New C5-3 Flight Report
 

Skywinder I got a couple packs of C5-3s on Friday and took them to a local park on Saturday morning. I hit the button on flight 1 at 5:59 am ET 6/6/20. So I got the first flight unless I hear differently :cool:

On the first flight you could get a sense of the big thrust spike and lower sustain. The ejection charge blew apart my old Skywinder but I’m not blaming the motor. I also had a Pie in the Sky and flew one in that and it was a lot of fun, ejection was about halfway back down to the ground. Video links below and bad video screenshots attached.

Skywinder

Pie in the Sky

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Looks like considerably more flame length than a typical C6 blastoff.

Did you note an altitude difference compared to C6 motors in those rockets? I recall there was a noticeable altitude difference with them in my Centuri Orion compared to C6 motors when the C5’s were first released in the latter 70s.

Earl

Hi Earl, I had never flown that Skywinder on a C6, and the Pie in the Sky hadn't been flown in 10 years so memory fades. I flew the pie on a C12 that day and the C5 went way higher, but burns twice as long which is better for a drag plate rocket. I will try to add the video later.

I’m anxious to try the C5s. Heck! I’m anxious to just go launch anything! A few clubs are having launches but masks are required. In the heat, I cannot wear a mask. May be awhile before I fly again.

Back in the 1970's I used the C5-3's (Centuri labeled) on my Estes 1/100 Saturn - V and always got excellent, spectacular flights out of it. Used either the classic Centuri Sure-Shot igniters and/or (later) flashbulb technique.

Two videos added to first post. Best viewed in portrait if on a phone, full screen.

I should receive a small amount of these motors today. I will get them in the air when I can. The launch I was just going to this coming weekend has been postponed two weeks due to forecast wind and thunderstorms (and waist-deep rather than cut and baled alfalfa on the flying field).

I may be able to get up to Sixty Acres with them between now and then and do some with-altimeter flights on MAV or 1/200 Saturn V to compare with Estes C6 and Q-Jet C12 results.

Nice videos.
My pup however does not care for your shrill audio "armed" indicator.
She immediately growled upon hearing it at half volume on my laptop.

I have a love hate relationship with the armed tone. It’s an Aerotech Interlock a friend gave me and is a good heavy duty controller. I have only opened it once to clean the scoring off the contacts. If you reverse the battery leads it shuts up, but then if the circuit is open I am am stupidly pushing the button for no reason. I should wire an led in the reverse polarity direction so I could choose to have it run silently but never get around to it.