SEL
09-06-2005, 12:04 AM
...it has been well over a year since I've flown a rocket.
Anyway, my penance was to take my 6 year old grandson out this afternoon to launch a few rockets.
We threw together a Estes Blue Ninja that I wisely started yesterday, knowing that Fischer has the attention span of a newt. All we had to do today was glue the fins on and tie the nose cone and parachute together (Note: What's with the fuzzy kite string Estes is using now for shroud lines? Not good).
Other than that, it's not a bad kit. BT60, 32.5" tall, will take a bit of abuse. Flies on C11's and D12's.
I also took along a Fat Boy, Alpha, Estes Little Joe, and a Centuri Groove Tube that came as a built -up with some other stuff I picked up on ebay a couple of years ago.
We drove over to Liberty High School in Hillsboro. I've never flown thre before, but I had scoped it out tha last time I brought the car in for inspection (the school is right beside the DEQ). It was smaller than I remembered, but there wasn't much wind and Fischer was getting antsy, so off we went. ( I should note here that the last time Fischer watched me launch a rocket about 3 years ago, he ran and hid behind his mom).
First up was the Ninja on a C11-3. Fischer covered his ears, I gave the countdown and pushed the button. Lift off was slow, nice and straight, but the rocket seemed to struggle a bit getting up to altitude. The chute came out, and Fischer was jumping up and down, yelling, and running off after the rocket.
Next up was the Groove Tube on a B4-4. This was my first flight with it, and maybe it's first flight ever. It's built pretty well, tho the paint job is typical of a 14 year old. Flew very well, almost straight up. Recovery was bu streamer. I had to hop a fence to get it back.
We flew the Ninja 3 more times on C11-3's. The 2nd and 3rd flights were perfect - good strong boost, with ejection just after apogee. The 4th flight seemed to pop the chute early.
All in all a fun couple of hours, and hopefully it won't be a nother year before I get out again.
Anyway, my penance was to take my 6 year old grandson out this afternoon to launch a few rockets.
We threw together a Estes Blue Ninja that I wisely started yesterday, knowing that Fischer has the attention span of a newt. All we had to do today was glue the fins on and tie the nose cone and parachute together (Note: What's with the fuzzy kite string Estes is using now for shroud lines? Not good).
Other than that, it's not a bad kit. BT60, 32.5" tall, will take a bit of abuse. Flies on C11's and D12's.
I also took along a Fat Boy, Alpha, Estes Little Joe, and a Centuri Groove Tube that came as a built -up with some other stuff I picked up on ebay a couple of years ago.
We drove over to Liberty High School in Hillsboro. I've never flown thre before, but I had scoped it out tha last time I brought the car in for inspection (the school is right beside the DEQ). It was smaller than I remembered, but there wasn't much wind and Fischer was getting antsy, so off we went. ( I should note here that the last time Fischer watched me launch a rocket about 3 years ago, he ran and hid behind his mom).
First up was the Ninja on a C11-3. Fischer covered his ears, I gave the countdown and pushed the button. Lift off was slow, nice and straight, but the rocket seemed to struggle a bit getting up to altitude. The chute came out, and Fischer was jumping up and down, yelling, and running off after the rocket.
Next up was the Groove Tube on a B4-4. This was my first flight with it, and maybe it's first flight ever. It's built pretty well, tho the paint job is typical of a 14 year old. Flew very well, almost straight up. Recovery was bu streamer. I had to hop a fence to get it back.
We flew the Ninja 3 more times on C11-3's. The 2nd and 3rd flights were perfect - good strong boost, with ejection just after apogee. The 4th flight seemed to pop the chute early.
All in all a fun couple of hours, and hopefully it won't be a nother year before I get out again.