Tallies and Summary - The following was extracted from the flight cards
and observations by the LCO on duty.

Total Flights: 80

Motor Usage:

   Micromax 1
   1/4A     1
   1/2A     0
   A        7
   B       11
   C       22
   D       17
   E        4
   F        5
   G        7
   H        7
   I        5
   J        9

Total impulse expended was ~19,271 N-s or the equivalent of 7,708 Estes
A8-3  motors.  An average flight equivalent would be to fire off a
cluster of 24 C motors.
 
 

Weather:

Perhaps the most telling sign of the weather was that many vehicles were
declared as “not today” by their owners which was not what everybody had
hoped for.  The challenges were either the wind or spotty ceilings.  If
there was any good, it was that those models flown were skillfully
executed with only few catos & crashes the entire  weekend.  There were
zero separations reported and only a couple unstable flights of known
stable models.

   http://www.jpunix.com/rocketpix/010100/image05a.jpg
   http://www.jpunix.com/rocketpix/010100/image10a.jpg

Making a political statement that breezy weather really bites, Mike
Clayton selected and successfully flew models out of his fleet of things
that really bite.

   Flight #10 - 4xD12-7, King Viper IV
   Flight #41 - C6-5 Monster Mosquito
   Flight #76 - B8-5 Monster Mosquito

Perhaps the best wind resisting rockets were the  Skywinder helicopter
models  flown by the Ammons family.   Discussions were heard under the
shelter about upscaling these models to 8’ J powered ships for future
windy weather flying.  This should be an interesting idea.

While the number of flights were down, fliers and spectators did not let
the time go to waste as alot of “tribal knowledge” was shared on a
variety of rocketry related topics.  Discussions overheard during the
weekend covered high power construction techniques,  reliable ignitor
construction, CHAD electrical staging devices, contest flying ideas,
removal tricks for *large* stuck motors that don’t  require hammers, the
inside scoop regarding Aerotech ownership,  esoteric motor to rocket
combinations, reliable recovery systems, how to build rockets that
survive farm combines & plows,  and dealing with medical problems when
raising young children.  While such discussions are no substitute for
actual flying, few will argue the benefits of these social gatherings.
 
 
 

Confirmation Flights:

A large number of confirmation flights were on record.  No failures were
noted though the result of one Level 2 attempt is still pending.
Notable was Randy Ashley who drove up from the Valley to successfully
certify both L1 and L2.  Honorable Mention goes to Alex Mericas who
accomplished two cross country recoveries of his Eclipse leading to L2
certification.  The Persistence Award is a tie going to Willie Alston
who finally got to fly his Marz Kolonizer after being bumped from pad to
pad at least four times in past attempts and to Mitchell Lew who went
through at least six ignitors.  Congratulations to all the other brave
souls who persevered the wind and fought off bad ignitors.

Level 1
 Flight #8 - Randy Ashley, Rocketman Blew Goose, 60” x 2.27”, 53 ounces,
H-128
 Flight #34 - Willie Alston, Scratchbuilt Marz Kolonizer, 60’x4”, 60 oz,
H180
 Flight #55 - Michael McConnell, PML Phobos, 57”  x  2.25”, H180
 Flight #67 - Mitchell Lew, PML Auroura, 75” x 4”, I211
 Flight #78 - Bruce Brown, PML AMRAAM3, 62”x3”, 64 oz, H242

Level 2
 Flight #28  - Bill  Schiller, LOC Magnum, 84”x5.5”, 82 oz, J275
 Flight #47  - James Duffy, Vaughn Brothers Javelin 4.0, 83”x4”, 88 oz,
J275
 Flight #54 - Alan Cain, Scratchbuilt Sloppy Joe, 40”x4”, J350
 Flight #61 - Alex Mericas, PML Eclipse, 86”x4”, 100 oz, J350
 Flight #79 - Randy Ashley, Betty’s Nightmare, 72”x4”, 114 oz, J350
 

On Mission Points

Three scale model flights of particular interest were flown and noted on
the record.  When flown during official contests, scores are awarded
when the model performs missions similar to that of the actual vehicle.
The owners name are not mentioned out of respect.

