Graduator

With a low cloud ceiling, but no wind, I figured a dramatic flight would be a slow, dark, smokey motor in a big, draggy rocket like the Graduator. When the light rain had let up, the rocket was racked and ready to go, and so we were first off the pad. The boost was gentle on the G33. After burnout, it popped the chute a little early. No big deal- I wouldn't have to walk as far. The new X-form chute with a swivel brought it right back down next to the pad. A perfect flight for such a glum day.

The stubborn Blackjack propellant took forever to light, but once it did, the Graduator had a nice, straight, high flight, ejecting the chute at apogee. In light rockets, Blackjack loads are cool!

Good flight.

We pulled the Graduator out of the car, planning to put it up on some hobby line power. Unfortunately, we were greeted with a nasty surprise -- the fillets on the big fins had cracked in handling on the way to the launch site, and needed to be repaired. No matter, a quick 5-minute job and she was back in business; the flight was nice and high, with a light arc to the west end of the flight line.

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.

The Graduator made its maiden voyage on an Aerotech F50, paying homage to the first flight of the 2.6" Arcas which it was replacing. Still clad in white primer with a painted red booster section, it made a graceful boost into the air and landed softly.