2025 Launch Reports
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
January, 2025
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Ready to fly @ 1000 hrs, 1st flight @ 1045 hrs
With the temperature cold and the sky overcast before setup, the 5 CRMRC members were ready to set up at 0915 but delayed until the temperatures warmed and the sky cleared, at 0945hrs.
Kevin, Stewart, Paul, John and Howie waited in Howies Suburban, out of the wind and warmer compared to the feels like temperature of below 0F outside.
The setup was very basic, only the wooden controller with a 100 foot extension cord to a black pad with a 1010 rail. To insulate the launch system's battery from the cold, we kept the 12v battery inside a cooler.
Stewart, Paul, and Kevin each flew a rocket by 1100hrs then the launch was declared done.
Last flight @ 1100hrs, off field 1130hrs and some of us went to Mill River Brewery and BBQ.
Weather was the controlling factor for the day (start of day - end of day):
Temperature: 8F at 0900hrs and up to low teensF before we left for the day (colder than predicted)
Feels like (nee windchill): -5F at 0900hrs to -0F midday (colder than predicted)
Winds: 7-15 mph for most of the day (higher than predicted)
Clouds: overcast at 0900hrs, cloudless at 1000hrs, mostly sunny by 1100hrs (followed the prediction)
Road and field frozen solid; field very uneven and difficult to walk on
People: 8, including 5 CRMRC members and one father with 2 kids
Flight summary:
3 flights: 1G, 1H, 1I
Total impulse: I
Mean (average) impulse: H
Mode (most used): G, H, I
Median (middle value): H
Certifications: none
Flights (maker model, color, diameter x length, weight, on motor, other things
of note):
Paul S (CRMRC member)
Binder Design Aspire, red & yellow, 2.6 x 47, 1lb 14oz on AT G64-7W w/JLCR
Good flight
Stewart L (CRMRC member)
Estes Leviathan, white & black, 3 x 41.5, 1lb 12oz, on CTI H133 BS w/JLCR @ 600 & JL altimeter
Tangled chute, 1911
Kevin K (CRMRC member)
Mach 1 Desdemona, orange, 2.6 x 64, 6lbs 9oz on CTI I285 CL w/Eggfinder Proton & RRC2L
Good flight, 3505 (predicted 3500)
February, 2025
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Ready to fly @ 1000 hrs, 1st flight @ 1015 hrs
The day started with Kevin having plowed from Maquam Shore Road down to the field, leaving space for people to park at the top of the hill.
The setup was standard with the red pad at 50, 2 blue pads with 8 1010 rails at 100, 2 black pads with a 8 1010 and 10 1515 at 200 and the new yellow pad with a 12 1515 at 300
The red pad was controlled by the wooden controller and all other pads were controlled by the Pyromate, although there were some difficulties with the Pyromate system, likely due to cold.
We are working with the manufacturer to understand how we can do this better.
Last flight @ 1500hrs, off field 1530hrs and some of us went to Mill River Brewery and BBQ.
Weather was much better than January (start of day - end of day):
Temperature: 2F at 0900hrs to the low 20s F
Feels like (nee windchill): 0F at 0900hrs to 20F
Winds: 0-3 mph, making the day feel warmer
Clouds: no clouds at 0900hrs, with increasing cloudless throughout the day and overcast by 1400hrs
Road and field frozen solid with 4 inches of snow on the ground and the road
plowed
People: 15, including 5 CRMRC members, a group from Montreal, and the Northeastern
University team
Flight summary:
11 flights, 14 motors: 4C (3 clustered), 2D (2 clustered), 2E, 1F, 2H, 1J, 1K, 1L
Total impulse: L
Mean (average) impulse: I
Mode (most used): C
Median (middle value): F-H
Certifications: none
Flights (maker model, color, diameter x length, weight, on motor, other things
of note):
Tom D (CRMRC member)
Estes Big Bertha, orange & black, 1.6 x 24, 4oz on Estes C6-7 w/JL altimeter
Good flight, 460
Loc Graduator, yellow & black, 2.6 x40, 1lb 5oz, on Estes E16-6
Good flight
Stewart L (CRMRC member)
Rocketariam Trident-T172-18, red&white&black, 1.5 x 32.5, 8.5oz, on 3 Estes C6-5 pad cluster
Only 1 motor lit, hit ground before chute came out
Squirrelworks Two Cool For Spool, yellow, 5.75 x 5.88, 4.7oz, on 2 Estes D12-0 staged
Good flight
Estes Star Orbiter, red, 1.6 x 45, 10.3oz, on Estes E16-6 w/Estes altimeter
Good flight
Wildman V2, blue, 2.2 x 19.5, 1lb, 6oz, on AT F40-7W w/JL altimeter
Good flight, 1347
Roman B
Custom Omega 001, black, 2.2 x 34.4, 2lbs, 11oz, on CTI H200 BS
Good flight
Custom Omega 002, black, 2.5 x 33.5, 3lbs, 6.5oz, on CTI H120 RL
Good flight
Rachel B
Custom Tower, silver & green, 2.5 x 58, 7lbs 11oz, on CTI J270 G w/RRC3
Good flight, dual deploy w/main at 100
Julia R
Custom Wyatt, orange & purple, 6 x 67, 25lbs 2oz, on CTI K570 CL w/stratologger & custom
Good flight, dual deploy w/main at 400
Eric M for NortheasternU
Custom Clifford, red, 5 x 99, 32lbs 2oz, on CTI L805W w/stratologger x2 & custom
Good flight, dual deploy w/main at 550
Two CRMRC members attempted flights but were stopped by electronics issues.
Sunday March 23 was
a sunny day in early spring with unseasonably cold temperatures. When club members
began arriving on the field at about 0845 hours, the air temperature was in
the low 20s Fahrenheit with wind chill temperatures (feels like) in the low
teens. For most of the morning, wind speeds were typically in the range of 10-15
mph with occasional higher gusts. However, as the morning wore on, we noticed
that the wind speeds gradually lessened to a range of 5-10 mph. Meanwhile, the
air temperatures gradually warmed up to the low 30s. For the whole day, the
wind was blowing from the northwest. All of this matched the weather forecasts
fairly well. The northwest wind meant that most of our rockets landed in the
wide-open spaces along the longest dimension of the large main field in our
recovery area. Field conditions were therefore excellent for flying and recovering
rockets, although walking in the field was sometimes difficult because of springtime
mud (but rocketeers know that mud is our friend because it means softer landings
for our rockets!).
