Excellent question!

Would airstarts or upper stages be allowed?

-Ken

"The use of sparking or "skidmark" - generating engine propellants is not permitted." from page 6 of 7 Exhibit C Standards for Operations Recreation Event. That said, skids or sparkies or spitfires or dragon's breath propellants can still be used/flown at the SCORE site in Pueblo and at the Tripoli Colorado site in Hartsel. And at lots of other locations as well- Hellfire, Black Rock, sod farms, et cetera - just not at NCR launches on the Pawnee National Grassland.

Thanks Joe. I can understand and respect their position. It's just kind of a bummer cuz those big skids really attracted a crowd when they flew. Guess it gives me a good excuse to try out the Hartsel site this year.

I sense a resurgence in smokies for hi-visibility dynamic ignitions. 8)

-Ken

Please! - no efforts to increase the use of smoky motors, whether white or black or any other color. One predominant element in all AP exhaust breaks down as Hydrochloric Acid and I for one don't like breathing AP exhaust no matter what. More of it is not better and smoke is no substitute for flaming titanium chunks.

From a perspective of an LCO, heavy smoke plumes are a major safety issue as a large smoke plume wafting across the flight line can make it impossible to see the bird in flight.

This isn't a pyro exhibition or a fireworks show - it's a rocketry club. If you really like sparkies or heavy smoke, there are plenty of other places to fly them.

Warren

It is a rocketry club and different things float different people's boats. I loved Doug G's sparky slo mo videos and the big smokey sam's are great to. I say fly what makes you happy!

Edward

I just like having a higher visibility plume for airstarts or upper stages. Just gives a visual confirmation. Call me a knob, but I like the sights and sounds as much as achieving performance goals.

-Ken

I was under the impression that Smokey Sams use Zinc Dust for the smoke and not an excess of AP. But, I'm not the formula guy and have to go by what I have on file...
I personally like skidmarks and smokeys. To each their own, if it's not fun, it's not worth doing.

PS, I've never felt comfortable with the skidmarks at Pawnee, too much grasses to burn when I've been there.

I personally like skidmarks and smokeys.

They dont do any thing for me. 😕

"Skidmarks always sounds like somthing that happens at the toilet, when your intestines are not working quite right" ! 😉

Yes I know, its lower than the gutter. Its in the sewer. 🙂

I personally like skidmarks and smokeys.

They dont do any thing for me. 😕

"Skidmarks always sounds like somthing that happens at the toilet, when your intestines are not working quite right" ! 😉

Yes I know, its lower than the gutter. Its in the sewer. 🙂

Hey.... I just figured out where the name comes from! 😀

Whole nother meaning to fire in the hole.

Don't get me wrong, I like Skidmarks, I just don't like them where we fly for the aforementioned reasons of fire danger. Unless the ground is snow covered or it is actively raining, I just don't trust them. I have a couple skids in my magazine - they've been sitting there since Jim Amos sold out all his AMW stock. Got a great deal, just need to go somewhere appropriate to fly them.

As for smokey motors, I just don't like breathing AP smoke, no matter what the composition of the smoke additive. ALL AP propellant exhaust forms hydrochloric acid on contact with moisture - in particular mucous membranes like the lining of your lungs, your nose, your mouth, etc... The more of it there is, the less I like breathing it. More immediately dangerous is the loss of clear line of sight to the bird while under boost when the smoke plume drifts over the LCO table and the flight line. I have some smokey motors (CTI Smokey Sams and AT Black Jacks plus the aforementioned Skidmarks). I only fly them when the wind is from the West at the North Site.

As said, to each their own.

W

2 points-Scott

almost shot orange juice out my nose, haha

2 points-Scott

almost shot orange juice out my nose, haha

Scott's always good for that.

I suspect the only good spot around here is the Atlas site on a calm day so the sparks stay around the concrete. Other than that, I personally wouldn't fly one anywhere up here. South maybe....
Are we all just bored?