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  #1  
Old 11-11-2012, 07:29 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Default OSMA Launch, 11-10-12

From the looks of it, you'd have expected a perfect launch day. Sunny and warm with temps in the 60's, a recently cleared cornfield, and a whole new launch system to break in seemed to be pointing toward a memorable day. Little did I know.

First of all, I had trouble getting going yesterday morning and wound up leaving 30 minutes later than I had hoped to leave. There would be no first rack for me. Since I didn't have a chance of being there for the first flight of the day, I didn't push it, and stopped for breakfast and supplies. I wound up pulling in around 10:30 to find a decent crowd on hand already, but no launching going on. I walked around and paid my fees, prepped my Estes Optima clone, and by 11:00 we got the call for the flyers meeting. (A dead extension cord was the culprit in the delay.)

The Optima would be my first flight. Winds were fairly steady from the southwest and I anticipated a good deal of windcocking, so I loaded it with an E9-4 and a 15" chute. I flew it here last year before the Mylar tape I ordered had arrived, (it was waiting for me when I got home that day,) and I was happy to see that the tape made a huge difference in the finished product.











The flight was a surprise in that it didn't windcock anywhere near as much as I thought it was going to. It left the pad with authority, arcing into the wind to the southwest, but with a far straighter flight path than I'd anticipated. Ejection occurred just as it began to tip over, and the Optima began racing back over our heads toward the cornfield to the northeast and Ohio 41. It was then that I realized that the boots I'd worn were a bad choice for doing any extensive walking. My feet were going to hate me at the end of this day.



The walk was pretty long, and the impact had obviously been hard as there was a large chip out of the tip of one fin, but overall I was pretty pleased with the flight. It felt good to fly something larger than a B6-4 for a change.
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Bill Eichelberger
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http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #2  
Old 11-11-2012, 07:53 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Flight #2 was the FSI Maverick clone that I'd just primed the previous night. (Which drew a laugh from the RSO when my flight card stuck to it slightly.)



Looking back, a little color might have been a good idea for this bird, maybe a splash of flourescent orange on the fins. It blended in a bit too well with the harvested cornstalks. I thought the grey might make it stand out some. I really need to quit thinking.

Since this was fairly close to a minimum diameter bird, I thought an E9-6 would be appropriate for flight. In reality it was a tweener, possibly an E9-5 bird, but an E9-4 would likely also have been a good choice.



Same story as the Optima, with nowhere near the windcock expected. This one really scooted with the long burn that I'd hoped for and some pretty huge altitude. Normally that doesn't impress me, but this was pretty cool just because it gave something of an idea what it must have been like to "Fly With FSI" when men were men and motors were go or blow.
Thankfully mine just went.



This is the only launch shot I have. Everything else was just smoke. It left the pad QUICKLY!

Recovery was tough because it landed somewhere deep in the NE cornfield, but a bunch of cars kept me from seeing exactly where and how far. I walked for a half hour, all over the cornfield and on both sides of OH 41. I might have missed it completely if not for a lucky breeze that inflated the parachute.





I was about a half mile from the flightline at this point. I helped recover a high power bird for a team from UC and carried it in for them, saving them a long walk. Didn't even get a "thanks" for my troubles. I can't ever remember that happening before.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #3  
Old 11-11-2012, 08:05 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Flight #3 was another primer bird, an upscaled FSI Voyager that I couldn't resist calling the Long Distance Voyager. This one is BT-70 based and built around a 2x24mm mount that I bought from Thrustline some years back. I went with two D12-5s for the first flight, a perfect choice.



Both engines caught, which was a concern because I'd just twisted the igniter leads together and wasn't sure how well that would work. Perfectly was my answer.





This one actually did catch the windcock I'd been expecting all day, and as a result, my recovery walk was brief, for which my blistered feet were thankful.





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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #4  
Old 11-11-2012, 08:15 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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The FSI Intrepid would turn out to be my 4th and final flight of the day because my RSO shift was about to start and my feet were hamburger.