Kevin K and Howie D brought the club launch equipment in their vehicles. We
set up three high-power pads. First, we set up a 1010 rail on a blue pad and
placed it 100 feet north of the LCO table. We then put a 1515 rail on one of
our black Frankum pads and positioned it about 8 feet to the left of that blue
pad (so that the two pads could alternately share the same extension cord).
We then laid out one more 100-foot extension cord and set up our large yellow
Frankum pad (1515 rail) at 200 feet north of the LCO table. Finally, we placed
the red low-power rack 50 feet east of the LCO table. To protect against the
cold temperatures, we put our LCO battery, which is a 12-volt car battery, into
an insulated cooler box beside the LCO table. For all of the launch pads, we
used our traditional hardwired launching system since the wireless system can
have problems on cold days.
We were ready to fly at 0945 hours, and we launched the first rocket at about
1015 hours. Nine CRMRC members attended the launch, along with approximately
15-20 students in a college team from Northeastern University. There was one
certification attempt, which was a successful L1 flight (see details below).
At the end of the flying day, CRMRC members and Northeastern University students
worked together to dismantle the launch equipment and pack everything into the
club vehicles. We left the field about 1630 hours, and then several club members
went out for dinner together in St. Albans.
MOTORS:
We flew a total of 21
flights on 27 motors (includes 2 two-stage flights and 2 three-motor cluster
flights). In terms of motor manufacturers, our motors were distributed as follows:
Estes: 14 motors
AeroTech: 8 motors
CTI: 4 motors
Loki: 1 motor
Total: 27 motors
In terms of motor classes,
our motors were distributed as follows:
A: 3 motors
B: 1 motor
C: 7
D: 2
E: 1
F: 1
G: 3
H: 1
I: 4
J: 3
K: 1
Total: 27 motors
As a group, our total
impulse was 6539.9 Ns, which is equivalent to a small M motor. We flew at least
one motor in each of the motor classes from A to K. Our average impulse was
242.2 Ns, which is an H motor, but our median impulse was just 33.4 Ns, which
is an E motor. This shows the importance of considering both the average (mean)
and the median for such a distribution. Finally, our mode (most common) motor
class was C (7 C motors).
FLIGHT DETAILS:
Francis M.
1. Estes M104 Patriot, white/black/red, 1.75 in. dia., 21 in. tall, 3.5 oz,
Estes Altimeter
Motor: Estes C6-3
Result: Good flight
2. Estes M104 Patriot, white/black/red, 1.75 in. dia., 21 in. tall, 3.5 oz
Motor: Estes C6-3
Result: Good flight
3. Custom Trident, green and white, 1.25 in. dia., 24 in. tall, 3.4 oz, Estes
Altimeter
Motor: 3 x Estes A3-4T (cluster)
Result: Only one of the three motors was ignited successfully
4. Custom Half-Miler, blue, 1.25 in. dia., 23.5 in. tall, 5.5 oz, Estes Altimeter
Motor: Estes E16-8
Result: Good flight, apogee 1995 feet
====
Paul S.
1. Performance Formula 54, blue, 2.2 in. dia., 31.5 in. tall, 1 lb 13 oz, JLCR
set for 300 feet
Motor: AT G76-7G
Result: Good boost, good separation at apogee, JLCR opened correctly at 300
feet but chute was stuck in the airframe and did not deploy, but the rocket
suffered no damage
2. Custom Gooney Max!, yellow and black, 1.6 in. dia., 11 in. tall
Motor: Estes B6-4
Result: Good flight
====
Stewart L.
1. LOC Cool Spool, multicolored, 1.6 in. dia., 9 in. tall, 1.02 lbs
Motor: AT G64-4W
Result: Good flight
2. Rocketarium Trident, red and black, 1.7 in. dia., 32 in. tall, 7 oz
Motor: 3 x Estes C6-5 (cluster)
Result: Good flight
3. Madcow Mozzie, red and black, 2.6 in. dia., 20 in. tall, 14.9 oz
Motor: AT F67-6W
Result: Good flight
====
Tom D.
1. Dynasoar Rip Roar, yellow and black, 2.2 in. dia., 30 in. tall, 13 oz
Motors: Estes C11-0 to C11-5 (two-stage)
Result: Anomalous boost, and the sustainer did not light
2. Dynasoar Rip Roar, yellow and black, 2.2 in. dia., 30 in. tall, 13 oz
Motors: Estes D12-0 to D12-5 (two-stage)
Result: Good flight
3. Apogee Zephyr, yellow and black, 4 in. dia., 56 in. tall, 3 lbs 3 oz
Motor: AT G74-4W
Result: Good flight
====
Scott L.
Apogee Peregrine, cow pattern, 4
in. dia., 60 in. tall, 4 lbs 10 oz
Motor: AT H182R
Result: Good flight
====
Matt C.
Wildman Punisher named Sunshine, red and green, 3 in. dia., 4 feet tall, 7 lbs
8.5 oz, dual deploy with EasyMini and Stratologger
Motor: CTI I125WH
Result: Successful L1 certification flight
====
James S.
MAC Zodiac, blue and gold, 4 in. dia., 87 in. tall, 12 lbs 5 oz, dual deploy
with EasyMini and RRC2
Motor: Loki I377 red/blue cocktail
Result: Good flight, apogee 1,005 feet (EasyMini), 986 feet (RRC2)
====
Kevin K.
MAC Black Fly, black, 3 in. dia., 41 in. tall, 5 lbs 2.5 oz, dual deploy with
RRC2 and Quasar
Motor: CTI I212SS
Result: Good flight, apogee 2707 feet
====
Rick D.
