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Gregory Ashworth LDRS launch report

July 28, 2007

Yes Hot does seem to be the proper description. I flew a Polecat Aerospace 7.5" Hawk Missle that is the first known field build 7.5" Hawk. Many thanks to Andy Woerner (owner of What's up Hobbies) for his help in construction and the use of his trailer for building. It was flown on a Cesseroni K1440-10 with motor ejection to approximately 4000 feet (no altimiter unboard so exact height is unknown). Pictures from the trip are online at http://innexdigital.com/pictures/rocketry.html . Greg

Posted by bobble at 4:17 PM | Comments (0)


LDRSpectatoreport

July 20, 2007

Kudos to SPARC member Gregory Ashworth for getting in a flight at LDRS the 3'rd weekend of July near Las Vegas! Unfortunately, he flew on Friday and I didn't show up until Saturday so I really can't report any details. Hopefully Greg will pipe in with some specifics. There were several other Northwest fliers in attendance so I'm sure more flight reports will be forthcoming as they motor their way back up towards home. I managed to attend portions of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and witnessed one of the best organized launches I've ever seen. If success is measured in the details, they didn't miss a trick. It was HOT! Brutally HOT, yet activity continued throughout the event. Water and Ice were available for sale. The food vendor had awesome Kielbasa dogs along with other items that I never got around to testing. The LAUNCH air conditioned tent was like being on another planet. I only stuck my head in briefly to snag a free copy of their magazine and then decided the cold - hot combo disagreed with me. While an extended visit surely would prove comfortable, I couldn't stand hearing a rocket rip skyward without watching. Not only were the porta potties serviced regularly, but water and pumping services were available for the motor home weenies. Shade was something to covet and there was plenty to be found. Mega thanks to Tsolo as my dad and I used his motor home as our primary shade source. Wind was an intermittent yet significant factor throughout the event. Most mornings were clear, calm, and somewhat cool (less hot would be more accurate). As the days progressed, the playa morphed into 'poof dust' due to vehicle traffic. The often present dust devils generated tremendous dust storms that seemed to get bigger and ornerier not because of more devils, but due to the increasing amount of dust available to work with. On Monday as we were driving out, we had to stop multiple times due to zero visibility which thankfully only lasted a few minutes before clear conditions allowed for safe travel. What a treat to wake up this morning and actually enjoy a hot cup of coffee. Bob Yanecek

Posted by bobble at 8:01 PM | Comments (0)