This one was loaded with a central E9-4 and two D11-Ps that I've had for a few years. Hard to tell looking through the camera viewfinder, but one of the guys I was standing with assured me that I caught all three motors. The flight was fast and impressive, with the four second delay being just about perfect.



As the flight was drifting over top of us on recovery, something dropped into the cornfield. This shouldn't have happened, and my first thought was "nose section". Sure enough, the screw eye had stripped from the balsa transition and the whole payload section fell from about 300', receiving a deep gouge in the nose cone. The rest of the rocket recovered DEEP in the cornfield again, despite the small chute. This time I lucked out and one of my fellow flyers brought it in with him.
Yes, I thanked him.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #5  
Old 11-11-2012, 08:38 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Abbreviated day, but I'd have been hard-pressed to fly anything else anyway because of the blisters. I was almost relieved to do RSO duty.
The launch was winding down, Cub Scouts gone, and only a few high-power birds left on the outer pads. We were closing in on 5:00 anyway, and other than a possible modroc or two, this would have likely been the end.



Sorry, I just don't get the sparky motor thing. Having been on the front end of a field fire in the past, I know how quickly things like this can get out of hand. My fire was started when a Bomarc went horizontal 50' off the rod and landed in a dry patch of grass. The ejection charge fired into a patch of dry grass and the wind took it from there. Just bad luck, really. I wasn't tempting fate with a sparky motor on a dry field.











You know the drill. At liftoff there was an impressive display of sparks which would be right at home in the desert. We hit the blast zone with water and a fire flap within a few seconds, but with the wind, we didn't stand a chance. The flames went from the grass around the launch pad to the dry creek bed in seconds, then spread to the cornfield. Since my feet had been hurting, I'd taken off my boots and was RSOing in my socks. Bad choice. I wound up calf deep in the creek, trying to refill the water jugs when they'd run out. Luckily the water wasn't cold. We managed to keep the fire away from the launch pads, but it quickly advanced through the cornfield, and the local fire department was out at a structure fire. Lots of smoke and fire, but no real damage other than one of our plastic pad signs. Hopefully this will just be seen as the accident it was and the field won't be lost, but I think I'd have to say no to sparky motors in the future. The risk just isn't worth it.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #6  
Old 11-11-2012, 01:20 PM
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Bill Bill is offline
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Nice Optima. And it is great you got to fulfill your FSI fetish. My only exposure was though ads in magazines, so you will have to excuse my lack of reverence for the brand. I can, however, imagine how glorious that must have been back in the day.


Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
Sorry, I just don't get the sparky motor thing. Having been on the front end of a field fire in the past, I know how quickly things like this can get out of hand. My fire was started when a Bomarc went horizontal 50' off the rod and landed in a dry patch of grass. The ejection charge fired into a patch of dry grass and the wind took it from there. Just bad luck, really. I wasn't tempting fate with a sparky motor on a dry field.



I love a sparky motor like the next guy, but lighting one with all of that stubble around, and in that wind no less, is not dancing with the devil, but bedding down with Beelzebub. If the field is lost, it is impossible to say it was not deserved.


Quote:
Originally Posted by NAR High Power Safety Code
Launcher. I will launch my rocket from a stable device that provides rigid guidance until the rocket has attained a speed that ensures a stable flight, and that is pointed to within 20 degrees of vertical. If the wind speed exceeds 5 miles per hour I will use a launcher length that permits the rocket to attain a safe velocity before separation from the launcher. I will use a blast deflector to prevent the motor's exhaust from hitting the ground. I will ensure that dry grass is cleared around each launch pad in accordance with the accompanying Minimum Distance table, and will increase this distance by a factor of 1.5 and clear that area of all combustible material if the rocket motor being launched uses titanium sponge in the propellant.




Bill
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  #7  
Old 11-11-2012, 01:37 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
Nice Optima. And it is great you got to fulfill your FSI fetish. My only exposure was though ads in magazines, so you will have to excuse my lack of reverence for the brand. I can, however, imagine how glorious that must have been back in the day.