Wildman Widowmaker, black and green, 2.6 in. dia., 60 in. tall, 4 lbs 15 oz,
dual deploy with Altus Mini
Motor: AT I500T
Result: Good boost, apogee 5450 feet, anomalous deployment, no main chute, nosecone
damaged
====
Kartikey A. (Northeastern University)
1. Le Brocket, unpainted blue tube frame, 4 in. dia., 7 feet tall, 10 lbs 1.5
oz, dual deploy with 2 x EasyMini
Motor: CTI J285CL
Result: Late separation
2. BMO, unpainted blue tube frame, 4 in. dia., 77.5 in. tall, 9 lbs 7.5 oz,
dual deploy with EasyMini and Stratologger
Motor: AT J435WS
Result: Main chute tangled, opened at the last second
3. Tiramisu, unpainted blue tube frame, 4 in. dia., 91 in. tall, 9 lbs 5 oz,
dual deploy with 2 x EasyMini
Motor: AT J420RL
Result: Good flight
====
Ben H. (Northeastern University)
Custom The Little Hammer, red/white/black,
3 in. dia. tube with transition to 4 in. dia. tube, 79 in. tall, 13 lbs 15 oz,
dual deploy with EasyMini and Telemega
Motor: CTI K630BS
Result: Anomalous separation / lost nosecone
====
APPENDIX - Other flights this month
by CRMRC members:
Howie D at Red Glare-25 in Maryland
(MDRA)
Utlimate Wildman named Firebolt, 6 in. dia., 132 in. tall, dual deploy with
RRC3, MARSA, RF tracker.
Motor: CTI M1810RL
Result: Good launch, main at apogee 6499 ft (RRC3), 6389 ft (MARSA)
April showers bring May flowers, but sometimes May also has more showers than flowers!
WEATHER:
Due to poor weather in April, our St. Albans monthly club launch was delayed
until May 4. Weather reports for May 4 suggested there would be light rain and
low clouds in the morning, and then decent flying conditions in the afternoon.
Therefore, we opted for a two-hour rain delay (starting time 1200 hours instead
of 1000 hours). A few club members arrived at 1000 hours to check the field
conditions and begin setting up. Driving up to St. Albans, we noticed quite
a lot of light rain, but fortunately the rain ended about 1000 hours. When we
arrived, we found that the fields and farm road were damp and muddy from the
morning rain but otherwise in good condition. Importantly, we enjoyed very low
winds all day, and there was no more rain for the rest of the day. The cloud
base varied from approximately 3000 feet to 5000 feet, which was acceptable
for the planned flights on this day. Due to the damp road, most vehicles were
parked near the crest of the hill, rather than driving down the farm road all
the way to the launch site. We only brought two equipment trucks to the launch
site.
=====
SET-UP AND ATTENDANCE:
We set up the LCO table and RSO tables in their traditional positions near the
entrance to the main field. We positioned two blue high-power pads (1010 rails)
at 100 feet north of the LCO table, and two black Frankum pads at 200 feet north
(1010 rail and 1515 rail). We used the wireless system for all four high-power
pads. We set up the low-power rack at 50 feet east of the LCO table, and we
used the hardwired wooden launch system for those flights.
We had a busy day with 14 certification flights, as described below. A group of about 10 people joined us from University of Hartford, Connecticut, including 8 students with Level 1 projects. A group of 8-10 students from Tufts University also attended the launch as well and flew several certification attempts. Seven CRMRC club members attended the launch, along with 8-10 additional visitors, for a total of approximately 30 people on the day.
Club officers Kevin K and John A used their pickup trucks to transport club equipment. Club president Howie served as LCO, supervised Level 2 written exams, and managed the postflight certification documents. Kevin K. and James S. handled RSO duties and preflight certification checklists. Club members Stewart L. and Scott L. helped fliers to load their rockets onto the rails, install igniters, etc. Scott L. used his GoPro to make videos of some of the launches from ground-level view beside the launch pad. James used his phone to video-record the certification flights from the flight line.
After a fun and busy day of flights
and certification attempts, we packed up the equipment about 1630 hours, and
then four club members had lunch/dinner together at Tims Place Restaurant in
St. Albans.
CERTIFICATION ATTEMPTS
There were 11 Level 1 certification attempts, and 9 of them were successful.
There were 3 Level 2 certification attempts, and 1 of them was successful.
=====
MOTORS
As a group, we flew a total of 27 motors on 25 flights, including one cluster
flight with 3 motors. The cloud base (see Weather above) limited us from flying
K motors or larger. The largest motor flown was a CTI J760 with 1,265.7 Ns.
Our total impulse as a group was 10,185.6 Ns, which is equivalent to a large
M motor (99% M). The mean impulse was 377.2 Ns, which is a small I motor, and
the median was 236.1 Ns, or a mid-sized H motor. In terms of alphabetical motor
classes, the 27 motors flown on this day consisted of 4D motors, 3 G motors,
7 H motors, 6 I motors, and 7 J motors.
=====
FLIGHT DETAILS:
Nico M.
-Custom CPFR, black and gold, 3 in. dia., 36 in. tall, JLCR set for main at
400 feet
-Motor: AT G125T
-Result: Lawn dart
=====
Stewart L.
1. Wildman Cherokee, red and black, 3 in. dia., 40 in. tall, 2 lbs 6.5 oz, JL
Altimeter 2
-Motor: AT G80-7T
-Result: Good flight, apogee 1455 feet
2. Mach 1 Trivecta 318, purple and white, 1.6 in. dia., 26 in. tall, 13.4 oz,
JL Altimeter 1
-Motor: Cluster of 3 x Q-Jet D20-8W
-Result: Lawn dart, apogee 88 feet
3. Launch Lab Bullet Bobby, black and white, 2.6 in. dia., 7 in. tall, 4.1 oz
-Motor: Q-Jet D20-4W
-Result: Flew one foot high, did not clear rail
=====
Anthony W.
-Custom Goldendingo, gold and black, 3 in. dia., 32 in. tall, 2 lbs 6 oz
-Motor: AT I205W
-Result: Good flight, successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Anthony!
