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You can make a swing-set like top guy wire doohickey. I fly off the 16′ rail when my hybrids go slower. The key is not needing the 16′ :)Edward

To eliminate the sway, couldn’t you bolt onto the rail at the top, a bar that comes out of it, opposite the side the rocket goes on, and have it come out about 36″. (this is so the fins clear…   Read more»

I’ve flown off of the 1020 rails a lot at NCR. I think they are on Mark L.’s big pad. The only thing is it sways a lot at the top.Edward

I personally agree with you, but I do not recall seeing them on the launch pads. Of course if we are going to get some new rails, then maybe those would be approved.

I’m much more a fan of the 1020 rails – they are 1″ wide and 2″ deep. Gives you more rigidity in one direction. They also have 2020 rail that is very nice, but the key with any rail is…   Read more»

I’ve seen them start flexing in about 12mph winds, (the longer they are, the sooner they start flexing and at lower wind speeds also) so that is something that is certainly doable. (I gues it is the aerodynamic drag imposed…   Read more»

Very good reasoning, but who would launch in THAT wind?

Yes you did. And it was a fine meeting too!Back at the last Oktoberfest, Joe, myself and some others were standing around on Saturday in the wind and the rain/snow/sleet while watching our tents, tables, awnings, and anything else that…   Read more»

Sounds nice, Bear. But to my knowledge we haven’t had that much trouble with our 1010 rails whipping in the wind. But no one will disregard improvement. Jon, John, Joe, Ed, Mark, Art, et al. are all good guys and…   Read more»

Thanks for the advice. I try to do that whenever it applies, especially with those two, or for either of the John’s and for the Joe! Their wisdom and experience far surpasses mine. At the time of the discussion with…   Read more»

I have been in the position of having to decide how to set and splice the rails. Not fun, but definitely integral to successful launches. No disagreement here, Bear. Art and Mark are two of my favorite people in the…   Read more»

I have talked to Art with Mark L. present about ways to improve his rail on his tilt up system. Thinking about my previous comments, if the rails come in 20 foot lengths, and considering price and shipping costs, I…   Read more»

Just check out Art’s swing launcher, or others in and out of the club. These are very good points, Bear.

Well there’s the problem!!! It looks EXACTLY like our flight but we had less flame! I would say this admonishes any wrong doing on the flight crew. We followed a poor Russian design…I wash my hands of any wrong doing…   Read more»

A good amateur video, with sound, of the launch & crash//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl12dXYcUTo…make sure and watch until the end.

Hey Steve!Good to hear that the Western Slope is fun. This past week I managed to uncover all of the music files that I grabbed from your hard drive. That’s a ton of Southern Rock! I’ve been listening to your…   Read more»

When I saw that video this morning, I immediately thought that it looked eerily familiar……Obviously, though, our range safety officer Adrian (who programmed the electronics to not light stages 2 & 3 if things went wrong) is much more competent…   Read more»

The Russians must have been watching our MHM flight last year and decided to copy our technology//www.cnn.com/2013/07/02/world/europe/russia-rocket-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t2actually I think we did better .. 🙂 .. hope you’re well Bro, life on the Western Slope has been awesome! .. just no…   Read more»

The Russians must have been watching our MHM flight last year and decided to copy our technology//www.cnn.com/2013/07/02/world/europe/russia-rocket-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Actually, I think Bear was thinking Prefecture on the Western Slope. Tim Thomas and friends have discussed starting a NAR Charter and with the new relaxed rules, that probably will happen. Otherwise, and I don’t advocate this position, cowboy rocketrry…   Read more»