Launch Report

July 21, 2001
Billings, MT

Temp: Mid 80s.
Wind: 5 to 10 mph
Where: BLM land at 17 mile marker

Flights in order
Rocket Motor
Aerotech Mustang G40-10W
Estes Alpha C6-7
Modified Estes Big Daddy G33-7J
Estes Shadow #2 G33-7J
Vaughn Bros. Javelin 4.0 J415-W
Estes Black Brant II D12-7
Modified Estes Big Daddy H180-10W
Estes Black Brant II F24-7W

Highlights
Fifth BSRA launch of the year. Nice weather after the wind calmed down. My first launch was the Mustang on a G40-10W. It had a nice flight but I lost sight of it. So I launched the Alpha to get some idea where the Mustang went and lost it, too. The Mustang was found later by Pat DeWitt, but the Alpha was never recovered. The winds quieted down so I flew the Big Daddy on a G33-7J for a nice flight. Next was the Estes Shadow (#2) on a G33-7J. Then I flew the Javelin on a J415-W after finding the liner on the J275 I was going to use was cracked. It had a nice flight and the main deployed right in front of us. The launch rail fell over after launch because I forgot to put the locking pin in on the Yellow Jacket pad (oops!). The Black Brant was flown on a D12-7, and again proved to have too large a chute (a long walk). Then I flew the Big Daddy on a H180-10W. It held together for a nice flight. The last flight of the day was the Estes Black Brant II with a F24-7W. It went way up there, but came back intact.

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