=====
Adam M.
-Custom HP-1, black, 3 in. dia., 53 in. tall, 3 lbs 13 oz
-Motor: AT I500T
-Result: Good launch but damaged fin and nosecone, unsuccessful L1 certification
attempt
=====
Gavin V.
-Custom Orange Rocket, 3 in. dia., 38.5 in. tall, 2 lbs 5.9 oz
-Motor: AT I205W
-Result: Drifted. Successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Gavin!
=====
Nicholas K.
-Custom Aurora, red, 3 in. dia., 45 in. tall, 3 lbs 5 oz
-Motor: AT I500T
-Result: Good flight, successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Nicholas!
=====
Frank V.
-Custom Baja Blast, teal and purple, 3 in. dia., 32 in. tall, 2 lbs 2 oz
-Motor: AT H195NT
-Result: Successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Frank!
=====
Israel C.
-Custom The Cruz Missile, black, 3 in. dia., 34 in. tall, 2 lbs 5 oz
-Motor: AT H169WS
-Result: Good flight, successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Israel!
=====
Kyle E.
-Custom Banana Bread In The Sky Dude, yellow and black, 3 in. dia., 34.5 in.
tall, 1 lb 6 oz
-Motor: AT H219T
-Result: Good flight, successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Kyle!
=====
Parker L.
-Custom K.F.C., red and white, 3 in. dia., 32 in. tall, 2 lbs 3 oz
-Motor: AT H195NT
-Result: Successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Parker!
=====
Tom D.
1. LOC Graduator Modified, yellow and black, 2.6 in. dia., 39 in. tall, 1 lb
15 oz, dual deploy with RRC2 set for main at 300 feet
-Motor: AT G77-7R
-Result: Good flight
2. Apogee Zephyr, yellow and black, 4 in. dia., 56 in. tall, 3 lbs 7.5 oz, JL
Altimeter 2
-Motor: AT H115DM
-Result: Good flight, apogee 1000 feet. Successful L1 certification. Congratulations,
Tom!
=====
Annika L.
1. Custom Purple Sausage Rocket, 3 in. dia., 41.5 in. tall, 2 lbs 2 oz
-Motor: AT H182R
-Result: Nosecone lost, unsuccessful L1 certification attempt
2. Custom Purple Sausage Rocket, 3 in. dia., 41.5 in. tall, 2 lbs 2 oz
-Motor: AT H182R
-Result: Good flight, successful L1 certification. Congratulations, Annika!
=====
James S.
1. MAC Menace, blue and white, 4 in. dia., 48 in. tall, 7 lbs 6 oz, Tracki GPS
tracker
-Motor: CTI I236BS
-Result: CATO (aft closure failure), zippered airframe, tracker damaged
2. MAC Menace, blue and white, 4 in. dia., 48 in. tall, 7 lbs 9 oz
-Motor: CTI I470WT
-Result: Good flight, landed nearby
=====
Autumn M.
-Custom Flying Fish, red/purple/blue, 4 in. dia., 54 in. tall, 5 lbs 12 oz,
JLCR set for 300 feet
-Motor: AT J425R
-Result: RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly) during MaxQ, unsuccessful L2 certification
attempt
=====
Nicholas M.
1. Custom Go Blue!, blue and yellow, 4 in. dia., 62 in. tall, 5 lbs 14 oz, JLCR
set for 400 feet
-Motor: AT J435WS
-Result: Good launch but no main chute. Unsuccessful L2 certification attempt
2. Custom Go Blue!, blue and yellow, 4 in. dia., 62 in. tall, 5 lbs 14 oz, JLCR
set for 700 feet
-Motor: AT J425R
-Result: Successful L2 certification. Congratulations, Nicholas!
=====
Rachel B.
-Custom Try Try Again, green, 4 in. dia., 148 cm tall, 7 lbs 5 oz, dual deploy
with RRC3 set for 400 feet
-Motor: CTI J381SK
-Result: Good flight
=====
Cassiopeia
-Custom Serpens, green, 4 in. dia., 65 in. tall, 7 lbs 0 oz, JLCR set for 300
feet
-Motor: CTI J270GR
-Result: Good launch but no main chute (JLCR problem)
=====
Kevin K.
1. Mach 1 Desdemona, orange, 2.6 in. dia., 60 in. tall, 6 lbs 12 oz, dual deploy
with Proton/EggFinder/RRC2L set for main at 400 feet
-Motor: CTI J316PK
-Result: Good flight, apogee 4477 feet
2. Madcow Super DX3-XL-FG, unpainted red fiberglass, 4 in. dia., 89 in. tall,
16 lbs 7.5 oz, dual deploy with Proton/EggFinder/RRC3 set for main at 900 feet
-Motor: CTI J760WT
-Result: Good flight, apogee 3285 feet
May, 2025
Due to poor weather, our St. Albans monthly club launch was delayed until Memorial Day, Monday May 26, an hour earlier than normal, 0900hrs, and ending early in the afternoon, 1300hrs, so that attendees could make it home for family BBQs or other Memorial day celebrations..
Club members began arriving shortly before 0800 hours. Kevin K. and Howie D.
brought the club equipment in their vehicles and parked near the entrance to
the field. Other vehicles parked along the farm road near the field or at the
top of the hill. The LCO and RSO tables were placed in their standard positions
near the entrance to the main field. The low-power rack was placed 50 feet east
of the LCO table. Kevin K. used GPS to locate the 100, 200, and 300 feet launch
pad positions on Google Maps. With this information, we positioned a blue pad
(1010 rail) 100 feet north of the LCO table, then two black Frankum pads at
200 feet north of the LCO table (1010 rail on the right, and 1515 rail on the
left). The black pad with the 1515 rail was moved out to 300 feet for one L
motor flight later in the day. We used the wireless Pyromatelaunch system for
all high-power pads and the traditional hardwired system for the low-power rack.
We were ready to fly at 0850 hours. Howie D. and Kevin K. ran the LCO table,
and RSO work was handled by James S., Howie D., and Kevin K. Scott L. provided
GoPro views of several launches (see the CRMRC Facebook page). James S. video-recorded
the certification flights and took photos of certification flierswith their
rockets.
