"The Motherload" donation to NCR… Ideas?

[new2hprParticipant]

Those who followed my rants during my employment search know that I ended up at Vaisala, a Finland-based company making weather measurement sensors and systems world-wide. One of the past projects (discontinued years ago) was a rocket-based radiosonde to measure temperature, humidity, and wind speed from ~1mi and on its way down.

I recently discovered that the company needed to “dispose” of a stock of “explosives” (read rocket motors). Since I, as an employee, couldn’t sign them out, I worked it out with Joe H. to donate the bulk of the lot to NCR to use as the club sees fit. Joe had to sign some liability waivers to not hold Vaisala responsible for the stuff.

A large part of the lot is Aerotech 29mm reloads (still certified) which NCR will probably hang on to for raffle prizes, etc. Some 29mm HPR cases that we could probably put up on RP or TRF to sell, with funds going to NCR. The bulk of it, however, is SU motors that are expired cert.

The big one I’m asking for ideas on is an NCR contest to use the Aerotech H125-20W. This is a full H (TMT tested as 1% I). We could go with a traditional altitude contest. I know the altitude junkies wmusselman, adrian a, 3dogs, chad, sserell would like that, or something unconventional. I was thinking an odd one would be “how many can you burn in 1 flight?” to encourage creative clusters and staging, with altitude being the measure, but with weighting on # of motors, # of stages, etc. Or just do it for fun. There is a fair number of these, so just having altitude shots would take a while to use them up.

There are also a few Vulcans, an NCR Darkstar, and some unlabelled “Internal Ballistics Test Motors” if someone is adventurous.

Let’s hear some discussion. Greed wanted me to keep the lot for myself 😳 , but this will be more fun.8)

Thanks also go out to Joe for handling his end of this!

-Ken

[AdrianParticipant]

Wow, that sounds like fun. How many are there?

I almost hate to ask this, but can anyone explain concisely the rules regarding expired cert motors?

Can they be flown on commercial launch days, or just on research days?

Could they qualify for Tripoli altitude records?

[new2hprParticipant]

Wow, that sounds like fun. How many are there?

I’m assuming you’re asking about the H125-20W. >70

I almost hate to ask this, but can anyone explain concisely the rules regarding expired cert motors?

Can they be flown on commercial launch days, or just on research days?

Research only.

Could they qualify for Tripoli altitude records?

You’d have to ask the TRA altitude record keepers, whom I know you’ve had some fun dealings with already!

-Ken

[Art HoagParticipant]

First… Thanks Ken for sharing this with the club, that was very nice of you!

Second… I think the contest idea is cool and as a fundraiser for the club, when one would pay the entry fee they would be paying a little extra for the motor or motors depending on the contest would be included when one enters the contest. No need to charge full price for the motors but enough to put some money into the club, something reasonable.

Art

[John A. WilkeParticipant]

I knew about those. The Vaisala guys used to fly with us. They asked me about the H125s many years ago – and I shamelessly groveled until I was blue in the face for those motors. I even offered to pay full price for them but there were liability concerns, etc.

No longer certified indeed. Drat. Darn. Sigh.

I’d love to give one a ride, will gladly make an NCR donation or whatever is appropriate?

As an aside, there was some angst at TRA if these were really big H motors or really tiny I motors. There was a similar sentiment about the I132…. many thought it was really a J.

[greywolves]

Wow, thats awesome.

Thanks Ken

Boom! Hey, anyone see my rocket?

Hehe

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

Killer!!!!! I would love to fly one of these… I have just the bird.

Warren

[sserell]

I like the idea of a couple different contest with an “entry dontation fee” that basically covers the motor and helps NCR get some additional funding.

How about a contest kinda like the crazy Jim drag race or something, all contest rockets launching at the same time, but an additional caveat would be the one with the lowest altitude would have to wear a dress or some other article of hideous clothing.

Sounds like fun though. -Sean

[Bruce R. Schaefer]

Ken, I have been trying for years to get on at Vasaila! It’s a great company, any chance they’d part with some of those radiosondes and ground equipment? Kdding, or not. 🙂 Way to go, Ken!

[Kenneth ReillyParticipant]

Here’s a thought: what if we picked a date and a venue, and attempted to see just how many of these 70+ H125’s we could get off the ground simultaneously? I’m thinking not so much a contest with an entry fee as an event with a participation fee. It would be a huge challenge to get enough rails, rods and launch controllers together in one place at one time to get that many high power birds in the air at once. Plus, it would be quite a spectacle. Just getting that much equipment together would require involvement of several clubs, I would think.

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