Thank you. I love that Mylar tape. It makes the rocket. Another one of our regulars, Mike Rohde, brought a new Optima that made mine look pretty blah, but his CATOd on an Estes E12. I got a pretty good shot of the carnage as it happened. I'll post a pic as soon as I get it uploaded.
As for the FSI birds, I just fly 'em. I don't hump 'em. The closest I ever got to them was a catalog one time back before I could afford to do mail order. I like the fact that they aren't something you see at the pads on a regular basis, and there's always that long burn thing to think back on.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
I love a sparky motor like the next guy, but lighting one with all of that stubble around, and in that wind no less, is not dancing with the devil, but bedding down with Beelzebub. If the field is lost, it is impossible to say it was not deserved.


We had one fly earlier that caught the ground under the low/mid-power pads on fire. I was waiting to put my Optima on the pad when that happened, and I made a comment about hoping that it was the last one we saw on the day. They're supposed to be flying again today, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It was an inconvenience for the fire department, but hopefully the lack of damage will work in our favor. Just some grass, weeds and leftover cornstalks.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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Old 11-11-2012, 01:41 PM
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I always enjoy your pictures, Mr. Wallyum. Thank you for your efforts.

We had a very nice session this morning, ourselves. (My girlfriend rotates between Launch Control Officer and Recovery Commander.) No pictures, though. I'll try to get some nexxt time.

We started with flight number 15 of the Mosquito (all on 1/2 A's to increase recovery odds), and followed with a Semroc Goblin, Semroc Sky Hook, a clone Patriot, Mini-Max, mildly upscaled Wac Corporal, a vintage Exocet, a Goony Max and a vintage two-stage scratch build that I call the Spartan II, D to standard engines.

It was such a nice morning weather and temperature wise, we decided on a couple more. Flight 16 of the Mosquito, which we did NOT find, and another perfect Patriot launch. We looked forever for the Mosquito, as it is her favorite. ("It's so little!" - Just the thing a man wants to hear.)

Finally we stopped looking, packed everything and drove through some thin woods to another field where the local RC airplane club flies to watch for a few minutes. On the way out we stopped to look for the Mosquito one more time and, driving up, saw it on the path, about twenty feet from where we'd been parked.

So, eleven flights, all recovered in perfect weather. Fine day.
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  #9  
Old 11-11-2012, 01:49 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Newbomb Turk
I always enjoy your pictures, Mr. Wallyum. Thank you for your efforts.

We had a very nice session this morning, ourselves. (My girlfriend rotates between Launch Control Officer and Recovery Commander.) No pictures, though. I'll try to get some nexxt time.

We started with flight number 15 of the Mosquito (all on 1/2 A's to increase recovery odds), and followed with a Semroc Goblin, Semroc Sky Hook, a clone Patriot, Mini-Max, mildly upscaled Wac Corporal, a vintage Exocet, a Goony Max and a vintage two-stage scratch build that I call the Spartan II, D to standard engines.

It was such a nice morning weather and temperature wise, we decided on a couple more. Flight 16 of the Mosquito, which we did NOT find, and another perfect Patriot launch. We looked forever for the Mosquito, as it is her favorite. ("It's so little!" - Just the thing a man wants to hear.)

Finally we stopped looking, packed everything and drove through some thin woods to another field where the local RC airplane club flies to watch for a few minutes. On the way out we stopped to look for the Mosquito one more time and, driving up, saw it on the path, about twenty feet from where we'd been parked.

So, eleven flights, all recovered in perfect weather. Fine day.


16 FLIGHTS ON A SKEETER!!! That's got to be a record of some sort. The only way we ever found them was listening for them to hit the ground.
I was hoping for some small field flying today, but my wife had honeydo plans for me and its pretty windy. I'm calling it a successful weekend anyway.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #10  
Old 11-11-2012, 02:49 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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This is the photo sequence of Mike Rohde's Optima. I was RSOing, so I didn't get a closeup, but it was very nicely done.











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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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