WEATHER AND FIELD CONDITIONS:
After enduring over a month of consecutive rainy weekends, we finally got a
break: Memorial Day (Monday, May 26) turned out to be a perfect day to fly.
We enjoyed almost completely clear blue skies all day and very low winds. Temperatures
were in themid to high 60s F in the morning and approaching low 70s in the afternoon.
No crops were planted in the fields yet, and so we had wide-open recovery areasfor
our rockets. Due to rain earlier in the weekend, there were a few muddy patches
in the fields in the morning. Even so, rocketeers do not mind muddy fields (soft
ground means gentle landings for our rockets) and anyway the fields dried in
the sun as the morning wore on.
TIMING:
We plannedthis to be a half-day of flying with an early start (0900 hours) and
an early ending (1300 hours), so that people could attend other Memorial Day
events. The first flight lifted off at 0930 hours. The last flight lifted off
at 1356 hours. We finished packing up the equipment after that final flight,
andeveryone had left the field by 1430 hours.
ATTENDANCE:
Five club members were on the field at the start time (0900 hours), and a total
of 13 people attended the launch throughout the day: 11rocketeers who flew rockets,
one rocketeer who did not fly on this day, and also one visitor. The 13 attendees
represented three states: Two peoplefrom Massachusetts, five Vermonters, and
six people from New Hampshire, including three Dartmouth students.
CERTIFICATIONS:
As explained in the flight details below, there were four certification attempts:
One successful Level 2 certification flight, two successful Level 1 certification
flights, and one unsuccessful Level 1 certification flight.
MOTORS:
Even though attendance was low for this unusual Memorial Day club launch, the
11 fliers packed a big punch as a group: 14,591.3 Ns total impulse, which is
equivalent to an N motor! As a group, our mean impulse was 561.2 Ns, which is
an I motor. and the median impulse was 231.45 Ns, which is an H motor. The mode
was a J motor (7 J motors).We flew a total of 22 flights on 26 motors, including
2 two-stage flights and 1 three-stage flight. In terms of motor classes, we
flew the following:
C: 2 motors
D: 4
E: 0
F: 2
G: 4
H: 2
I: 2
J: 7
K: 2
L: 1
Total: 26 motors
FLIGHT DETAILS:
Tom D.
1. LOC Custom Graduator, yellow and black, 2.6 in. dia., 40 in. tall, 1 lbs
6 oz, JL Altimeter2
-Motor: AT F42-4T
-Result: Good flight
2. LOC Custom Graduator, yellow and
black, 2.6 in. dia., 40 in. tall, 2 lbs 0 oz, dual deploy with RRC2 set for
300 feet
-Motor: AT G78-7G
-Result: Good flight, apogee 1284 feet
3. DynaSoar Rip-Roar, 2.2 in. dia.,
28.5 in. tall, 13.4 oz, JL Altimeter2
-Two stage: Estes D12-0 to D12-5
-Result: Good flight
=====
Edward W.
1. LOC IV, purple, 4 in. dia., 47 in. tall, 3 lbs 8.5 oz.
-Motor: AT G80-7T
-Result: Good flight
2. LOC IV, purple, 4 in. dia., 47 in. tall, 3 lbs 13 oz
-Motor: AT H100WH
-Result: Good flight, successful Level 1 certification. Congratulations, Edward!
=====
Elvio P.
-MAC Altair, black and white, 3 in. dia., 48 in. tall, 2 lbs 15 oz, Tracki GPS
tracker and JL Altimeter 3
-Motor: AT H115DM
-Result: Good flight, apogee 1625 feet, successful Level 1 certification. Congratulations,
Elvio!
=====
Ben P.
-Madcow Triton, blue and black, 1.6 in. dia., 37 in. tall, 1 lb 10 oz
-Motor: AT H195T
-Result: Good launch but the rocket was lost (expected altitude 3000 feet).
Unsuccessful Level 1 certification flight.
=====
Stewart L.
1. LOC I-Roc, blue/white/purple, 5.5 in. dia., 55 in. tall, 6 lbs 1 oz, JL Altimeter2
-Motor: CTI J357BS
-Result: Good launch, apogee 3074 feet, pilot chute deployed at apogee but no
main chute. The rocket landed without damage, successful Level 2 certification
flight. Congratulations, Stewart!
2. Estes Comanche 3, yellow/red/white, 1 in. dia., 40 in. tall, 5.7 oz
-Three staged motors: Estes D12-0 to C6-0 to C6-5
-Result: Good flight
3. Rocket Lab Bullet Bobby, black, 2.6 in. dia., 7 in. tall, 4 oz
-Motor: QJet D20-4W
-Result: Anomalous boost, unstable
=====
Kevin K
-MAC Desdemona, orange, 2.6 in. dia., 64 in. tall, 6 lbs 12 oz, EggFinder Proton,
dual deploy with RRC3 with main set for 400 feet
-Motor: CTI J285CL
-Result: Good flight, apogee 4437 feet
=====
Sam A. and Elvio P (Dartmouth) with
James S. as flier of record
-Modified HyperLOC835 named 50 Percent Chance of Cato, red/black/silver, 4 in.
dia., 82 in. tall, 11 lbs 10 oz, dual deploy with EasyMini set for 750 feet
and RRC2L set for 500 feet, Tracki GPS tracker
-Result: Good flight, landed in the field west of Maquam Shore Road
=====
Paul K.
1. Apogee Katana, white and orange, 4 in. dia., 75 in. tall, 7 lbs 12 oz, dual
deploy with RRC2 and Quark, main chute set for 500 feet
-Motor: AT J250FJ
-Result: Good flight
2. Wildman Dark Star Junior Junior, purple, 2.6 in. dia., 96 in. tall, 8 lbs
3 oz, booster contained Quantum, sustainer contained Quasar plus Blue Jay, dual
deploy with main set for 500 feet
-Staged motors: AT J420R to AT I280DM
-Result: Good flight
=====
Jake F.
