Scout outreach launch report (5/23/2003)
On May 17, 2003, MASA members Mike Erpelding and Steve Handeland
assisted with a huge Scout launch.
Well, Saturday was a great day for flying rockets! I left home at
835 A.M. with the car and my trailer loaded up with launch gear (my
new pickup motor suffered a "CATO" on Wednesday). I
arrived at the gate of Camp Stearns near Fairhaven at 900
<grin>.
I got directions for the launch site from one of the Scout
Leaders at the Metro Lakes campsite. I met MASA member and Scout
Launch Coordinator Steve Handeland when I got there. Tom Tweitt,
Southern MN TRA member and Scout leader, arrived shortly there
afterward.( I apologize guys for not remembering your titles). Steve
and I helped set up Tom's 16 pad launcher. I also set up the sound
system, caution tape, one table and strategically placed several
trash buckets for the Scouts to use.
Some of the senior high aged Scouts helped the younger ones prep
their rockets and conducted an initial safety check for us; since I
believe the rockets were built the night before. Some Scouts were
finishing the construction of the rockets at the shelter area. We
caught a few things they missed, nothing major; just some loose or
missing launch lugs. Nothing a little masking tape can't fix <
grin>.
As a group of Scouts wandered down to the pads, we loaded up the
pads until we ran out of space or scouts. Steve told me that they
had about 125 Scouts participating. We were using Quest A6-4's in
the Scouts rockets. Our biggest problem of the day was the
unreliability of Quest's Tiger Tail Igniters. They were the main
cause of missfires. Finally we just replaced a couple with Estes
Solar Igniters; because a couple Tiger Tails wouldn't even try to
ignite.
Another Scout Leader had a water rocket project that the kids
were having fun with all day.
Tom also put some of his larger rockets on display for the kids
as well as some different RMS casings. Many were impressed to see
rockets Bigger Than Estes. We answered several questions. Tom did a
demo launch after the Scouts of each Troop finished with theirs. One
really neat one was a Stars and Stripes Super Roc style rocket about
8+feet tall on a F37.
After lunch the wind picked up a little; but was still good
flying weather.
A good time was had by all.
[Mike Erpelding]
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