Because of the need to accommodate multiple fliers often flying multiple rockets in a reasonable amount of time, club launches often have a different flow than launching on your own, or with family.
First things first: You show up, you’ll park. If there are signs, follow them. At some launches, you will be able to park on the flight line, sometimes not. Look for other fliers in the area, if you are unfamiliar with the layout. You’ll then unload into your designated area. If you have a blanket or chairs, you can use that to mark your personal ‘space’. Some fliers will set up their personal sun shade. If you are able to park on or near the flight line, it’s usually understood the 10’ behind the vehicle is your area, etc..
If you arrive early, volunteer to help set up the launch equipment. Club launches at a minimum will need to set up multiple pads, string out the wires for launch controllers, etc. Often there will be tables set up for check-in, PA system, etc. Don’t leave it all to a few people (or one). Once the club equipment is set up, there will usually be an announcement to that effect that the range is open.
Find the Range Safety Officer (RSO). Usually, they will be wearing a red safety vest (Launch Control Officer or LCO generally wears yellow). There may be a gathering for safety briefing, and discussion of any pertinent info for the day, especially for new fliers. Once that is completed, go get/prep your rocket. Each flight also needs a flight card. Get one, fill it out. Fill in the standard info; name, rocket, NAR #, recovery method, etc. You can wait to fill out the motor info after you get to the RSO/Check-in table.
Once your rocket is prepped, and motor built (and without the igniter installed for High Power/HPR and most Medium Power/MPR) and your flight card is filled out, go to the RSO table. Present your rocket to the RSO. They will give it a quick once over safety check and either let it launch, or refuse it for some reason, perhaps with advice on how to correct an unsafe rocket before it is flight worthy. For HPR, MPR and custom build be prepared to show him the CP & CG locations (Some clubs require the CP and / or CG be indicated on the airframe). The RSO will check that the Nose Cone isn’t too tight or too loose, tug on the motor, and wiggle the fins to make sure nothing is loose or likely to part ways while the rocket is in flight. You’ll also be asked if it a ‘first flight’. First flights are usually a ‘Heads up’ flight, meaning everyone will be standing, watching, and ready to run should something happen! He may ask a few other questions about it too. Be prepared to answer them, about the manufacturer, how you built it, with what glue, etc. And, be truthful. If you can’t answer, say you don’t know. If the rocket is refused, ask why, and ask how to best fix it. Don’t try to complain or cajole the RSO to let a marginal or unsafe rocket fly. They have the final say. Period.
After the RSO signs your flight card, you will take your rocket and card to the LSO. They will assign you a pad. When the range is ‘cold’, go load your rocket on the pad. Pretty much all pads will tilt to help loading, do not pull on the rod. That leads to crooked rods and unnecessarily interesting launches. Also remember, only the immediate people required to load are allowed at the pad. (Most don’t mind if your kid comes along, or your wife, but the whole 15 people in your party do not need to be at the pad.) Ask for help if needed, the LCOs will always help, or you can ask a senior club member to go help you. Load it up, adjust for wind & trajectory, etc. If you need to install the igniter, go ahead, and connect the launch controller leads. If you have electronics, go ahead and turn them on. Now is the time to get a photo, kiss it, whatever. Usually, a more senior member will usually go out to the pad with newbies to help ensure their success. And, it’s our safety too!!
Finally, you’re ready to launch. Or, more correctly, ‘it’s’ ready to launch.
Walk back to the flight line. The LCO will usually call out ‘pads are hot’ or ‘ready to launch’ when the pads are loaded & everyone has cleared. Then the LCO will launch the rockets, one at a time (unless a request for a drag race or multi-launch is called!) Launching is usually smallest impulse to the largest. Remember, at this point, you’re a spectator. The LCO will call out the rocket, the flyer, pad number. After a quick scan of the pads and sky, the LCO will announce that the “Sky is clear, Range is clear”, and give a 5 second count before pushing the launch button (or you do, if you’ve chosen to do so). If all the above is done right, your rocket will leap off the pad, and scream skyward to cheers & maybe a few jeers. If not, it might decide to sit in silence/not ignite, spit out the igniter, or rod whip/weather cock into a ‘non-vertical’ flight path. Keep your eyes on your rocket until it lands. The LCO will proceed to launch the next one, and so on, until all the rockets have had a chance to launch. He will then call out ‘Pads are cold, Range is cold’ to indicate you may now walk to retrieve your rocket. Go get it.
When you get to your rocket, before you pick it up, look at it, see how it landed. Anything broken or missing? Then pick it up, part by part if necessary. Sometimes the shock cord gets tangled or wrapped around a branch or grass stalk, or a fin might have broken loose. Stop. Look. Make sure you have all the parts/pieces when you pick it up. Sometimes after you find it, grab it out of the grass and start back to the flight line, you will realize you’ve lost a fin or something. Trying to figure out exactly where the rocket was located after the fact, so you can go back and collect the missing part(s) is most always a losing proposition.
When you get back at your table / area, remove the spent motor, smile, brag about how high/fast it went or how close to the pad it landed, download the data from your electronics (if applicable), have a (non-alcoholic) drink, etc. Prep the next one (or the same one over again)!
Be courteous to your fellow flyers behind the flight line. Most CATOs (catastrophic failures) are due to a mishap during motor assembly. If someone is building a motor, it probably isn’t the best time to visit. Let them build it. Alternatively, if someone is going thru their altimeter or other electronics set up, let them. Some L2 & L3 rockets have a check list with over 20 items on it. Let them do their thing. They will be more than happy to discuss the rocket when it is successfully recovered.
At the end of the day, help out & help pack up the launch gear. Again, gloves and wipes can be helpful, anything that has made contact with rocket exhaust will be messy! Wipe down the rods & rails. Fold up the pads, coil up the wires, help the old guy with his table & chair, pick up trash on the site, even if it wasn’t left by your group (also, pack the garbage bag back out with you.) It can be a good time to head off to the local eatery/drinkery for a post flight social.
If you have just flown a successful Certification (or Cert) Flight, it’s a tradition to buy the RSO/LCO a beverage for Level 1 (L1), a round for the present club members for Level 2 (L2), and the RSO/LCO’s whole tab (meal & drinks) for L3. You may see the RSO/LCO’s have a running tab over a few launches because multiple people cert’d on a single day. Sometimes, you will even get a “I got his tab, he got their tab, they got my tab ..” when a few people cert at different levels. Have patience with your server in such situations.
At the end of it all, it’s pretty laid back, there is a lot of standing around, a lot of looking up, and hopefully a lot of laughing, commenting, and just plain fun.
As always, try to learn something, share something, compliment others, smile and help out where and when you can.