7/9/11 Lost Aerotech Arreaux - Northern Colorado Rocketry

This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 2 months ago by Michael Huber.

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July 11, 2011 at 2:42 pm #41325
Michael Huber
Participant
I lost my Aerotech Arreaux at the North Site. Wind was going due east at the time. Did not see deploy as rocket went into a low cloud. Rocket is Green and Black with yellow chute. Has Aerotech 29 40/120 case and alitimeter.
July 11, 2011 at 9:26 pm #54613
Steve Jensen
Participant
I sent up my arrow (as in Pork Arrow) just before you sent up yours or just after — I forgot which — in the same rack.

It landed 1.10 miles away and was on a straight line between the windmill on the hill (due east) and the pads. It was slightly north of this line by about 200 yards.

My guess is that if you walked that line you’d have a shot at finding it. I also think it would be closer in. The Pork Arrow hit 11,000 feet.

Hope this helps.
July 11, 2011 at 9:45 pm #54614
Michael Huber
Participant
Thanks Steve, yeah I looked on that line on Sunday, and still did not find it. I was only looking about 1/2 mile (2600 feet) out, as this is what my simulation was saying (3000 feet, assuming about 15mph wind), which was believed to be a high wind component. I may need to look a bit further out, but I don’t believe it could have made it to the East fence.
July 12, 2011 at 3:10 pm #54615
Steve Jensen
Participant
I always look 1.3 x altitude.

I chased my Toothless out about 4500 feet on a 4000 foot flight Saturday just before they began shutting down the range. Ken R. always tells me to look further out than you think it went.

Good luck. I be it will show up again.
July 12, 2011 at 6:42 pm #54616
Jeffrey Joe Hinton
Moderator
A good rule of thumb is 1.5 x out the predicted altitude. I usually don’t even start really looking until I’ve gotten out that far. For that matter, I’ll wander around for an hour or so and then give up and find my rocket on the way back to the launch site. That’s happened more than once.
July 12, 2011 at 7:36 pm #54617
Michael Huber
Participant
This was found at MHM (what was left of it after being on the prairie for almost a year). It had augured in west of the road. No motor case found, so my suspicion is that the motor eject from the rocket and did not deploy the chute. Only the fin can was left. Thanks to whoever found it, it was nice to find out what happened.
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