So, you’re thinking of attending your first club launch. What should you expect? Is there anything you need to bring, or not bring? This the article for you. In the first part, we will discuss the physical items and the second will deal with the experience.
What to bring:
You! First thing is always yourself (and your family). Even if you don’t have a rocket (or rockets) to fly, you should definitely take the time to come see what it is all about.
Second, if you have rockets, you should really bring them. If you’ve been around rocketry for a while, you may feel the temptation to bring your entire collection. However, it is usually impossible to fly them all. On a good day, you might find 2 or 3 is about all you can reasonably get to. By the time you get through prepping the rockets, launching, and recovery, and sometimes helping others do the same, you will find your time pretty well spent. Bring your favorite, or one that you have recently built, and perhaps a couple more. Don’t worry! We have launches scheduled every month; rotate the ones you bring, and you will eventually get around to flying them all!
(Also, some prep the night before sometimes goes a long way. If you are using reloadable hardware, it helps to build a motor or two the night before. It can be helpful to also make sure your rockets are flight ready, ‘chutes attached, shock cord securely mounted, etc. Showing up with your box of parts and trying to assemble a flyable model on the field is usually a recipe for disaster.)
Motors: It isn’t necessary to bring your entire collection every time. Bring the ones you intend to fly in the rockets you have chosen to bring to this launch, and maybe a couple extras just in case you fly everything, and just have a little time to spare. Weather on the ground the day of the launch may require a different motor than you brought; if winds pick up, a shorter delay or less powerful motor may be just what you need. Sometimes, a fellow flyer may have forgotten a motor, or need something slightly different, and you may be able to help them out or vice-versa. At large launches, there may be motor vendors on site, but not always, so be prepared.
Recovery: You may want to bring an extra chute applicable to the rocket & motors you’re flying. They do tear, melt, burn, etc. and a spare can get you back in the air. Bring wadding or Nomex blankets. Most clubs have ‘Dog barf’ (Cellulose insulation used as wadding, works great!) for members. Use it, but don’t be a pig about it! Expect to give a few sheets of standard wadding away. We all need and give accordingly.
Tools: You don’t need table saws or hammers, but the screwdriver for your AV bay, a pair of slip-joint pliers to remove a stuck motor can be very helpful. A long dowel is a good thing to have on hand to poke out a motor from the top end, or help push wadding and recovery into a tight airframe.
Baby wipes or paper towel: Launch rods & rails get dirty. Sooty black dirty. Motor cases / spent motors are also dirty / messy. Reusable motors require certain parts to be greased, again, dirty.
Chair: Otherwise, expect to stand all day or wander off to sit in your car. If you don’t want to bring a chair, you may at least want a blanket to lay on the ground.
Sunscreen/tent, hat, etc.: Trees and rockets do not always get along; there will likely be next to no shade at a launch that you don’t bring with you.
Table: a foldable / portable table, to put your equipment and prep on. If you brought a blanket, it can be your make-shift prep area. Clubs will sometimes have a table for check-in, etc., but it doesn’t always lend itself to everyone trying to use it to prep at the same time. If you have a willing club mate, you can share their table. One bonus to having a blanket on the ground, is that your rockets can’t fall off a blanket. Some people choose to use their car trunk or tailgate of their pickup for prep.
Garbage bag: As much as we try not to, we’re human, and we generate garbage. Bonus points for having a bag handy. Motors usually come in plastic or paper tubes, with paper instructions. Being good stewards of the launch site means hopefully leaving it at least as clean as we found it, if not cleaner. A couple of plastic bags from the grocery store are easy to pack with the rest of your gear.
Food & water: Remember, you will be in a field or other open space, almost always quite a way from any conveniences. A few bottles of water, a few cookies or other snacks can make the day a lot more pleasant. Stay hydrated, make sure others are hydrated as well. Some people may bring things to share with the group; donuts, cupcakes, or things of that nature. Fruit can be a great addition, as it can help you hydrate and knock out that sweet tooth at the same time. A juicy orange or peach on a hot summer day goes further (health & hydration) than the blueberry muffin. Leave the cokes at home, or limit your intake. Too much can make you more dehydrated than nothing at all!
Also, make sure to dress appropriately, the field may be muddy from a recent rain, or morning dew, it is certainly likely not to be a well prepped lawn. Insects live in the wild, and varying seasons can make it a blisteringly hot day or rather frigid. Depending on the season and location, snow shoes can sometimes be a helpful piece of equipment (although, absolutely not necessary in the South).
Camera: You probably already have this as an added feature of the communications device in your pocket, but it is a good idea to remember you have it and put it to use. Having your own photos of the action as well as being able to share with the group is something everyone should plan. Typically, with all the activities, it is usually the last thing everyone thinks about.
$$: Someone may have something for sale! Maybe a kit that you weren’t able to snag before it was discontinued, maybe you need a specific motor you didn’t bring, maybe a vintage issue of Extreme Rocketry magazine that is missing from your collection. Sometimes, you need to make change for the only $20 bill someone else has.
A pen (or pencil) to fill out your Flight Cards.
Active NAR/TRA membership card. Especially if you are flying High Power.
What you don’t need to bring:
You won’t need any launch equipment. The club takes care of that. Unless you have a special rocket that requires a special launch rod / rail / rig. Most clubs will definitely have 1/8” & 3/16 rods, maybe a micro or 1/4” rod (sometimes on request). If your club has a FAA Waiver for High Power, they will definitely have a 1010 or even 1515 rail for MPR and up. Some clubs prefer rail buttons or guides for rockets with ‘F’ or higher impulse, but it is not always necessary. It can be useful for larger, heavier rockets to make them ambidextrous; with 1/4” lugs and 1010 rail buttons/guides.
All clubs have their own launch system, usually a multi-button set up. There is no need to bring yours, unless it is proprietary. Club launch equipment is usually powered from larger 12V (think motorcycle/car) batteries.
Stay tuned for Part 2, when we discuss the experience of attending the launch.