So this year between the launch site conditions and then the weather this weekend, we'd have never had a successful launch. I was looking over my rocket schedule for next year and noticed that Oktoberfest would be mighty late next year. In the past we use Columbus Day to extend the event to 4 days. Next year that won't happen until October 14th. Also - how many people get Columbus Day off versus don't?
This got me thinking and I looked up the weather data for the closest station I could to the North Site, about 7 miles NNE of Nunn. It is about 2 miles south of the road we come in on from Highway 85. It confirmed what I thought. It gets colder the later in the year we go. 🙂 Actually, it was interesting, after about the week in October - you never really see a high temperature back in the 70's. I took data from 2003-2011 and averaged the daily high temperatures.
I made a chart located here:
http://www.alphahybrids.com/Media/NorthSiteWeather.pdf
Would it be possible to move Oktoberfest earlier by a couple weeks in September to get a better chance at good weather? I know that there still exists a rainy weekend in September, but it would help stack the odds in our favor of having better weather. I know after camping out last year in the snow, and then having snow on this weekend again this year I'd love to get better odds at having our fall launch. I know it would increase our risk of not having the launch due to dry conditions but we have those even now in October.
The launch might also conflict with BALLS, but I don't know what impact that would have on attendance. I would say that you'd lose a few people - as many people don't decide to go to BALLS at the last minute.
We could even do a Colorado double feature - Fall Frenzy one weekend, Oktoberfest the next weekend - mountains and the plains 🙂
Edward
Excellant thread starter Ed. NCR Launch weekend dates have traditionally been the first and/or second Saturday of each month, with exceptions in July because of the National Independence Day celebrations and September, because of Labor Day observations and a conflict with AIRFEST. NCR's goal has always been to provide a launch weekend that doesn't conflict with the other clubs/events in our region.
Current Land Use Permit requirements with the USFS require a Launch Calendar to be submitted by November 15th for the following year. I am starting the process of determining dates for 2013 events and am very open to suggestions/reccommendations. Futhermore, specific dates for "Windows" above our standing 20,000' AGL waiver at the North Site are requested by the folks at the FAA that handle our current waivers so discussion and decisions need to be made sooner rather than later. Nothing regarding launch dates has been officially decided as of yet.
Regarding May events - the thought is NCR's Pawnee Pioneer Open will happen over the Cinco de Mayo weekend and will be a Mini Mayhem as NCR has been asked to provide logistic and personnel support to SCORE when they host NSL over Memorial Day weekend - our normal MHM timeframe.
With NSL over MHM weekend it seems very unlikely to me to be able to have our launch that weekend. It would split the participants and vendors.
Would it be possible to schedule MHM 2013 For May 31 through June 2nd, and just have it be a 3 day launch. This would not push it back too far, and those attending Friday would get a nice short 3 day work week. I know the 4 days is nice, but either moving it earlier or later would be harder to coordinate with the surrounding launches. Moving it earlier in May also would have to deal with the uncertain weather.
As for Oktoberfest - maybe we could also do that as a 3 day launch, again taking a Friday through Monday. Possible weekends in September are 9/13-15, 9/20-22, 9/27-29. As for the July launch - that one we always take our chances with because of launch site conditions, but being able to know the dates of the bigger launches, especially with NSL coming to SCORE this year would be beneficial for schedule planning.
Edward
I guess my mind is not working correctly becasue I do not seem to recall what NSL is and how that is relating to our club launches?
NSL is NAR's National Sport Launch, conducted on that weekend every year. It moves around the country and tends to draw people from around the country as well.
Maybe it would be good to contact the membership via the NCR e-mail to let them know of the changes to MHM and solicit input. Seems like these forums are pretty slow.
Edward
Unfortunately we do have quite a few members who either don't have email or our email list is outdated. That said, the forums are largely populated by a relatively small group of active members. This has come up quite a few times since this website was rolled out and we never found a good solution to the mass contact quandary.
As for shortening MHM and O-fest, I think that might be a good idea given we have a relatively limited pool of volunteers to rely on to run things and with Joe being the motor guy, he's certainly swamped as it is.
The unfortunate thing is the necessity of setting the calender in stone in November, but with the membership not being able to vote on it until January.
Hold the meeting in October or early Nov so that the schedule can be decided on and submitted in November. October is really the end of the regular season and then the launches move to the Atlas site. I don't think there is any rules about when we hold elections, Nov is good for the country, should be good for us too.
I agree, and in the Chicago style, vote often!
(This was said while lying in bed recovering from the flu while suffering from great boredom and seeking any form of good entertainment that could be had.)
Good point James. I think it is just tradition that NCR holds the annual meeting in the beginning of January. Joe, what do you say to that?
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