses. That led me to gather enough reloads to keep me flying for quite a while, just in case. I have a reserve of more than 50 loads for Ratt, Skyripper, and Contrail motors, G through M.
These days, however, I find myself far less interested in flying large numbers of rockets, and far more interested in flying more complex systems. I have only one flight planned for this year - a 3xK525 cluster in a 5.5" rocket 80" long.
Next year will be another attempt at staging.
With all that said, I'm suggesting there is a certain mindset and approach common in hybrid flyers - including intense planning, patience, curiosity, attention to detail, a need for complexity, the ability to learn from your mistakes, and a good sense of humor. Because of this I suspect the number of folks drawn to hybrids in the first place are relatively few.
In the long run I suspect the pool of hybrid flyers will be small but relatively stable - people will come and go in small numbers. Those of us flying can continue to show the public that they can be flown and are great fun. Write about your efforts when time allows. Answer questions from folks on other forums.
And be ready to be the discouraging voice when necessary. I got into a conversation with a college student on one of the pyro forums. He led off by asking "how much thermite should I use to light a second-stage M-class hybrid motor?"
Turns out they were planning to put an M motor on top of a commercial O solid booster. However, they had no working hybrid motor bigger than G, no flights in single stage mode, no working vehicle, and a timeline of 9 months. I rather discouraged them.
Kevin OClassen
It's a challenge to fly them and many shy away from more complexity. I say that if you do not work in a few roadblocks in your hobby when do you expect to see growth in your knowledge and experience?
Scotty
What attracts hybrid flyers?
I've been following the conversation about the dwindling number of hybrid flyers. One thing I think important is considering what it is about hybrids that attract flyers in the first place.
If it weren't for hybrids, I wouldn't have gotten back into rocketry at all. I flew Estes/Centuri as a kid, dropped out as an adult, but became aware of high-power stuff around 2003. I considered participating, but frankly, APCP seemed just another whoosh-pop - Estes rocket on steroids, especially the single use motors that were in vogue at the time. I'll acknowledge some structural complexities as velocity and mass increase, but it's still pretty straightforward. Engineering, not art.
Once I became aware of hybrids, I jumped in - and I really don't fly anything else. As Todd's website says (or used to say) the "quirky complexity" of hybrids keeps me interested, focused, and keenly aware of the potentially large effect of small changes. If it weren't for the wacky stuff that happens I'd probably be bored stiff.
There have been a number of points made about what keeps people out of hybrids - cost of GSE, lack of on-field support, system complexity, lack of hybrid ready kits, long (overstable) rockets, etc, etc.
For me none of these things has been an issue, and some have been attractions. The cost of the GSE spread over a number of flights is pretty reasonable. Knowing there's no on-field support I ensure I have *everything* I need to fly in advance. I love designing and building rockets and launch control systems, so who needs kits?
As long as I've been flying hybrids, I've heard (repeatedly) what's wrong with them. I take that input and use it as the next design goal. If someone complains that hybrids have wimpy thrust or lousy sound I'll pitch a flight using one of Contrail's 38mm xfast motors in a minimum diameter airframe.... hurts the ears and the neck. The complaint that the rockets are long is true enough - if you use the techniques found in many APCP kits, especially for dual deployment. Innovate and rethink the process, and try something new!
When I started in hybrids I learned about the 'garage' nature of most rocketry businesses. That led me to gather enough reloads to keep me flying for quite a while, just in case. I have a reserve of more than 50 loads for Ratt, Skyripper, and Contrail motors, G through M.
These days, however, I find myself far less interested in flying large numbers of rockets, and far more interested in flying more complex systems. I have only one flight planned for this year - a 3xK525 cluster in a 5.5" rocket 80" long.
Next year will be another attempt at staging.
With all that said, I'm suggesting there is a certain mindset and approach common in hybrid flyers - including intense planning, patience, curiosity, attention to detail, a need for complexity, the ability to learn from your mistakes, and a good sense of humor. Because of this I suspect the number of folks drawn to hybrids in the first place are relatively few.
In the long run I suspect the pool of hybrid flyers will be small but relatively stable - people will come and go in small numbers. Those of us flying can continue to show the public that they can be flown and are great fun. Write about your efforts when time allows. Answer questions from folks on other forums.
And be ready to be the discouraging voice when necessary. I got into a conversation with a college student on one of the pyro forums. He led off by asking "how much thermite should I use to light a second-stage M-class hybrid motor?"
Turns out they were planning to put an M motor on top of a commercial O solid booster. However, they had no working hybrid motor bigger than G, no flights in single stage mode, no working vehicle, and a timeline of 9 months. I rather discouraged them.
Kevin OClassen