Scott
Goebel's 04-03-04 Sod Farm Launch Report
Many thanks go out to Dan Wolf and Dave Lyle
who took time to repair club equipment and return it in working order today. Dan
repaired our range controller box and Dave repaired the wireless microphone.
WOOSH members and one ex member had also gathered at Jerry Selensky's home last
weekend to repair damaged wheelwells on the club trailer and reorganize the club
equipment. Thanks go out to Gabe Kolesari, Jerry Selensky, Dave Seer, Kevin
Klein, Dean Roth, and Scott Goebel. Club extension cords have all been labeled
with their respective lengths. A new rod holder was made to separate out the
small model rocket rods from the larger mid and high power rods. Equipment has
been sorted out into additional Rubbermaid totes with foam padding to protect
electrical components. The trailer now rides on two good tires. The club system
was given a thorough work out today and is in fine shape to meet the needs of
flyers at our next big sport launch at Richard Bong State Recreation area on
April 18th.
The launch today was visited by Pack 100 from Country Meadows Elementary school
in Muskego. Kurt Schachner, Mark Stehlik, and Scott Goebel had visited Pack 100
on March 17th to help introduce the scouts to rocketry. The Pack's parents
helped the scouts build Estes Heatseekers at the meeting. The scouts and parents
came to the launch today to fly their creations. We helped the scouts prepare
their rockets for flight and cut spill holes in the parachutes to attempt to
bring the rockets down on the field. The spring weather today included a brisk
North west wind that sent many rockets into the field across the road from the
sod farm despite our efforts. Most of the heatseekers flew on B6-4 motors. The
few that attempted flights on A8-3's did not have enough thrust to punch through
the stiff breeze. The scouts and their parents were very appreciative of the
opportunity to fly their rockets with us. They have been informed that they are
welcome to join us at the sod farm launches on the first Saturday of each month.
Club members were seen taking cracks at the sky while they were at the launch as
well. Joe Kassel flew his Quest triton several times. Dean Gelinsky flew his
Pringle can rocket on an "F" motor to wow' em. David Go flew his "pyramid of
death" on a G64-4w and recovered it very nicely on two parachutes. Scott Goebel
flew the fart blossom flying saucer on a D12 that barely stopped thrusting
before it hit the ground, then dropped a F39 24 mm. reload into it to put it up
a little higher. Emily Goebel flew her patched up Estes Snitch on a D13 18mm.
reload. The snitch did fine in flight but disintegrated upon impact with the
ground.
The breezy conditions prevented many members from even displaying the scale
models that were supposed to take center stage this weekend for our "theme" of
the month. I can't recall anyone flying a scale model at all.
The Team America Rocketry challenge team from the University School in Milwaukee
showed up with the best intentions of performing a qualification attempt today.
They had been practicing all week long for this and stated that they had hit
1243' in a practice flight on Friday. We talked them out of doing their
qualification flight today in the hopes for better weather in the next week or
two before the big deadline.