1. Madcow Marshmallow, white, 2.6 in. dia., 63 in. tall, 5 lbs 0 oz, dual deploy
with EggtimerQuantum set for 500 feet
-Motor: AT I180W
-Result: Good flight, apogee 2124 feet
2. Arcas, blue and orange, 2.6 in.
dia., 3 lbs 6 oz, JLCR set for 400 feet
-Motor: AT H123W
-Result: Good launch but chute did not deploy. The rocket landed without damage.
3. Wildman Impulse Buy, gray, 4 in. dia., 91 in. tall, 13.4 lbs, dual deploy
with Eggtimer Quasar and Quantum set for main chute at 500 feet
-Motor: AT J6156ST
-Result: Good flight
=====
James S.
1. MAC Zodiac, blue and gold, 4 in. dia., 92 in. tall, 12 lbs 8 oz, dual deploy
with EasyMini set for 800 feet and RRC2 set for 500 feet
-Motor: Loki J474 red/blue cocktail
-Result: Good flight, purple/pink flame, apogee 1933 feet
2. Custom Loch Ness Monster, red fiberglass booster, black payload section,
green fins and nosecone, 33 lbs 4 oz, dual deploy with EasyMini set for 800
feet, RRC2 set for 500 feet, Tracki GPS tracker
-Motor: CTI L1050BS
-Result: Good flight, landed 20 feet west of the farm road (where our cars were
parked), apogee 6279 feet
=====
Club President and Rocket Guru Howie
D:
1. Wildman Patriot, red/white/yellow, 4 in. dia., 58 in. tall, 11 lbs 10 oz,
dual deploy with RRC2 x 2 with main set for 500 feet
-Motor: CTI J410RL
-Result: Good flight, apogee measured as 2280 and 2310 feet on the two altimeters.
The nosecone came down separately as planned. Howie found the booster right
away but not the nosecone. He returned to the field Tuesday for 90 minutes to
find the nosecone.
2. Wildman Dark Star named Gold Star, gold, 2.1 in. dia., 28 in. tall, 2 lb
0 oz, JLCR set for 300 feet
-Motor: CTI F70WT
-Result: Good flight
3. Wildman 1/3 Nike Smoke, white and red, 5.5 in. dia., 93 in. tall, 24 lbs
3 oz, dual deploy with RRC2 (primary set for 600 feet) and MARSA (backup)
-Motor: CTI K780BS
-Result: Good flight
June,
2025
CRMRC Special Launch June 14, 2025 - The regular launch of June 6, 2025 follows below.
Although our June monthly club launch was scheduled for June 21, we decided
to hold an extra launch on Saturday June 14 to take advantage of excellent weather
and field conditions. This was a short launch day, which we scheduled to end
at 1430 hours. A total of 12 people attended the launch, including two students
from Northeastern University.
SETTING UP:
Kevin K arrived at 0847 hours with the CRMRC equipment in his truck, and then
several club members arrived soon later to help him set up. Vehicles parked
along the south side of the farm road, either near the launch site or at the
top of the hill. We set up the LCO and RSO tables in their traditional positions
at the entrance to the main cornfield. The two old blue pads (1010 rails) were
positioned about 15 feet apart and 100 feet north of the LCO table, and two
new black Frankum pads were positioned 200 feet north of the LCO table (one
pad with 1010 rail on the left and one pad with 1515 rail about 15 feet to its
right). We set up the low-power rack 50 feet east of the LCO table. We used
the wireless Pyromate system for these high-power pads, and we used the old
hardwired system for the low-power rack. Kevin taught James how to use the wireless
launch system, and so James was able to serve as LCO both for high-power flights
and low-power flights. Kevin and Stewart also handled a few launches from the
LCO table. Kevin and James managed the RSO table and certifications. The equipment
was set up and ready for flying by 0939 hours, and the first rocket lifted off
just before 1000 hours. The last launch of the day lifted off at 1400 hours,
and we all left the field by 1430 hrs.
WEATHER AND FIELD CONDITIONS:
We enjoyed mostly blue skies and comfortable temperatures throughout the day
(low-60s F in the morning and low 70s in the afternoon). For much of the morning,
windspeeds were limited to 5 mph or lower. Wind directions were variable, although
most rockets tended to land west or southwest of our launch site. Around 1130
hours, we started experiencing brief periods of higher wind gusts in the range
of 20-30 mph. Whenever this happened, we had to wait for a few minutes before
launching (NAR rules require windspeeds less than 20 mph for any rocket launch).
Fortunately, these periods of wind gusts ceased in the afternoon, and we enjoyed
mostly calm conditions for the remainder of the launch day. As for the fields,
we had an ideal situation: acres and acres of wide-open fields without any standing
crops. The ground was relatively soft from recent rains, but there were only
a few small areas of standing water and very little mud. In some places in the
field, we noted some recently planted corn seeds, and we carefully stepped around
them.
MOTORS:
We flew a total of 13 motors on 13 flights (no clusters or staged flights).
As a group, we flew 2 C motors, 1 F motor, 2 G motors, 2 H motors, 3 I motors,
1 J motor, and 2 K motors. The combined impulse from these motors was 7775 Ns,
which is equivalent to a mid-sized M motor. The mean was 598 Ns, or a large
I motor, and the median was 239.3 Ns, or a mid-sized H motor. In terms of motor
brands, we flew 5 AeroTech motors, 4 CTI motors, 3 Estes motors, and 1 Loki
motor.
FLIGHT DETAILS:
Allen D.
Estes Silver Bullet, silver/yellow, 1.5 in. dia., 4.5 oz
-Estes C6-5
-Comments: Good flight
=====
Wesley B.
Custom Traffic Cone, 1.6 in. dia., 26.5 in. tall, 9.2 oz
-Estes F15-6
-Comments: Good flight
=====
Tom D.
