UKRA 1999  Meeting at Garlands (Home of THRUST)

(Saturday 26th June 1999)

UKRA ran from Friday the 25th to Sunday the 27th of June. Saturday was the only day I could go and also seemed to be the best day for the weather. Myself my father my son and my friend Geoff arrived early at around 9:15am before flying started. It looked as though there was quit a few people and there where a few marquees and other tents. I met up with Hugh Gimmel and signed in for a days flying and registered also for level 2 certification. I had E-mailed Micheal Willliams a few days before to ask about literature for brushing up for the exam but it seemed as though there may not be any exams as the test sheet was under revision. As it happens the test sheet had not been changed at that time and I was to be tested on the existing test sheet. The new one would be ready for LARGS99.

We unloaded the car and set to work prepping a 2inch diameter 2 stage rocket to fly on a G40-4W and a G40-7W. This was using my own design timer circuit that I had worked successfully a few weeks before. Unfortunately the wiring got tangled in the airframe and two of the wires broke. I decided it was not safe to rush it and to try and fix it so I prepped the upscale Estes Delta Clipper on a G40-4W instead.

There where a number of flying sessions. One before lunch and a few after. Not many where ready to fly before lunch and I was the last to fly (just in time!) before the range was shut down. The flight was good and deployment excellent. The G40W motor is a great motor for This size rocket and gives a reasonable burn time of around 3 seconds with good performance, flame, smoke and sound. Image left is an image of the rocket with my son David at Largs98.

I had confirmed with Liz Perman that I would take my Level 2 after lunch and I prepared myself to fly my camera rocket on a J350 and brushed up on the exam paper. I had little time to digest all the information over 50 questions in all (some of which i did not agree with the answer, or at least where a little obscure). Time came to do the test and unfortunately i only got 40 odd and did not quit reach the pass level. But... I WILL at LARGS99! I decided to launch the camera rocket anyway after coming so far so i launched it on an I211W (short delay). The camera worked great this time (apart from a slight double exposure on the first frame) and I got pictures from ignition to deployment. a selection of these images is shown below. They do not do full justice the actual photos which show good detail. I will take these to LARGS99 for others toi see if they wish. Hopefully the Bird will go on a J350 for higher altitude shots at Largs!! 

Above images show the camera rocket ready to go (with my son David to the right) and during launch on the I211W

Above images show a sequence of images taken from the rocket during flight. The first image is of me arming the system. The second image shows the motor coming to life! (but with a slight double exposure of me also). The last few images show the distant fields around garlands and the Sun lighting up the side of the nose cone. Last image is one of the Chutes.

I also launched my Patriot on a single H123W (short delay). This was my Third and last flight of the day. This rocket is quite a veteran now and still goes great. I hope to launch this at LARGS99 on an I211W (time permitting). Above image shows my Patriot taking off on a flawless flight on an H123W (short).

One of the other highlights of UKRA99 was the 'Rockets to go' session. This had been organised by John Bonsor of STARR in which many 'first timers' launched their scratch built rockets made at the weekend meet. If i am not mistaken i think all of them launched and deployed successfully (some unfortunately where lost in long grass). A good display and quickly turned around.

Above image shows the MARS group prepping a LARGE rocket for an awsome cool flight on a cluster of 'Blue Thunder ' motors. I believe it delivered 1/2 ton of thrust!! The sound over the one second burn was intense. The rocket seemed to 'SCREEEEEM at us near the end of the burn. Flight was high and straight, coasting for 90% of the way to apogee. Recovery was good and undamaged. The sound of the rocket was clearly heard loudly by some people 1/2 mile away!

Image to the right is of poor quality as it was taken with a fixed lens camera a long way off and has been enlarged a lot, but you can still see the length and colour of the flame. It was around 5-6 feet long. Ben is kneeling in the forground and is some distance from the rocket himself.

This flight was the last flight to see for us at UKRA99. We packed up and headed for home. See you all at LARGS99!!

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