Here’s how my 2014 rocketry goals are going:
- Fly some larger rockets
Good this month. Aerotech Mustang, Bad Cholesterol Block II (twice), and TRDRM flown. - Fly more 24mm BP
Not this month. Was this kind of a dumb goal? Probably. Back in January it seemed like pushing the envelope and now it’s getting ignored because I’m trying to… - Fly some composite motors
Good this month. In fact a record number of APCP flights: Mustang, Bad Cholesterol (twice), and TRDRM. Also, I now have a 24mm CTI casing and four new CTI reloads.
- Put an entry (however pathetic) into each club launch contest and theme
Good this month. Theme this month was odd-rocs and contest was TARC rules; I flew 2 odd-rocs and 2 contest flights. - NARTREK Bronze
Done in July. - Build almost everything in my (current) build pile (see table below)
Progress this month. My effort most of the month was on other rockets but I did finally finish the Tornado and in the last few days got started on the Photon Disruptor, Sea Sting, and Habanero. What’s that? You want a graph? Okay:
At the end of 2013 there were 10 rockets in the build pile and 7 in progress (mostly assembled and awaiting painting weather). You can see the build pile (or rather the part of the build pile that’s left over from 2013) is down now to 3, there are 4 in progress, 1 that had been in progress at the end of 2013 has been abandoned, and the remaining 9 are done and have flown. - Buy too many kits
Not this month. Nope. Not a one. - Fly lots of stuff
Good this month. 8 flights at the club launch. - Have fun
Good this month. It was the Family Launch; how could I not?
Victories in addition to the above:
- 2nd place in contest (out of 3 entries)
- 8 flights with no rockets lost and no significant damage except a singed chute
- First scratch odd-roc completed and flown successfully
- Highest total impulse of any month so far (199.425 N s)
2014 builds so far:
| Rocket | Status as of 31 August 2014 | Notes |
| — In progress as of 1 Jan 2014: | ||
| Estes Tornado | Flown and done (in that order…) | |
| 3D Rocketry Lunar Eclipse Junior | Done and flown | Needs repair or retirement |
| (scratch) Bohica’s Dead Ringer | Done and flown | |
| FlisKits Caution | Done and flown (and destroyed!) | |
| Bob Harrington Mini Satellite Interceptor | Done and flown | |
| Starlight Saber | Needs painting | 1st primer on |
| Semroc V-2 | Abandoned | |
| — In build pile as of 1 Jan 2014: | ||
| Quest MLAS | Build pile | |
| Estes D-Region Tomahawk | Build pile | |
| Estes Mega Mosquito | Done and flown | |
| Estes Photon Disruptor | Build in progress | Painting parts before gluing. |
| Shrockets SeaSting | Build in progress | Painting parts before gluing. |
| Semroc Swift Boost Glider | Done and flown | For Gliders contest (July). |
| Estes Mosquito | Done and flown | |
| Hot Rod Habanero | Build in progress | |
| Aerotech Mustang | Done and flown | |
| Estes Xarconian Cruiser | Build pile | |
| — Acquired or plan to acquire in 2014: | ||
| Estes Yankee | Needs painting | Has flown. 1st primer on |
| (scratch) Bad Cholesterol | Done and flown including payload section and 2nd egg capsule | For Dual D Eggloft Duration contest (June, rescheduled from May) and TARC Rules contest (August). |
| (scratch) The Rocket Doctors Recommend Most | Done and flown (LED electronics incomplete) | For Oddrocs theme and night launch (August). |
| Glencoe Jupiter-C | Build pile | For Plastic Model Conversion contest (September). Build non-conversion model as warmup. |
| Estes Mosquito #2 | Build pile | Send to parts bin? Modify? Kitbash? |
| Estes Mega Mosquito #2 | Build pile | Fat Boy kitbash? |
| Estes Ventris | Done and flown | |
| Estes Big Daddy | Shipped | Estes warranty replacement for cato damaged Lunar Eclipse Jr. |
Rich's Rockets 