1. Apogee Zephyr, yellow/black, 3.9 in. dia., 75 in. tall, 5 lbs 6 oz, dual
deploy with RRC3 set for 400 feet
-AT H219T
-Comment: Good flight, apogee 929 feet
2. LOC Graduator (modified for dual deploy), yellow/black, 2.6 in. dia., 42
in. tall, 2 lbs 0 oz, dual deploy with RRC2 set for 300 feet
-AT G72DM-10
-Comments: Good boost, apogee 1063 feet, main chute did not deploy
=====
Julia (Northeastern U)
Custom Garfield, orange/black, 4 in. dia., 72 in. tall, 10 lbs 1 oz, dual deploy
with 2 EasyMinis set for 600 feet and 550 feet
-CTI I540WL
-Comments: Motor CATO during pressurization, unsuccessful Level 1 certification
attempt
=====
Julian (Northeastern U)
Custom Texas Red, red, 54mm dia., 42 in. tall, 4 lbs 2.5 oz, dual deploy with
2 EasyMinis set for 600 feet and 550 feet
-AT I327DM
-Comments: Successful Level 1 certification. Congratulations, Julian!
=====
Stewart L.
1. Bullet Bobby XXL, black/white, 7.5 in. dia., 19.5 in. tall, 4 lbs 8 oz, JL
Altimeter 2
-AT I140W
-Comments: Good flight, apogee 1394 feet, max speed 277 mph
2. Bullet Bobby, black, 2.6 in. dia.,
7 in. tall, 4.2 oz.
-Estes C5-3
-Comments: Good flight
3. Estes Leviathan, white/black, 3 in. dia., 42 in. tall, 1 lbs 11.2 oz, RunCam6
and JL Altimeter 1
-AT G64-7W
-Comments: Good flight, apogee 1313 feet
=====
James S.
1. Performance Hobbies Performer 98, black/white, 4 in. dia., 89 in. tall, 22
lbs 10 oz, dual deploy with EasyMini set for 750 feet, RRC2L set for 500 feet,
Tracki GPS Tracker
-CTI K555WH
-Comments: Good flight, apogee 6648 feet (EasyMini) 6509 feet (RRC2L), good
deployments. During the boost, we noted that it was slightly underpowered on
this K motor.
2. MAC 3-inch Black Fly, black/white, 3 in. dia., 39 in. tall, 4 lbs 5 oz, Tracki
GPS Tracker
-Loki H144LW
-Comments: Good launch but the ejection delay was several seconds too long,
which resulted in zippering when the main chute was deployed.
=====
Kevin K.
1. Madcow Super DX-3XL, unpainted red fiberglass, 4 in. dia., 76 in. tall, 18
lbs 13 oz, dual deploy with Proton and RRC3 set for 900 feet and 800 feet, EggFinder
GPS and RunCam6 onboard video camera.
-CTI K660CL
-Comments: Good flight, 7300 feet apogee, good deployments, landed right next
to the farm road near our parking area
2. Mach 1 Desdemona, orange, 2.9 in. dia., 56 in. tall, 6 lbs 13.5 oz, dual
deploy with Proton and RRC3 set for 400 feet and 350 feet
-CTI J381SK
-Comments: Good flight, apogee 4400 feet, good deployments
Saturday, June 21, 2025, Normally Scheduled Launch
Setup was fairly standard and ready
to fly @ 1000 hrs. The launch control tables were within 20 feet of the base
of the road.
For high power,two blue pads with
8' 1010 rails were 100 feet to the north and two black pads with 10' 1515 and
10' 1010 were another 100' to the north.
All were controlled by the Pyromate system.
For mid and low-power, the red pads
were 50' to the east and controlled by the wooden launch controller.
Weather was almost perfect.
The day started in the upper 60s but quickly warmed up to be in the mid to upper
80s by 1100hrs.
The skies started out cloudless and by the end of the launch there were a few
light wispy clouds which did not interfere with flights.
Winds were generally very low, slowly increased throughout the day, going from
almost 0 mph to 5 mph.
The field was dry although corn had
been planted and was about 2-3 inches tall.
Only one small mud puddle on the road, everywhere else was dry so people parked
the whole length of the road.
The field was also dry and everyone was cautioned not to step on any corn plants
when walking.
Rocketeers
15 people showed up to fly rockets, from 4 states: VT, NH, MA, ME
Flight summary:
37 flights
Motors:
43 motors: 2-A, 2-C, 16-F, 8-G, 4-H, 7-I, 3-J, 1-K
Multi-motors: C to C, 2-F, 3-F, 3-F
Total impulse: M
Mean (average) impulse: H
Mode (most used): F
Rocket weights
Minimum: 0.6oz
Maximum: 17lbs 13oz
Total weight: 149lbs
Average weight 4lbs
Certifications:
1-L1 & 1-L2
Flights (maker model ["name"],
color, diameter x length, weight, "on" motor, other things of note):
Alan D
Estes Torque black & pink, 0.75" x 5", 0.6oz on Estes A10-3T,
streamer recovery
Good flight
Quest AIM-120, white & grey, 1" x ~24", 3.8oz on Estes C6-0 to
Estes C6-5 (staged)
Good flight
Edward W (CRMRC member)
Loc Loc IV, purple, 4" x 50", 3lbs 9oz on AT G69-10W
Good flight
Seaking Shark, blue, 3" x 48", 2lbs 1oz on 3 AT F44-8W (all ignited
on the pad)
Good flight, all 3 motors lit
Gaylo W (CRMRC member)
Aerotech Lil Nuke, red/silver/white, 2.1" x 30", 1lb, 11oz on CTI
G80 SK
Good flight
Aerotech Mega Initiator, white w/red, 4" x 48" 4lbs, 3oz on CTI H170
BL w/Tractrue GPS & JLCR
Good flight, 1st flight
