Jaguar

The first flight for the day was my Jaguar. In an attempt to color-coordinate (and make Kathy Gilliand proud), the red rocket used an AT I218 Redline motor, with red tubular nylon and a red-and-white PML parachute. Prep went quickly, using only apogee deployment, and the rocket was on the pad in no time. The boost was fast with a significant wiggle - fins are a bit too small, I think - but the major problem developed about 1 second after burnout, when the delay burned through and ejected the parachute as the rocket was still traveling upwards at a good clip. This was an old reload, and I'm betting that the burning rate catalyst migrated from the propellant into the delay. The result was a 2" zipper down the side of the rocket - oh well.

For the first flight of the Jaguar, I wanted to push it high, but not fast. The c-slot load for the 640 case seemed to be just the ticket. Prep was easy, using the spacious altimeter bay, and the rocket was quickly on the pad with an igniter installed. A well-known (infamous, even) flyer kept telling me how the motor was going to blow up since it was a c-slot; I think he was just bitter that I like Frank's motors better than his. At zero, the rocket ignited and lifted smartly off the rail. It wagged its tail a few times on the way up, and coasted up to apogee. The drogue appeared waaaaay up there, and the rocket fell for a long time to 1000 feet, where the main deployed. Good first flight!