Southern Arizona Rocketry Association
Tucson, AZ
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ SOUTHERN ARIZONA ROCKETRY ASSOCIATION NEWS JUNE 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **HELLO AND WELCOME We have great news for our high powered flyers this month. Effective immediately, we have been granted permission by the FAA to conduct waivered launches every month. We have typically only scheduled these launches four times a year. Now, we are able to accommodate high powered rocket (within our field limitations noted below) at every launch. Thanks goes out to Tony Gonzales for negotiating this for us. SARA is in the process of designing club T-shirts and we would like to have your input. Visit the SARA web site for complete details. Our Member At Large, Curtis Farrell, is also in the process of designing a 2' X 6' banner that will made from plastic coated fabric. We will be able to display this at special events or other public functions We are in the process of organizing a youth oriented build session at The Pima Air and Space Museum later this Summer. Details are forthcoming. **NO CLUSTERING OR STAGING OF MOTORS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Due to the ongoing historic dry weather situation, The SARA Board has decided that we can not allow the launching of either clustered motor or multi-staged rockets until further notice. These models have a higher than average chance of starting a fire when compared to single motor models. We will let you know when this temporary ban will be lifted on both our web site and in this monthly newsletter. Assuming that we will get our seasonal monsoon rains later this Summer, this ban may be only for a couple more months. If you have never constructed a model of this type or if it has been some time since you last built one, this might be a good time to put one together. When the ban is lifted later this year, we can celebrate with a special launch that features clustered and multi-staged models . . . perhaps even a contest. Share your ideas with us and stay in touch with us concerning this issue.
**SARA MEMBERSHIP Please consider becoming a contributing member to SARA. We initiated a paying membership in 2001 and 32 of you joined up. The money accrued in 2001 (over $630.00) went a long way in helping us make launch site improvements, maintaining a website, conducting a Summer youth build session, and generally keep the organization on a solid financial footing. Beyond standardized memberships, we also received some generous cash donations and this is always welcome. We have the following suggested annual membership levels . . . Junior/Youth (under 18) . . . . $10.00 Single . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.00 Family . . . . . . . . . . . . $25.00 You can join at the next launch and be paid up for all of 2002. Beyond the satisfaction of knowing that you will be keeping SARA functioning and growing, members are entitled to a $2.00 reduction on the $5.00 monthly launch fee. This $3.00 member launch fee, by the way, is paid directly to TIMPA for use of the field and is not used for other SARA activities. Annual memberships and other donations are what keep us going. Please remember that this is YOUR rocketry club. We want to hear your ideas and thoughts on how we can make SARA more responsive to your needs. Thanks for your support!
**2002 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Here are the folks that keep everything running. If you are new to SARA, please feel free to introduce yourself to any and all of the board officers and appointees at the next launch. President . . . . . . . . Mark Koenig Secretary/Treasurer . . . Doug Forester Vice President . . . . . Ben Nead Member At Large . . . . . Curtis Farrell Appointees selected for 2002 NAR Senior Section Advisor . . Jerry King Range Operations . . . . . . . . Tony Gonzales
**WEBSITE Much of this information is already posted on our website. Those of you reading this on email can go there directly by clicking the URL below When you get there, add it to your web browser as a bookmark or favorite. Check back often to keep yourself up to date with what SARA is up to. Even if you don't own a computer, you can visit your local public library and log on for free. Your librarian can help you connect to the SARA website if you are unsure how to do it. Benjamin Nead, SARA Membership Director/Vice President ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MAY 2002 LAUNCH REPORT SARA held a waivered launch at the TIMPA site on 5/19/02. The launch was preceded by a work party to remove ground cover from around the high power pads to help reduce the risk of fire. The weather was pleasant although the launch was interrupted by a large thermal, with a brisk wind which arrived at about 11:15 and did not diminish, causing the launch to be officially cancelled at about 11:35 am (of course, by the time the range was torn down the wind abated). There were a few holds for aircraft in the area including one relatively long one for someone practicing ground point turns just North of the field. Thirty one fliers took advantage of the opportunity to launch making 71 flights of which only 49 (69%) were nominal. This is the poorest success rate in a long time and was caused by: 9 separations, 7 tangled chutes, 3 rockets with no chute deploy, 2 unstable flights and 1 CATO. Both Dan Shinkel and Joel Lefaive made 6 flights for the most active flyer honors, the other activity was (# flights-# fliers): 5-1, 4-4, 3-4, 2-6 and 1-14. The shortage of composite motors resulted in few high power flights. Motors flown were: 1/2A-1, A-3, B-9, C-39, D-6, E-5, F-3, G-4, and I-1. We were visited by a active group of Boy Scouts and the local Civil Air Patrol group. In my opinion the most notable flight was the inaugural launch of Jacob Dennis' upscale model of the Estes Gemini DC. The model features dual chute rear ejection true to the original. It had a picture perfect flight on an I165 with a steady straight boost, clean deploy at apogee with uneventful recovery. Once again many thanks are due to all who participated in the work party, the set-up and tear down of the range as well as the RSO and LCO activities. Jerry King, NAR Senior Section Advisor ----------------------------------------------------------------------- **SARA 2002 LAUNCH CALENDAR / TIMPA FIELD LAUNCH SITE Here is the launch schedule for the remainder of the calendar year. All of these launches will be conducted at the TIMPA launch site. As mentioned at the beginning of this newsletter, SARA is now able to accommodate high power rocket models at each scheduled launch from this point forward. Each launch is now a waivered event. Waivered launches are where The FAA grants approval to SARA to launch models that are limited to a maximum altitude of 4500 feet above ground level (AGL) and use a K impulse motor or less . . . restrictions imposed by our launch site dimensions. We may have to reschedule one of our Fall 2002 launches so as not to conflict with a large R/C model airplane event already scheduled. Please check the SARA website for last minute updates on all launches.
SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2002 SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2002 SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2002 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2002 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2002 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2002 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2002
The Summer launch window of 8:00AM to 12:00PM is now in effect. This will be the standard launch window for our TIMPA events until the cooler weather returns this next Fall. We then switch back to an 9:00AM to 1:00PM launch widow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **DIRECTIONS TO TIMPA FIELD LAUNCH SITE . . . . from I-10 and Speedway, Exit 257 . . . 1) Travel west on Speedway past all building developments. Proceed with caution as Speedway crests over Gates Pass and turns into Gates Pass Road. The road is very narrow, winding, and often used by bicyclists. Enjoy the view. 2) Continue on Gates Pass Road until it ends at the "T" intersection, Kinney Road. Turn right here as if you were headed towards the Desert Museum. At about 1 mile past the museum entrance (about 10 miles past I-10 and Speedway), Kinney Road changes it's name to Mile Wide Road. 3) The next intersection, about 6 miles past the Gates Pass/Kinney "T", is Sandario Road. Come to a complete stop as the north/south traffic does not. Proceed through, heading due west. You will eventually cross 2 bridges. After the 2nd bridge, Mile Wide Road turns into a dirt road. 4) At about 3.5 miles past the Mile Wide/Sandario intersection, Mile Wide Road makes a forced turn to the right and changes it's name to Reservation Road. You are now heading due north. 5) The main TIMPA Driveway (marked by a sign) is on the right at about 1 mile past the forced right turn. Go another 1/2 mile past this and turn onto the next right turn. At this point, you should be able to see rocket launching activity. We now have a collapsible sign posted on launch days at the intersection. Please park to the east of the launch range. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- **STANDARD LAUNCH PROCEDURES Anyone may launch model rockets with NAR or Tripoli approved motor at a SARA launch. All models first require inspection by The Range Safety Officer (RSO) and a SARA flight card must be completely filled out for each individual launch. After this is done, the model and flight card can be taken to The Launch Control Officer (LCO). It is here that a launch pad will be assigned to you. A range fee of $5.00 is to be paid at the beginning of the launch day. This fee for SARA members is $3.00 for the day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **TIMPA FIELD USAGE Use of the TIMPA site is only permitted at club events or by prior arrangement. To access the TIMPA field outside of scheduled club events you must be either a current National Association of Rocketry (NAR) or Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) member. The TIMPA caretakers have been instructed to call The PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF and to pursue trespassing charges if no previous arrangements exist. Tony Gonzales is The Range Operations Director for SARA. He can be reached at . . . tgonzo64@myecel.com . . . or by phone at (520) 790-1006 Tony will need to know how many models you intend to launch as well as their respective launch weights and propellant loads. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **FIRE SAFETY 1) Please note that there is NO SMOKING permitted on the range area. Smoking is only permitted on the dirt road adjacent to the launch site. Cigarette butts and ashes are to be placed in a metal container or ash tray. 2) Fire is something that needs to be taken seriously. If you see smoke or flames, yell it out loud and clear. If we have fire on the range, EVERYBODY needs to drop what they are doing and assist in containing the fire. There are water bottles, ABC rated fire extinguishers, and shovels on hand at every launch. The 55 gallon drum near the launch control area is also filled with water. 3) Unless you are using a Nomex parachute heat protection cloth in your rocket, you will need to use a FLAMEPROOF wadding of some sort. Toilet paper and paper towels are not acceptable. If you need clarification on what to use, check with the Range Safety Officer. Many flyers will have extra wadding on hand and they will be happy to lend you some. -------------------------------------------------------------------- **SPACE MODELING SOLUTIONS Pete Riddell and his wife of Space Modeling Solutions in Phoenix attend almost all of our launches and offer rocket kits, motors, and other hard to find building supplies. Contact Pete in the days leading up to the launch and he deliver that special order to you at the launch site . . . launch@smsrocketry.com . . . or by phone at (480) 497-1960 or by fax at (703) 832-3237
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