Aerotech LOC-IV-X2, maroon, 4" x 60", 4lbs, 9oz on CTI H255 WT w/Tractrue
GPS & JLCR
Good flight
Wes B (CRMRC member)
Custom Franken Cone, black, orange, white & grey, 1.6" x 24",
7.9oz on Estes F15-8
No chute
Loc Graduator "Arbiter", silver, 1lb 4oz, 2" x 39.5", 1lb,
4.5oz on AT F20W
Good flight
Loc Graduator "Arbiter", silver, 1lb 4oz, 2" x 39.5", 1lb,
4.6oz on AT F23-7FJ
Nosecone separated but recovered
Loc Graduator "Arbiter", silver, 1lb 4oz, 2" x 39.5", 1lb,
4.6oz on AT F23-7FJ
Good flight
Dan P
Estes "2 Lazy 2 Finish", primer grey, 3" x 30", 1lb 2oz
on AT Economax F67W-6 w/JLCR @400'
Good flight
Custom AMRAAM, grey, 2.6" x 47", 1lb 14oz on CTI G54 RL w/JLCR @300'
Good flight
Estes "2 Lazy 2 Finish", primer grey, 3" x 30", 1lb 5oz
on AT G64-7W w/JLCR @300'
Good flight
Joe P
Custom "Patriot PAC", red & grey & black, 3" x55",
2lbs 14oz on AT G128-9T w/JLC$ @300'
Good flight
Custom "Patriot 3", red & white & black, 3" x39",
2lbs on 2-Estes F15-6 w/JLC$ @400'
Good flight, both motors lit
Custom "Spirit of 76'", red & white & blue, 4lbs 12oz, 5.5"
x 36" on AT I218R w/JLCR @300'
Good flight
Jonathan H
Zepher Fired Up, white & green & black, 3lbs 8.5oz on AT H100W
Good flight, 1st flight, successful L1
Rick D (CRMRC member)
Custom O'dell "Birdie", white, 1oz, 3" x 3", on Estes A10-3T
w/tumble recovery
Motor retention failed, 1st flight
Apogee Kerlana Jr, orange & white, 14.1oz, 2.6" x 40" on AT F36-6T
Good flight
Apogee Zephyr, white & green & black, 3lbs 14oz, 4" x 54"
on AT H180W
Good flight
Stewart L (CRMRC member)
Estes Star Orbiter, red, 11oz, 1.6" x 45" on Estes F15-6 w/JL altimeter
Good flight, 1287'
Apogee Aspire, red & yellow, 5.3oz, 1.2" x 36" on AT F42-8T Econojet
w/streamer
Fin damaged on landing
Mach1 Trivecta 329, red & white & blue, 3lbs 8oz, 2.6" x 45"
on 3-AT F50-9T w/JLCR & JL altimeter
Good flight, 1st flight, all 3 motors lit, 1676"
David L (CRMRC member)
Apogee Katana, orange & white & black, 8lbs 2oz, 4" x 74"
on AT I599N w/Altus Metrum & Telemetrum talking altimeter
Good flight, 1st flight, main @ 500'
Apogee Katana, orange & white & black, 8lbs 3oz, 4" x 69"
on AT I229T w/Altus Metrum
Good flight
Apogee Level 2, yellow & orange & black, 10lbs 1oz, 4" x 70"
on AT I599N wAltus Metrum & Telemetrum talking altimeter
Good flight, 1st flight, main @ 500'
Mach 1 Messier76, purple, 9lbs 3oz, 3" x 76" on AT I599N wAltus Metrum
& Telemetrum talking altimeter
Good flight, 1st flight, main @ 250'
Tom D (CRMRC member)
Apogee Zephyr XL, yellow & black, 6lbs 10oz, 4" x 75" on AT J270W
w/tracki & MW RRC2L & RRC3+
Good flight, successful L2, main @ 400', 3381'
Scott L (CRMRC member)
Wildman Extreme, green & purple, 11lbs 8oz, 4" x 72" on AT J450DM
w/GoPro
Good flight
John A (CRMRC member)
MAC Performance Blackfly Stretch 3, yellow & red, 6lbs 5.5oz, 3" x
52" on CTI I345WT w/Altus Mini & MW RRC2S & Featherweight GPS
Main deployed successfully but nosecone chute was stuck in nosecone but no damage,
1st flight, main @ 800', 2400'
Kevin K (CRMRC member)
Mac Performance Blackfly w/HED, black, 4lbs 15oz, 3" x 36" onCTI I345WT
w/Eggtimer Quantum & MW RRC3
Good flight, main @ 400', 32319.5
Madcow DX3 XL, red, 17lbs, 13oz, 4" x 78" on CTI K940 WT w/MW RRC3
& Eggtimer Proton & Run Cam
Good flight, main @ 900', 4283'
Howie D (CRMRC member)
PML Black Brandt, red & silver & black, 3lbs 5oz, 2.6" x 48"
on CTI G113 WT w/tracker & JLCR @ 300'
Good flight
Wildman Darkstar Lite, gold, 2lbs 6oz, 2.1" x 39" on CTI G131 SS w/tracker
& JLCR @ 300'
Good flight w/delayed chute
PML MR-1b (extended), grey & red, 2lbs 3.5oz, 3" x 30" on CTI
G185 VM w/tracker & JLCR @ 300'
Good flight
Wildman Darkstar 3", black, 10lbs 8oz, 3" x 84" on CTI J330 CL
w/tracker & MW RRC3
Good flight, main @ 400', 2946'
Addendum:
With URRF-10 in Potter, NY happening
concurrently with the CRMRC launch, two CRMRC members were at URRF and their
report is:
Doug G (CRMRC member)
MAC Performance Scorpion Modified, green on CTI J543 WH w/MW RRC2 & eggtimer
Good flight
Custom Upscale Scorpion, light blue & purple, 6" x 144" on K motor
Good flight
James S (CRMRC member)
MAC Performance Zodiac, blue & gold, 12lbs, 3" x 92" on Loki J474
w/EasyMini & MW RRC2
Good flight, 1836'
Wildman Ultimate, red & yellow & blue, 50lbs, 6" x 132" on
Loki M1882 W w/EasyMini & MW RRC2 & Tracki GPS tracker & RunCam2
Good flight, 7465' RRC2 / 7495' EasyMini
July, 2025
This month's launch is scrubbed due
to high corn at the launch site.
August, 2025
This month's launch is scrubbed due
to high corn at the launch site.
September, 2025
This month's launch is scrubbed due to high corn at the launch site.
October,
2025
November, 2025
December, 2025