ULTRA-VIOLENT EXPRESS - SEVENTH FLIGHT

Have this rocket ready for a GRITS Turkey Launch. Just an other opportunity to fly a bit higher. Have also another rocket with me that day that suppose to fly on November 21 at the SRA field, but I cancelled the launch for this rocket due to strong winds and some rain in the forecast. It was indeed a terrible day from what I've heard. I will probably fly the Zodiac on another day at the SRA field probably in December.

Update 11/22/2020 - Checked the stratologgers and made all the charges. Still have to do all the rest of the prepping...

Update 11/23/2020 - Weather still does not look great for Saturday and/or Sunday. Winds are low but clouds and rain in the forecast low cloud base that is.

Update 11/28/2020 - LAUNCH DAY - NOP, not for me, cloud base to low and still rain in the forecast. Next SRA.

Update 12/21/2020 - Changed the motor into a CTI 740 CS/18, a bit more power and altitude. Will test the 150 feet streamer and the chute release on this flight. Hope this time the weather will be clear to see the rocket all the way up to about 6500 feet, so I can see the streamer coming out and a great 4K video from the chock cord cam as well. just hoping.

Update 12/24/2020 - Started prepping the rocket, just inspecting and making the 3 Z-ties for the booster. Charges are all made and will be loaded in the next few days.

Update 12/27/2020 - Sunday, very cold day in the morning but great after lunch, installed the booster charge and the streamer, well packed, rolled it tight in the shock cord and now its snug in the airframe.

Update 12/28/2020 - Monday, Booster prepped with charge and streamer, check - Also upper bay prepped with Z-ties and main chute X-form chute, check, all finished off with dogbarf. Checked motor also and the casing that needs those 54 mm adapter rings to fit inside the 75 mm motor mouth, check and done, Motor back in packing and sealed off.

Update 01/12/2021 - Looks like the whole week high winds predicted for Saturday, At higher altitudes like 40 mph + winds, for now it seems to get down just a bit but still too high, Sunday looks great, so hopefully this all will shift to another day and better for Saturday, just hoping for now. Jason will there be also, but maybe not launching.

Update 01/14/2021 - Installed all the charges. So that is done, also the motor is installed and greased. Charging all (4) camera's and other devices.. Winds are still high at 2000 m/6000 feet like 40+ mph. Hope the streamer will take care of those strong winds.

Update 01/16/2021 - LAUNCH DAY - Well winds are still high, but did prep my rocket all the way never the less... Early morning start.... But when crap happens it comes in ten folds... Well, Tim called me when I was on my way to the field and told me not to go to the field but meet him on the nearby road. He signaled me to follow him, I was confused for a while thinking he has to pick up the materials I requested.... But we drove to Glynn Skate Park and there was Gary also waiting. The whole story was that the launch compound was off limits and there was a roadblock to keep every bod out !! According Tim and Tom, The government shutdown all traffic going into the compound because there were some serious issues with the ATV's driving on private property. So actually our rocket group was not to blame for any miss conduct. SRA board will take this up with the local government and hopefully we can proceed our activities again. maybe under strict rulings... So for now we will wait and see what happens, no use to push this and make some lawmakers angry, The compound is not for recreations as they stated before in a memorandum... So hopes are small. At this point with NEFARS going nowhere and SRA on lockdown I feel that I might not launch in a few months, Looking into TAMPA Tripoli for an alternative...

Update 02/18/2021 - SRA has permission to Launch this coming Saturday. Will check the weather and see if I can get prepped up to go this weekend, on such a short notice.

Update 02/19/2021 - I will skip this Launch day, Winds are 15+ cloud cover is ok but I don't want to lose a rocket and drive all the way there. END

Update 02/20/2021 - LAUNCH DAY - Did not go to SRA, wind prediction is too high 15 + mph winds, but cloud cover seems to look ok and clear skies ! According David is was a great day with some winds like 10 Mph !!!! Not even 15 Mph !!! Some gusts yeah ... but I can handle that ! Dam those predictions seems to be wrong most of the time !!!

Update 02/21/2021 - Ok Next Launch day is set for March 20 !! Rocket will be all prepped up and all batteries charged !!! This time it will be a GO for sure !

Update 03/19/2021 - Car packed, had to re organize that little car to the max to get everything in, Florence is coming with me so I packed the umbrella and the chair also. Have to find a good plan to get things better organized in that chitty car. It's a good one as long you don't take stuff in it. Charging all batteries now..

Update 03/20/2021 - LAUNCH DAY - Finally, weather is looking great for SRA/Palm Bay, clear skies and low winds, had some rain and very high winds when driving to Palm Bay, but it cleared out nice, but he winds were still like 12 mph !!! did see a few launches and also Tim Launched to 7 K, so that gave me the GO to prep my rocket and launch. Had all in, went smooth, pre-prepped most everything at home. Took it to Pad D1, was a bit shaky, will be more picky next time.Needed the ladder to activate the stratologgers.Did a little angle in the wind like 3-4 degrees. Not more, had streamer that would take it back straight ownI hoped. Went up quite straight, streamer came out very nicely this time, it looked that there was hardly any winds up there, the streamer was just a straight vertical line in he sky ! Nice ! But still it drifted like 2000 feet up in the north field in the tall grass. Florence took the ride with me and as we came closed I could see the red streamer draped in the tall grass. Took my boots and walked like 100 feet to the rocket and packed it all. Looks like the little GoPro did not work but had video from the IR app on the phone. Will look at it later. Also one of the charges for the main did not go off, will take a closer look at that malfunction !! Strange ! Actually I did hear only one beep out when activating the second stratologger. Need investigating !!!! All wires were properly connected, will test with light bulbs, charge is still fully intact. Also need to re organize my car to accommodate thosebigger rockets. The car was a total mess even with the back seats down.

Update 03/21/2021 - Investigating the Stratologger data, it seems that the decent speed was still high at the end when the main chute was already open, Have to look at the pictures why the main chute did not slow it down more... I could see in the images that the main chute did not open completely, it must have been tangled in something, but not in the streamer, that worked fine, will take a closer look, glad it landed in soft dirt and high grass. No damage reported.