ULTRA-VIOLENT EXPRESS - FORTH FLIGHT

Got this rocket prepped today, ready for the July 14 launch, Not spectacular, just a 4 grain Skidmark K motor. Low altitude. Has been raining for a few weeks now, not sure if the field will be dry. Thea did say field was till wet now, a week previous to the launch, w'll see. Also not sure if we can launch, no word from the officers yet !?!. Not sure what's going on with NEFAR and the Cleggs... It still is a month by month issue I guess, did not see any changes of the field last time when we launched in June (?)...Still the same sod as usual...

Update 07/08/2018 - Made the charges already, need to do the chutes and check the Av Bay and Altimeters... And yes, also prepped the chutes in the protectors and Z tied the chock cords. Used RED tags to make sure that I take the masking tape of the chute protectors before flight.... Forgot last launch !! Dam... Next is the Av Bay. Also will get a full weight of the rocket when completely prepped. Before bedtime, I also added a 1" strip on all the opposite fins, there were already trims (masking tape) on two opposite fins, but I added two 1" strips on the 'empty' fins. Hope it will work a bit to reduce he spin.

Update 07/10/2018 - Here we go again - Launch scrubbed !!! According the Cleggs the field is boots only / like wet. Well yeah, but this week there is no rain in the forecast so the field should be very dry. But we respect the decision of the Clegg family and hold off for now, and hopefully re-schedule in a 'few' weeks or so.. Might go to SRA / Palm Bay and hang out with my friends and Tim..

Update 07/25/2018 - Just got a message from The President on the NEFAR FB Webpage that there will be no launch in July and also no 'make up' launch. So we will be hoping for August for no Burn Ban or rainy day. A bit sad about it..

Update 08/07/2018 - Getting ready for a possible launch this coming weekend, Weather has been dry and warm so I hope all is dried out by now. No rain in the forecast for now. stratologgers I & II tested, new batteries, all working great, Also fit the Nexus 4 phone on the sled and fits great and snug. Good to go.

Update 08/10/2018 - Yes we have a GO, Houston we have a GO for this Saturday. Prepped and packed the rocket as much as I could to get ready. Chutes packed, dog-barfapplied, Fit the sled and phone in the Av Bay and line up the window and camera for the Nexus 4 (Thanks Jason)... Charging batteries, RTX (2), camera's (2), small camera's (2)...Checking TAG, all good to go...This was again a frustrating last minute decision, I hope we still Launch in September and the following months, still some testing to do. Hope Bernie is there also. Have a skidmark to launch but might use a 4 grain RED motor to give it a little more punch for take off.. I also decided to leave the motor charge inside, long time before it goes off, safe from the other charges. Because of some spin I put a little tape on each fin to reduce the spin, hope this works, speed is not optimal for this flight, but hope to see less rotation then before. Hope to get a good video of the RTX screen this time so I can see the real data and coordinates... Nexus 4 test seems ok and working, will be in the nose cone next time as the Black Rock test

Update 08/11/2018 - LAUNCH DAY - Cheched with Bernie to see if he has a more powerfull motor, like a K400 or K500. Nop only a K445 but that is good enough....Prepping that 4" rocket is a breeze.. All was mostly done before. Had a hardtime with Tagg gps, did not connect... dam ,but had the rtx to relay on and that was a proven device... installed the nexus phone, and it already started to heat up while packing it in thr AvBay like 117 degrees F....Is was a ver hot day... I still heard the nexus talking while on the pad 15.. so no worries...when it was my turn, the rocket did not ignite, so bought a new, two new ignitors from Bernie and the second round did it make GO... Great take off. Was so stupid again that I forgot to switch on my cameras yes again. I blame it on the delay with the ignitor, and was a bit stressed running to the pad to fix that. .. But the launch was great , for a moment I followed a high altitude plane till Shawn pointed me out where the rocket was. I was already under main chute not far from the field an drifted nicely down with Michael West his X-form chute. Thanks Michael... Very happy with the flight and i do not have any videos or pictures. The Nexus must have been overheated.. will do tests later. I only have a rtx recording of the events altitude and velocity... Happy with that... Just want to investigate that phone again how hot it gets before shutdown, and the tag was a very big disappointment again...Looking for data or even a little bit of data to see the spin... The nexus must have been overheated will the delay on the pad, with the ignitor misfire. .

Update 08/12/2018 - Cleaned the casing, was actually not so dirty. Also the bottom of the rocket landed smack in the soft sand and also the AvBay and nose cone, so some cleaning there. Will make it all shinny for a next flight.