Hello everybody, I had a question related to model rocketry so I came here since I had no idea who else to ask. I only launched model rockets (A cheap Estes beginner rocket) a few times about 10 years ago when I was a kid at my grandparents place out in Western Pennsylvania. Ever since I wanted to get back into the hobby. I originally lived in New York and really had nowhere to launch a model rocket back then. Now that I am a resident of Pennsylvania I thought I would have a ton of places to launch. Sadly that isn't the case.

Now I know what your saying why not launch back at my grandparents? Well it was a big grassy field in front of a school stadium so the last time I launched there I was risking getting in trouble. Also I am only up in that area only 2-3 times a year.

My property is only a 1/3 of an acre and I have too many tree's to launch, so thats out of the question. I was thinking a park would be a good place to launch them but I would think they would frown on that. I am also considering joining a model rocket club, I have 2 within 50-70 miles which isn't bad. However it seems I have to use their launch pads, ignition controls, have my rocket inspected, wait in line to launch, and I might not have the option of launching the rocket myself. It might not be too bad, but it sounds more like a spectators sport than fun to me.

So I am out of ideas, if anyone can share their experiences with me I would be grateful. If someone lives in my area and has any launch sites that wouldn't mind me launching I would be overjoyed. I am willing to drive 100-120 miles one way to get to the site. Thanks everyone.

Chris

Welcome (or welcome back) to the hobby, Chris!

You shouldn't have any problem launching low power model rockets in a public park, as long as you observe safety distances and do not interfere with other park users' activities. But another good place to do your own launching is at your local school's athletic fields (when school is not in session and when there is no impending event scheduled, which is most of the time). I live in a region that is mountainous and heavily forested, and suitably open (and flat) public spaces are scarce around here. School athletic fields are just about the only large open spaces available (besides airstrips, which are off limits). I have been doing all of my non-club launching at my village's elementary school ever since I became a BAR, with absolutely no problems.

Joining one of the clubs that are in your area is a good idea, too. You are fortunate to have a couple of them that are so close by; I have to drive 150 miles each way to attend my club's meetings and events, and I'm a club officer! Membership in a club offers plenty of benefits. But regarding the concerns you mentioned, you will certainly not be a passive spectator at launches for long if you become a club member. In fact, you will most certainly have plenty of opportunities to help with organizing the launch, setting up and taking down the launch site and doing range duty; in short, you will get to be part of the crew that actually conducts the launch. In the process, you will learn all about how to conduct safe public launch events and about how to perform the various tasks and roles that need to be performed. Pretty soon, instead of standing by while someone else launches your rocket, you will be the one doing the safety inspections and pressing the button to launch other people's rockets.

And don't worry that you will be missing out on something if you are not the LCO punching the doorbell; you will still be the person who built the rocket, prepped it for flight, picked out and installed the motor and the igniter, and set it up on the pad. The only thing you won't be doing is actually pressing the button at launch time. There are lots of other things that I could tell you about being a member of a club, but I want to try to keep this post to under a screenfull. If you contact one or both of the clubs in your area, they will gladly tell you much more than I can. Good luck!

Mark

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SAM # 0011

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I am glad to hear parks allow rocket launches, I have more than a few parks here so hopefully I can find a place to launch. The largest rocket I ever flew was with a C engine. Problem is I am new to the area, I only moved up here in December 2006. So I am going to have to do a little research and find a park with enough open area. A school athletic field is another good idea, that is where I originally launched my rockets 10 years ago. However, I need to find a school with such a field.

While researching this website I found a park in North Branch Park, NJ that has rocket launching events every now and then. Maybe they will allow me to come on a Saturday for example and allow me to launch. I am also going to check out a Hobby shop and see if they know of a place closer to me to launch since this place in New Jersey is like 70 miles from me.

After what you said about the rocket club I think I will join one. I am a little concerned that they don't let me hit the ignition but if I can find a field outside the club to launch that will be fine. I have one club called PARA that is about 65 miles south of me, I looked at their website and they launch from a farm. Doesn't look like a huge club, so I think that would be the club I would want to be part of.

You brought up a lot of good points, Mark. So now I will have to look into which parks/schools have fields big enough and try them out. I will also be contacting that club soon. I want to thank you for all your input mark.

Chris

Chris:

welcome back and welcom aboard !

check out http://www.nar.org/NARseclist.php for a list of NAR section/clubs that may be near you.

good luck

terry dean

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"Old Rocketeer's don't die; they just go OOP".....unless you 3D print them.

With luck you'll find something closer to home. But if not, the GSSS club launches are open to all so you are more than welcome to come by!

In fact you don't need to wait for a club launch date. The county park allows rocketry anytime during normal park hours, as long as there is not some other event going on there in that field. Call ahead - it is a fairground so it's also used for dog shows, horse shows, concerts, etc.

Thank you very much for that link Shock, I am going to check out each club and see how far they are from my home. Maybe I will find something closer?



Yea I would love to find somewhere within 20-30 miles of my home where I can launch. I am really happy to hear the park allows rocketry anytime the park is open. I just want a simple field where I can launch my own rockets with my own launch equipment without anyone hassling me. You really helped me out Tom, thank you . Its a bit far but even so its worth the drive. Now with a place to launch a rocket I can start shopping for some new Estes rockets.

I got some old C engines (If I remember correctly) from 10 years ago, so I got to see what Estes has for me. Thank you so much once again.

Edit: I called up to ask and the person I talked to wasn't sure but said I might need a permit to launch on a day when they are not having a launch event. I was just wondering if I need a permit? If so where can I get one and the price if its anything? Sorry I got to ask all this I just want to make sure I won't have any issues with them.

P.S. Do you know if they have any shopping or malls in the area? We are looking for some new malls to shop at and the only one I know of close to me in NJ is in Wharton.

The permit is something ususally issued by the park. Normally just a formality. I was given one by the park here just to keep me from getting run off by the prison guards....

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Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

I understand, did you have to pay for it though? Thanks.

I'm not aware of the need for a permit to launch rockets in North Branch park. You do need one to use the adjacent RC airplane flying field though.

http://www.somersetcountyparks.org/...htm#flyingField


You are shopping for rockets in a mall?

Probably the person I talked to didn't really know. I looked at the link and saw nothing about a Rocket Permit so I guess it should be fine. I need to find a place that sells rockets but since I am driving this far I want to get the most out of the trip. A new mall to shop at would really make the trip worth while. I did some research and did find a mall, I will visit it when I come to launch my rockets. Thanks again.