Ross Ohmen's Rocketry Obsession
My Launches - 2005
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The Never-Ending Search for Big Fields and Fellow Rocketeers

(About) December, 2005 - In San Jose

Impromptu night launch with Keep Diggin, from Crawford's house.  Made more difficult by the controller key switch crapping out...
 
Taped lots of blinkies to a few little rockets, and off we went.
 
Flew Nike Smoke on a B6-4 - no chute (naturally).
 
Flew Double X-Ray as single stage on a B6-4, and it landed in the top of a tree!  Like, 50 feet up!  After a great deal of soul searching, decided to leave it there.  (I STILL think about going back there with boards, nails, and a hammer to get it.)
 
Flew Arrow 18mm on a 1/2 A6-2 and got it back.
 
Flew Mini V2 on an A10-3 successfully.
 
We split before the cops showed up.  Fun!

November 20th, 2005 - TCC Fresno

Beautiful, clear, cloudless and non-smoggy day, where LUNAR members helped out with the setup and strike.
 
Classic - Good flight on a C6-5
 
D-Dart - It took 5 ignitors to light this D9-7.  Then it ejected at motor burn-out!  Tore off streamers, but no other damage.
 
Sidewinder - Unstable flight on a 18mm D24-7!  Should have launched the boost glider on the pad, first, so the Sidewinder had a target!
 
Lightnin - Great flight on a D12-0 and D12-7 combo.  Re-balanced rocket (weight added to rear) flew great!!
 
Upscale Cobra - Great flight on 3 x D12-5s!  And, the rocket stuck the landing!
 
Wasp - 29mm min diameter - Great, loud, soaring flight on a G80-10.  Tore out parachute, when the ejection charge fired (early?), a broke the nose-cone.  Over 3000 ft high!  (Great idea to use the Walston!)
 
Pterodactyl - New 4" rocket's first flight on a J460.  Fast, high, flight, with ejection at apogee.  60" parachute held this rocket up a long time, and it came down on the other side of the diary.  Asking for help led me to the rocket - should have used the Walston!

XPRS at Black Rock, September 2005

Actually got there, but didn't fly!  Arrived at noon following a slow drive out of Reno.  In a dust storm!  And rain!  Elizabeth and Chelsea soon wearied of being trapped in the car, and we left at 5pm.  For home.  Sigh.

July 23rd, 2005 - Livermore

Mini V2 – Flew well on A10-3, but it separated (nose cone broke shock cord, because it had too much epoxy on it).

 

Arrow 20 – Flew high on an A8-5.  Burned streamer, and it was hard to see on apogee, plus it came down fast!

 

Mark II – Flew successfully, on a 1/2A6-2.  Snapped back together, violently, after ejection.

 

Nike Smoke – (1.3”) – Flew successfully, on a B4-4.

 

D-Dart – Flew pretty high, on a D12-5.

 

Arreaux 29 – “Wasp” – Flew on Econojet F23-7, to 1150 ft.

July 17th, 2005 - Fresno

Had a very successful day flying with Cliff S, and Dave C (we carpooled).
 
Flew Arrow 13 on a 1/2A3-4 - perfect, except that I tore off the streamer at apogee..
 
Flew Arrow 24 ("Glowworm") on a D12-7, and it went very high.  Shock cord separated from the rear body, and the Pico read incorrect as well!
 
Flew D-Dart on an ancient Aerotech E15-7 (which was closer to an E15-12!).  The ejection took forever, but it did happen, eventually.  High flight.
 
Flew Arrow 29 ("Wasp") on an F50-9, for a screaming, high, flight to 2200 ft.  Parachute wrapped around the shock cord, which was good, because the swivel tore open!  Thankfully, there was no damage.
 
Flew Ranger on G40-7, for a great flight.  Tried to zipper the tube again!  Right where I patched it last time!  Next flight - there's a bumper on the shock cord there...
 
Flew PML Io on 29/180 H128 to a high, screaming flight.  Took forever to come down on the parachute.  There was light damage from the high-speed flight: The PML sticker had peeled back, the return-address was hanging on by a thread, and there were many cracks near the base of one of the fins.  All this adds up to a rocket saying "This much and NO MORE".
 
Flew my 54mm Arrow ("Hornet") on a 38/600 I284, to 3300 ft.  Once again, I lost it at apogee (in the haze?), and picked it up under the main.  Great flight!

June 19th, 2005 - Livermore

Flew with Elizabeth, Chelsea, Jason, Melanie, and Justin - what a great Father's Day!  We were over behind the stadium, with 100 cub scouts!
 
Flew the Estes Mini Meanie, on a 1/2A3-2, and it worked.
 
Flew the Estes Freaky Flyer on a 1/2A3-2, and it broke on landing.
 
Flew the Arrow 20 on a 1/2A6-2, for a perfect flight.
 
Gave the Alpha to Justin, and he flew it twice - once on an A8-3, and once on a B6-4.   Almost lost it the second time!
 
Flew the Nike Smoke on it's maiden flight with a B4-4.  Flew well, but the parachute didn't open.
 
Flew the Gyroc on an A8-3 - it did what it was supposed to do...
 
Flew the Wacky Wiggler on a B4-4, successfully, but there was a minor separation requiring repair.

May 21st, 2005 - Livermore

Flew in Livermore, with Elizabeth, Chelsea, and Dad
 
Flew the big V2 on a D12-5, and had a great flight.
 
Flew the Sidewinder on a C6-3, and it took off slowy, and cocked.  Gotta be a way to get this thing off the pad in a hurry! 
 
Flew the Double X-ray on a B6-0/B4-6 combo - great flight!
 
Flew the Mini-Meanie on a 1/2A3-2 - broke on landing!  Repairable.
 
Flew Chelsea's Wacky Wiggler on a B4-4 - great!
 
 

May 7th, 2005, at Snow Ranch, with LUNAR

Drove out to Snow Ranch (by myself), and enjoyed my first day in this new location.
 
Flew the little V2 on an A10-3, and learned that a streamer is not enough stopping power.
 
Flew the big V2 on a D12-5, for a perfect flight.
 
Flew the Condor ARV on an A8-3 - the gliders still aren't balanced correctly.
 
Flew the Arrow 24 ("Glowworm") on a C11-5, for a low flight, bad Pico reading, and un-opened 'chute.  Damaged the body tube.
 
Flew the Arrow 29 ("Wasp") on an F21-8, to ~1800 ft, for a great flight.
 
Flew the Ranger on an F23-7, to a disappointing, low and arcing flight.
 
Flew the Lightnin' on a D12-0/D12-7 combo, and it heavily weathercocked.  Thought I lost it.  Get new nosecone, with no weight.