THUNDER STRUCK - L III Certification Flight

Just planning for now. Still working on my paperwork to submit to Gary Dahlke for approval ! No rush. hard to get the motor I want, Bernie does not seem to get them from CTI... maybe an Aerotech motor then offered by Chris Aubright. The take off speed is a bit low for my taste for the selected M1101 WH motor.....Adjusted the rail length in the calculations.... all good now !

Also asked around for the CTI 4 grain 75 mm M1101 WH motor.... Also emailed CTI directly and asked which vendors got them recently. Gary seems to be very flexible.

Update 12/11/2017 - Talking to Jason now about my Level 3 that is actually going no where because I do not have the motor from CTI yet ! Thinking about the M2250 motor that will give almost the same result as the M1101 CS but a bit higher and faster like 1.3 Mach. I actually do not see any problem in that. Will check Vendor Tom next launch day.

Update 07/28/2018 - Reviewing my L3 papers, contacted Gary Dhalke today via FB messenger that my papers are ready, but don't have the motor yet.... will probably get an alternative motor and add some weight in the rocket to keep it under 13 K feet. Emailed Bernie if he has a CTI M1101 WH or a CTI 2250 CS motor soon...

Update 08/05/2018 - Texted Bernie for a M1101 WH motor, he did never reply on my emails, but his sister gave me his phone # so I texted him directly and got an answer and is looking into it... Still thinking of launching at NEFAR or SRA and add some weight inside the rocket to keep it under 10K. Might work.

Update 08/06/2018 - Bernie will order the M1101 WH motor, it might take 6 weeks he said, that would be nice seeing him in NEFAR or SRA and pick up the motor with no HAZMAT fees.. Also it seems that Gary Dhalke looked at my message and is aware of my L3 Launch coming up soon, I will notify him that it will take 6 weeks or so and we can meet at NEFAR or SRA to proceed.

Update 08/08/2018 - Discussing with Jason to add weight into the rocket like 5 lbs, to keep it under the 10 K waver so I can do my L3 in NEFAR or SRA. Have lots of heavy duty washers and bolts and nuts to secure in the rocket, no more nose cone weight, already over stable enough !

Update 08/09/2018 - Just recalculated the total weight (no Motors) fully loaded with parachutes, protectors, av Bay, phone, batteries, RTX, TAG, etc = 8028 grams...

Update 08/24/2018 - Bernie already confirmed that CTI is back logger for the M1101 motor, so it could take a month or so more. I will email Sandy CTI and ask her what's going on..

Update 11/01/2018 - Bernie just texted me that the CTI order is in, that means my M1101 motor is there, so now I can go ahead with my L3 launch and contact Gary.

Update 01/19/2019 - Got my motor from Bernie today, also printed out y Level 3 file and documentation for Gary, Gave it to Gary and he will review it and let me know if anything has to be changed. Looking forward to launch date in SRA in February... Weather has to be optimal and low winds!

Update 01/22/2019 - The rocket is on the prep bench for now, will start prepping soon, like chutes and charges. Will make a video of installing the motor for sure. Thinking of using a streamer also like Alex, like 10" wide and 50 feet long or so.

Also ordered a 80ft - 10" wide RED streamer from Buddy Mickaelson and see how that works with the rocket. Might not use a drogue, just the streamer.

Update 01/27/2019 - Did assemble the M1101 W motor, Was easy and all fits snug, no issues there. Motor feels heavy. Made video and took lots of pictures. Also made the charges for drogue 2.0 -2.4 and main 1.8 - 2.2 grams FFFFg.

Update 01/28/2019 - Took the little camera holder of the second stage/upper section, those little camera's don't work any way and the cover only gives more drag to the flight.

Update 02/01-2019 - Tim texted me that SRA got their waver renewal approved for the year 2019. So I'm good to fly my Level 3 Thunderstruck rocket now. Countdown has started.

Update 02/02/2019 - Tested the stratologgers, all good. Will fit the phone later today.

Update 02/03/2019 - Started prepping the upper rocket part, Folded the main chute and made Z-ties, one in front of chute and two in back of chute with rubber bands. Installed 3 shear pins in nose cone part and put in dog-barf at bottom of upper bay. Also baby powder on shoulder. Did some modifications on the av Bay sled, drilled holes for phone ventilation.

