The July 23rd launch was very nice, perfect if it was not so windy. I had to leave early because it was my mom's birthday, and so I wanted to join my family for the dinner celebration. During the time on the field, I made a total of five fligths.
First off the pad was my Fliskits Persephone with an A10-PT, followed by the Athena with an A3-4T. Then the Odysseus went up on an A10-3T. After that I launched my Pheord X-150 with a C6-0. Then I decided to do something that Jim likes to do, but one up him. I took my Pheord and Athena, and then my Quest Micromax UFO, and staged them. C6-0, to A10-0T, to MMX-II. All three stages lit, and believe it or not, the larger Pheord was the hardest piece to locate.
I thought about flying my Bull Puppy with a F40, and my Sumo with a G75, and my Phoenix with a H128, but decided that it was to windy for those birds. I also thought about launching my Triskelion with a N4000... but for some reason, they would not let me (something about the field only being rated for J's, and 4,500 foot waiver /sigh).
I helped with two level 1 cert flights. One was a Minie Magg that flew previously on a G80 but the epoxied on thrust ring failed, burning up his shock cord up in a few places. I lent him a few lengths of my kevlar straps (joined via quick links) to use so he could fly his L1 on a H123. Perfect flight and I signed his card.
The second cert flight a flyer came to me and said he wanted some powder from me. I noticed he was holding a loaded 38, so I gave him all the powder he wanted! Seriously, he had a RMS 38/480 motor loaded with an I154. before I gave him the powder, I asked how long ago he loaded the motor. He said he just loaded it. I asked if he had any questions. And he said he did have a question about the delay column. So he unscrewed the forward closure, and I immediatly saw a problem. I saw the gray propellant, not the black of an insulator disk. I said he was either missing a insulator disk, or needed to use a insulator ring. He showed me the o-rings he had, and I determined that he needed the ring (which surprised me, since when did a BJ need the ring?). So we borrowed the ring from Bill Spadafora, got the motor loaded and charge installed. He had a succesful high altitude flight, but I was not sure if he got the rocket back or not. I could not stay long enough to find out.