I've been thinking about the Alphabet and how it hasn't allowed as many players as intended. So now I'm thinking maybe it needs to be an Alphabet Clone Contest, where for each number of the alphabet letter contestants need to fly that many successful flights to move up. So three flights for a C motor, 5 flights for an E motor, etc., starting with A. Then if the contestant screws up, either a new entry fee or half priced re-entry. We've also discussed a Mulligan flight for a price to be determined, with a limit of one or unlimited or something along those lines. Haven't thought out all the details but I'm working on it.

One contest that was discussed at the meeting that I thought was cool was the Icarus contest. Closest to 2010 feet. That allowed for a ton of different motors and airframes. I think that one had potential to get a lot of people active since pretty much anyone could have entered it. Maybe a lower entry fee on it like 5 bucks and kick another buck in per flight or something. Just an idea.

Also, maybe we could have a whiteboard setup at the launches with a list of the contests and a little blurb about them/status for people that don't make the meeting. Seems like a lot of people had no idea what the contests were for the year.

I myself really, really want to see the upscale contest that has been talked about for the past few years.

Until then Ill patiently wait. 😀

Joe, I like the new rules for the alphabet contest! It will make it really hard to even get close to M or K for that matter. Those rules keep the contest more competitive and certainly allows more opportunity for lower power fliers as well.

Any interest in a "class" altitude contest? Sailboat, sailplane, and car races typically have classes where the form of the vehicle is defined by limits- it has to weigh so much or be no shorter/longer than a certain dimension. You could then allow any motor up till a certain impulse, or have the motor unlimited.

Consider this- a rocket of minimum length of 1 meter (39.2 inches), minimum diameter of 40mm (1.6 inches) and fin span of 140mm (5.5 inches). Maximum impulse 159.9 Newtons. This should just about top out at a mile high (would be a nice contest for MHM). There are several 38 and 29mm motors that would allow motor ejection, or a deployment altimeter could be used. Velocity would be just under supersonic, but would be high enough to really test construction quality.

There are several kit models that would be competitive or could be easily modified. Mongoose 38, Blackhawk 38, Madcow Screech and Screech XL, LOC Weasel, etc. Of course you could design your own as long as it met the class criteria.

This seems like an interesting enough challenge for advanced rocketeers but straightforward enough for a non- L1 newbie. It also keeps it low enough (if you can call 1 mile "low") that radio tracking is optional.

So what do people think about a 1 mile 1 meter class altitude contest for 2011? Might be a nice compliment to the alphabet contest which emphasizes robustness.

... and I really like the whiteboard idea posted above.