Kenny and I spent Memorial Day weekend in Geneseo, NY, for the Monroe Astronautical Rocket Society’s NYPower launch. We arrived at the Geneseo Airport to find the Syracuse Rocket Club’s big tent already set up right across from registration in the middle of the flight line. So our popup stayed in the car and we set up our table there.
Temperature got into the low to mid 80s but it felt hotter than that. The 80% humidity may have had something to do with that. Kenny was first to get a rocket prepped: his Estes Ascender again, this time with the booster he got for Christmas, flying on an F15-0/F15-6 combination. It was the first and biggest 2-stage of the weekend, and Kenny’s first 2-stage ever. I had my eye on the booster so didn’t really see the sustainer flight, but up to stage separation it looked like a good flight, slow and majestic. It came down pretty far off in a field, but fortunately this year there were no high crops to lose things in.
I started off with the first flight of the Fat Boy on a C11-3. People at the safety check spoke well of the paint job. It was a good motor choice and a good flight.
Next the Xarconian Cruiser, another first flight, on a C11-5. It also flew well, but was missing one of the three little dowel pieces when I found it. Maybe it was there in the grass, but I couldn’t find it. Well, that’s what those little dowel pieces are for, to get ripped off, right?
The Lunar Eclipse Jr. was next, on an E9-6 — yes, the same type motor that crippled it with a cato two years ago. First launch attempt failed due to shorted clips. Second try was successful, more or less. Nothing exploded. It did arc over, though, away from the flight line for a long walk recovery in a farm field.
That was all I flew during the day; Kenny flew a couple other smaller rockets (and two others of his flew, loaned to another Syracusan whose one rocket lost a nose cone).
Lunch and dinner were both at the on field food vendor, the 3 Legged Pig, who had some good ribs with two sides for $10 that evening. We went to our hotel in Lakeville and checked in; Kenny stayed, I returned to the field in time for the vintage kits auction which I firmly resolved I was not going to participate in, so that accounts for my buying only one item. I may be having trouble with the concepts of “firmly resolving” and “not”.
A double rainbow showed up.
Not that there was rain to speak of at the field. The weather to the north was interesting though.
Following the auction was a night launch in which I flew the Big Blinka on a C6-5. Got some good comments and I had to stop on the way to the pad for someone to take a picture. It was a good flight.
Rich's Rockets 