Update 02/04/2019 - Just a recap of flight: There will be a streamer (80 feet long Red streamer 10" wide) at Apogee, Drogue will be on Chute release and will released at 1000 feet, than the main is set for 700 feet. This is actually to get clean data from the streamer and also to test the chute release again for a next flight. And yes this is my Level 3 certification flight. Scary right ?

Update 02/08/2019 - Updated my chutes sizes in Open Rocket.

Update 02/10/2019 - Gary Dalhke just confirmed his presence at Palm Bay Launch site SRA on Saturday February 16, 2019. All good mo far. I will continue prepping my rocket on Wednesday. Will keep checking those batteries.

Update 02/14/2019 - Had to do some adjustments, had to reset the setscrew for the eye of the Nexus 4 phone to match up with the window. All good and easy since it's a 4" rocket and much easier to work with than the 3" diameters. Charging all right now, Phones (3), RTX (2), Whistle tracker, camera (2) batteries.... Will bring the Ipad for video so Florence can take some video. All good.

Update 02/15/2019 - Prepped the rocket to the max, even made the charges and connections and also the igniter. Motor is fully loaded in the rocket and connected. Made video's of prepping and loading the rocket.

Latest weather report, winds WSW @ 7 - 9 mph, no rain, cloud cover around 31 - 32 %.

Update 02/16/2019 - LAUNCH DAY - Great clear day for LEVEL 3 attempt, a bit windy, very windy at high altitudes 20 mph +. Prepping was real easy, Had a bit of a difficulty lining up the booster shear-pins but got some help from Jason who stopped by with the family. Florence came with me and took a bunch of pictures. Thank you sweety ! Also Jason took very nice images and he and his wife took great video's with their 4k phones, real awesome !!!Gary had my papers and he and Jason witnesses the launch. Gary inspected the rocket briefly and I was cleared to launch.I guess I was the first thee on the far away cell and was launching first. Rocket took of great and you could see the winds in the smoke trails of the motor. I had a small angle to the SW, but that was not enough to keep it drifting like 1+ miles away into the housing complex. Could follow it clearly on the RTX display and it showed 12500 or so feet up, descent under drogue showed like 70 f/s and around 600 feet the display showed 22 f/s descent, so all worked great. Unfortunately the rocket drifted a long way East so Jason and I went to the recovery site. Very easy since there were all roads there. The RTX gave the coordinates but the Whistle had some issues connecting to the internet, so no signal there. Must be a sprint issue !!! Will look into that for next time launch. Rocket landed in the back of a housing complex on the edge of a canal with barely some water in it. Rocket landed on the edge in soft dirt like 3 feet away from the water. We drove back and showed the rocket to Gary, no damage and all worked well so Gary signed the documents and will mail them to NAR for my level 3 card and pin... Had little or no stress today, was prepared to lose my rocket. Indeed going 12K+ and strong winds made me feel uncomfortable that morning, but I just want to get it done. Postponed this already to long so Today was the day. Very happy, lots of congrats from friends. Job done, now we can move on.

NOTE: When examining the date, I can see a very very irregular descent pastern, indeed something must have been tangled, and when I got home I indeed had to untangle the drogue from the shock cord and the igniter charge extension wire. Those items were very woven together, But once the main came out I'm very happy to see the descent slowed down to 21 - 22 f/sec.

Also got the average velocity of both stratologgers and figured out that the velocity was around 1375 feet / sec.. = 1.42 MACH !!!!

Update 02/17/2019 - Downloaded also great RTX data (google Earth).. Thanks Tim for the instructions. Uploaded some great pictures from Tim, and Jason posted a set of pictures and video's earlier, just great !! Thanks guys. Trying to get some data from the Nexus 4, but it seems only bogus video's and no actual data.

Update 03/22/2019 - My LEVEL 3 NAR Membership card came in today, pin will follow. I dream that came thru... Never knew that that was going to happen..

Update 03/23/2019 - SRA Launch day, went to the recovery site from before and found the RTX, was completely (almost) shredded by a lawnmower...But still working batteries, might recover a few things, but will order a new one.

Update 03/24/2019 - Level 3 certification card and Pin came in this week. All good !