ROC December 1997
December 1997
/ Lucerne Dry Lake
2 flights, 197 N-sec burned
It was windy at the bottom of the Cajon Pass, but in the high desert it was cool and calm. There was standing water (ice) on the lakebed as we entered at 8 AM; the normal rut to the launch site was overflowing with water, so we forged out off-road in our little Honda Accord packed to the gills with rocket stuff. Though we managed to avoid getting stuck, several others succumbed to that fate, and it was entertaining watching Buck Gomez pull people out all day with his 4-wheeler. The wind stayed calm all day, enabling some great flights.
For my first flight of the morning, the Lil' Nuke went up on the now-classic White Lightning load. After a misfire (I think the ROC system's alligator clips "chew through" the Copperheads), she was on her way slightly to the east, perhaps due to interference from the ignitor cap. No matter, the delay was spot on, and the rocket was recovered with no damage.
Our second flight of the morning started off much like the first: misfire, then good ignition of the awesome AT G motor. The flight was straight up and very high, with a nice flame and throaty roar. The Graduator was recovered with no damage on the range.
