6-18 and 6-19-05 Pickrell, NE
Nebraska Heat Launch
The launch is called Nebraska Heat and this year it definately lived up to it's name. Lots of sun, mild to moderate winds and plenty hot.
First off for me was setting up and getting my Level 3 Certification flight out of the way. Details of this flight with pictures and video can be found here. It was a success and a great flight.
After that was done it was back to enjoying the rest of the launches.
My brother Matt, came from Virginia Beach, VA to help and watch my Level 3 flight and to fly some rockets with us. Here he is Saturday afternoon setting up his 4" Thor on the pad with an I211 and his son Justin helping out.
Lifting off on an AT I211, just clearing the rail.
Up and away for a nice flight.
Flight and Recovery Video (4.1 mbs)
Good video of the flight and the dual recovery.
Near the end of the afternoon a couple more rockets getting ready to go.
Bull Shark lifting off on what looks like a CTI motor for a nice flight, however I believe it was not recovered, drifted off to the north.
Joe Michel's 3" Thor lifting off on an AT J350 for an awesome flight.
Under boost, that's a 64" rocket with a J350 flame coming out nearly as long as the rocket, love those White Lightning J350's. Unfortunately this bird deployed the main at the top instead of dual recovery and it drifted off to the north and was not found either.
6-19-05
Sunday morning found us back with nearly identical weather, very nice again with a little wind. We were a bit sun burned and tired from the heat and long day the day before but ready to go again.
One of the first flights Sunday morning was Richard Burney's scratch built on an AT K1100.
Boosting up under K1100 power, unfortunately after burnout it appeared to suffer a drag separation but it sounded like it will be repaired.
Shortly after Matt and I were ready for a 4" Thor drag race on J350's.
Preparing to drag the Thors. I was a little worried about a short rail but was assured that it would be ok so we proceeded.
My ignitor burned but didn't light the motor, so while my Thor sat on the pad Matt's lifted off for a good boost. Unfortunately for some reason the apogee fired just shortly after burnout and the rocket rained down in a couple of pieces, to include the altimeter getting loose, it wasn't recovered.
Drag Race Video (4.1 mbs)
Next up was another Level 3 Certification Attempt.
This pic came out a little blurry, the rocket was a scratch build near minimum diameter, or minimum diameter that was going up on a hybrid M1000 for the flight. Predicted altitude was up around 18,000'.
Lifting off, up and off the rail for a nice start.
Up and away for a very nice flight, up over mach and way up there.
Unfortunately the main deployed at the top which wasn't in the flight plan and failed the cert attempt. The flight otherwise was great and everything held together nicely. Recovered a mile and a half away electronics showed a max altitude of over 17,000'. Evertything is there and ready for another attempt.
The last flight on Sunday that we caught was Don Rice's Exocet on a CTI 75mm M1400, the same motor I certified with the day before.
Well I didn't get much of a pic of my flight but this one turned out nice, Don's Exocet clearing the rail.
Boosting up and on it's way for a nice flight. Excellent flight all the way.
Exocet flight recovery video (4.1 mbs)
After that we were all tired, hot, and sunburned and decided to call it a day a couple hours early. It was a great launch weekend overall, however there were some significant losses for others, hopefully they'll turn up eventually.