Flight  #14 - Quest Enterprise E,  C5-3.  During this flight, the
styrofoam ship flew vertically to an altitude of about 30 feet where it
made a sharp turn into the breeze and executed a high speed skid landing
much like that of the Enterprise D in the movie Star Trek Generations
after being attacked by Klingons.   As in the movie, the casualties were
light.  http://www.jpunix.com/rocketpix/010100/image21.jpg

Flight #27 - Launch Pad Scimitar, 40”x2.65”, 16 oz, 2 D12-5.  We need to
recruit this talented scale builder into the formal scale contest game.
The real missile is a heavily finned anti aircraft weapon capable of
extremely agile maneuvers.   Ignition of only one of the motors together
with the breezy effects allowed the bird to demonstrate this
agility.     http://www.jpunix.com/rocketpix/010100/image35.jpg

Flight  #58 - PML Bullpup, 36”x3”, 32 oz, G40.  Aside from the yellow
paint job, the model was a pretty accurate depiction of the real
Bullpup.  Constructed using Quantum Tubing, the owner obtained a
perfectly matched ejection piston that ‘wallowed’ upwards rather than
slide out smoothly.  This allowed all of the ejection pressure to
eventually dissipate out the nozzle resulting in what Judge Cliff
Cheadle scored as a ‘perfect ground attack’ and ultimate winner of the
day.  Inspection of the wreckage assures us that we will see a remake of
this model in some form some day in the future.
 
 

Whiplash Rocketry

Rockets of this class are minimum diameter, lightweight, and loaded with
ridiculously overpowering motors.  Tracking these rockets often results
in pulled neck muscles.  Photos of these rockets typically look like
this... http://www.jpunix.com/rocketpix/010100/image56.jpg

Inspired by a young flier at the last Bomber Field launch, Rick Van
Voorhis and Andy Eng decided they too wanted to act and feel young so
the flew and actually *recovered* the following four flights:

Flight  #46 - Rick, I357T Vulcanite
Flight  #22  - Andy, Scratchbuilt, BT50x23”, 1.5 oz, F101T-10
Flight #9 - Rick, Rocket Vision Clouseau, BT50x23”. 1.5oz,  E30T-7
Flight #3 - Andy, Scratchbuilt, BT20x20”, 0.5 oz,   D21T-7

Recovery of Andy’s rockets would have been impossible if not for Frank
Mooney diligently sitting watch from the upper deck with spotting
glasses and walkie talkies to get the recovery team back on line.  We
really ought to consider  having Recovery trackers with radios and
telescopic transits on station in an official range duty position for
future launches of wayward rockets.
 
 

Charity Request

Flight #21 - Young flyer executes a maiden flight on an Estes Helicat.
The copter nose was recovered by the young lad who also helped recovery
Alex Merica’s shakedown flight of his I195 powered Eclipse, but
unfortunately loses Helicat nose in the field.  If anybody out there has
an extra coptering nose and would like to make a young kid feel good,
please contact his father, Robin Kendall.
 
 

Rocket God Sacrifices

Two flights were on record of being served up as rocket god sacrifices
and vanished.

Flight #15 - Far Side, a D12-0/D12-7 combo sporting a traditional Jeff
Butcher paint job, was launched with the wind in an attempt to better
play the anticipated weathervaning effects.  Vehicle was last seen under
full power heading downwind towards Windom.

Flight #72 - Rainbow Gold loaded with a huge Y2K metallic banner
disappears behind the ranch house of the nearby cattle and horse owner.
Horses and cows observed to be spooked and fixing to stampede.  Carrying
a 24mm RMS casing, rocket was nowhere to be found.  May show up in your
next hamburger.
 
 

Winds be D*mned!

Flight  #80 - Michael Martin,  Nimbus, J180.  Veteran flier brings the
launch to an end with again by flying this crowd favorite long burning
Blue Thunder, high altitude combination.  Using a rugged fiberglass
construction allowing for rough landings, Michael brings the bird down
nearby using streamer & drogue chute recover.
http://www.jpunix.com/rocketpix/010100/image17a.jpg
 
 

Summary

That’s about it!  If your flight didn’t get mentioned, then you very
well had a perfect launch.  There is talk that the next Bomber Field
launch should be in early May which has traditionally been a good
month.  Be sure to get you motor orders in early and fill out those
flight cards!