Pack 432, Centerville (6/5/2010)
Cub Scouts Pack 432 is having its 2nd annual 'rocket day'
today at Lamotte Park in Centerville. The kids will be out there all
day. We flew rockets in the morning and after a short break for an
early lunch they are having a Regatta competion (the little boats
with paper sails that run under 'wind power' from the Cubs blowing
them down a pair of troughs).
Today, for the rocket launch, Jason Colt, Bob Moyles and I
arrived right around 9 AM. It was overcast and humid but almost dead
calm. I brought the launch equipment (with a big Thanks to Ted
Cochran for the loan of 6 of his PVC pads). I set up my new Pratt
Six Pack controller usings Ted's pads. We test fired igniters on all
6 pads w/o any problems. Of course, once we started flying rockets
we got just two demo flights off before it stopped working.
Fortunately, I had also brought along my 4-pad controller as a back
up. So after a quick switch out we were back in business, but on
only 4 pads. Bob did pad duty, Jason ran the prep / repair table and
I acted as RSO.
It turned out the pack had a little lighter turnout than
they had expected. Maybe it was the cloudly weather with the
prediciton of some showers. Twenty cubs flew a total of 46 flights.
Eight of the boys were flying a model rocket for the very first
time. We also flew about 6 demo flights for them demonstrating
feather weight, drag, glider and gyro recover methods.
So, after the initial problems with the new controller we
settled down and got the 50+ flights off in about 90 minutes. All of
the flights were individual except for 8 rockets are the very end of
the session, where we had two four-way drag races. Of course, the
boys all got to launch their own rockets.
I am told the families enjoyed last year's Rocket Day very
much and the reaction today was certainly positive. I am looking
forward to working with the pack again next year.
[Buzz McDermott]
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