HELL CAT - SIXTH FLIGHT

Just grabbed this rocket for a flight on a 2 grain motor that I got from TOM. The J240 RL will go low and slow, No need to fly high, Clayton is launching his BIG NIKE on the Bunnell Blast on Sunday so I will be there to assist and recover if any.....Saturday I will come from Miami from a family meeting from Germany so I hope to get in shape for Sunday. If not launching I will be there and coordinate with Clayton.

Update 03/31/2018 - Made the charges today and unfolded the chutes for now, Have visitors coming over and also will go to Miami for a family reunion also. Hope to be back on April 15 to see Clayton's Big Nike and also launch my rocket.

Update 04/08/2018 - Prepping my rocket for next weekends flight. Made charges and installed them but not connected yet. Folded all the chutes, Z-ties on the chock cords, Parachutes inside the bays with baby powder. Also dog barf inside the bays. Still have to connect the charges, check the Avbay and sled and batteries and Iphone. Might not use any shear pins this time.

Update 04/09/2018 - Test stratologgers, all good to go ! Also feel sad that this might be the last launch at NEFAR, had a great time there and was always looking forward to the day and seeing my friends and have fun there. Have to get myself together to keep going now, hope there is better news to come.

Update 04/15/2018 - Got back very very late from Miami, not feeling so great, leg problems, Sunday morning weather looks bad, lots of wind and cloud cover here in my area. Also Tim txted me that he had bad weather also. Decided not to go. Hope there will be a launch next month !!!

Update 05/22/2018 - After a long period of non-activity, there is a launch day set on June 09, 2018. My rocket is sooo ready and Jason fixed my Nexus 5 phone. So I'm excited and almost good to go. Have alreadythe motor also.

Update 06/03/2018 - Gregg confirmed that June 09 is a GO, So I will start prepping my rocket the coming week. Jason fixed the phone and will be there to give it to me. Hope all goes well and the weather cooperates. The rocket is actually totally prepped. Will double check the charges and the chutes. And charge the RTX and the TAGG and all the camera batteries.

Update 06/04/2018 - Again double checking the stratologgers voltage, all good, above 9.25 v on both. Also the avbay and sled fits nice, just some lubricant on the sliding rods.

Update 06/07/2018 - RTX and TAG charged. Also shear-pins in the nose cone. Done.

Update 06/07/2018 - Just realized that I do not have the J240 motor !!! Hope Bernie is there and have it or something similar.

Update 06/09/2018 - LAUNCH DAY - Got the motor from Bernie, $70 for a two grain motor, things are getting expensive... Nice day but rain in the forecast around 3 PM. No Greg or Steve this time, we had to setup all by our selfs and figure out how to setup the electronics, speakers and remote launch system. All went well. Prepping went smooth also, had the Nexus in and charges all connected, RTX and TAG were done in the morning. Had the 'antenna' wire through the vent hole and had signal. Launching went smooth, Lyle Sunderland and Tim were the LCO's at the controls. They did a great job, Thanks guys !!! Used Jason his nice yellow launch pad, matching the Hell Cat yellow rocket. Pad # 15 ! Unfortunately the rocket drogue deployed at Apogee but when the main charge fired the main came out but was still rolled up as a sausage !!! Well, explanation for this is, that I had the chute packed in the rocket for more than two months and also had a masking tape around the chute protector to keep the bundle tight till the launch, had lots of baby powder in there but the masking tape kept it together !! Dam, should have checked that better. Well it came down fast, but no damage. There was only a little crack in the Av Bay that can be fiber-glassed easy, I will work on that in the next few days. Had a fun day with Jason and Tim. Clayton had other training business to do in Las Vegas. Also had a hard time with TAG connecting to get a GPS signal fix, took me a few walks up and down before I had it recovered. Also the Nexus Phone did not record the launch or any Launch data, I guess it got overheated and shut-off before the launch happened.