RGV Rocket Club August 19 Launch Review

The RGV Rocket Club held their inaugural launch at Wilde Field on August 19, 2023. 

After a quick caravan out to the field, arriving at 8:30am when everyone pitched in for a quick set up.  

The first launch of the new RGV Rocket Club was an Estes rocket launched by Stuart Goodrich on an Estes A8-3.  A perfect flight, due to the oversight of Buddy the rocket dog, set the tone for the rest of the day.   Stuart made 5 perfect flights at this launch. One tangled chute, but it still landed safely and without damage.  

John and the hatchet.

John Bearden flying the Hatchet made the second flight of the day on a G69.  It was a successful flight landing not far from the pads.  

RGV Rocket Club awarded Aiden Bearden with a new rocket.  An Estes Athena which he named Hungor.

You'll have to come to a launch and ask him about the name.  LOL

Not to be outdone by his Dad, Aiden goes on to a perfect flight with Hungor.   

Aiden was excited with the new hobby and became our new Launch Control Officer (LCO) in training.

Roman Galvan with Roman XI, a scratch built rocket.

Roman built this rocket from Scratch with some pipe used for home vac systems and lots of 3d printed parts, including his motor retainer.  Flew on a G50 with a perfect flight to apogee.  Deployment of the homemade chute came at a few seconds after apogee.  Then the sad part.  After his perfect flight the rocket caught a thermal and was last seen drifting north out of sight.  Roman and his father promised that they would be back though with Roman XII ready to continue the saga of the Piper rocket series.

After many great flights it was just too hot to carry on and everyone decided to call it for the day.  All pitched in for tear down of the range and helped pack up and we drove off with thoughts of the next one dancing in our mind.  Till next month, Keep the Pointy End UP.

                                                                  FLIGHT SUMMARY