Left Coast Rocketry

The Lead Was Flying!			I have a nice 5-shot sequence of the pencil’s parachute deployment. View 1 is normal coasting phase. View 2, the motor ejection charge fires but the airframe has not yet separated. View 3, airframe separation begins. View 4 and View 5, the separation continues.
In the early morning fog, the lead was coming from the nearby goose hunters. When the sun came out, it was time for the Pencil-lead, with fins!
Jim Green’s Dragonfly Launched well, but the Ejection charge could have been a bit stronger.	Paul’s latest version of the Pringleator was my favorite of the day. Made from Pringles cans from nose to tail, this one was sporting a cluster of 3, 24mm composite F motors. At launch only 2 motors fired so the precisely calculated delay was too long. She arced over & sped up, so by ejection time, the speed was too great & the again precisely calculated ejection charge was 1/3 under powered so the rocket ejected the chute then ran over it causing the dreaded “Pringle-Tangle” syndrome! Damage was minimal.
Jamie Clay did a little aerial reconnaissance, then attempted some air-to-air photography, and followed it up with a very nice carrier landing.
Peter Clay flew the long-lived little Purple Crayon with its signature two red chutes. This little bulldog had an ejection failure later in the day that looked painful. But I would be surprised if it doesn’t fly again someday soon. (Here is a bit of contrast.)		Peter also flew Sasquatch, another dependable member of the Clay stable. This substantial little cannon shell sports a great pad presence, an awesome launch spectacle, and eye-catching parachute.
I flew Old Glory on test flight #2 with an H210 Redline motor. The flight went well until ejection time when the piston strap material that I pondered replacing after test flight #1 in October, proved once again that those little worrisome feelings should be acted on, not ignored. First one broke, then the other. Damage - Minimal
I also flew my L1 certification rocket, a PML Mini BBX, in it’s two-stage configuration with the Terrier booster. Mostly because Paul really wanted me to fly it in October. I was amazed at the amount of work that was required to get the couplers that fit so well in the heat of Black Rock in September, to work in the cool moist air of Petaluma in January. My assistant trainee cameraman didn’t zoom in very close, but as luck would have it, there was a REAL photographer (Steve Wigfield) on site to take these pictures. The flight was not very successful because the 2^nd stage did not light due to my use of an old dipped Daveyfire igniter. And drag separation of the sustainer caused very premature ejection of the sustainer chutes, then the still attached booster ejected its chute.
I didn’t make a concerted effort to do a lot of picture taking, so I don’t have much else to show for all the other rockets that flew (except this one). But a big THANKS to Steve Wigfield for the great pictures of my BBX and this rocket as well. You can see more of his fine work at Jamie Clays “Mudpie” page.