Alternate:

2 rockets. Combined mass of XYZ. One rocket must weigh twice the other rocket. Total motor impulse combined of XYZ/4. Combined altitude goal of XYZ*2. Each rocket much reach an altitude of XYZ/2.

Example.

2 rockets, combined mass of 500 grams. Total impulse both motors equals 125 NS. Altitude goal of 1000'. Each rocket must fly to 500'.

Both flights must occur same day.

Edward

Hmmm. Altitude with a cluster?? Do they all need to light at the same time?

There could be a few different ways of doing that one - but lots of risks to having non vertical flights, too.

All the motors in the cluster wouldn't HAVE to light, but clearly you lose impulse and still have a weight and diameter penalty. There are some interesting design choices- large diameter with lots of motors, or narrow diameter for less drag; fast burn motors for vertical boost, or slow burn for efficiency. But just getting coarse ideas now.

Altitude with fixed design and fixed motor. Everybody has the same rocket and uses the same motor. Similar to the old Single Shot Sweepstakes only with tight design restrictions as to length, diameter, nose, boat-tail (if any), fin shape/size.

This means that construction and finishing technique by the flyer will be the primary factor aside from flight conditions and luck that will determine the outcome of the contest.

This was a contest I long wanted to do when I was Contest Director.

just to chime in from the peanut gallery, I am so busy trying to figure out design, testing, and upgrades that a fun contest would be as simple as who gets highest to a specific altitude. Probably been done before I am sure, but that's where I am at. This year I had my first mile high flight. Boy did that feel good!

Altitude with fixed design and fixed motor. Everybody has the same rocket and uses the same motor. Similar to the old Single Shot Sweepstakes only with tight design restrictions as to length, diameter, nose, boat-tail (if any), fin shape/size.

This means that construction and finishing technique by the flyer will be the primary factor aside from flight conditions and luck that will determine the outcome of the contest.

Warren, were you thinking minimum diameter (for advanced builders) or would a larger diameter be OK (for broader audience)? Were you thinking of a Mid power motor, L1 motor, or L2 motor?

I'm open minded as to diameter, motor size, etc. Just so long as everyone flies the same design and same motor.

Personally, I'd go for a minimum diameter L2 project - say 54mm... and maybe a K185. That would put up some pretty impressive altitudes if the design were optimized, but that does limit the playing field. Best participation would be with a G motor, but L1 would probably have near as many participants.

Another way to do it would be to specify say, a 38mm or 54mm airframe and a 29mm motor. A reference design would be published after some discussion and everyone would essentially build THAT rocket.

In the end, how optimally you can build that design, optimize things like nose weight and total mass and how well you can finish the bird and launch it will determine the winner. Everyone is on a level playing field essentially, no matter what the design is. For that matter you could make it into a slew of competitions based on a selection of motors in each impulse class with a reference design for each.

I like the altitude contests, but we need to keep the motor size (cost) down to maximize participation. We would also need to pick an altimeter that all could use so that it's a rocket contest, not an altimeter contest.

I would kick in a few bucks toward a pool of NCR contest altimeters.

I like the altitude contests, but we need to keep the motor size (cost) down to maximize participation. We would also need to pick an altimeter that all could use so that it's a rocket contest, not an altimeter contest.

I would kick in a few bucks toward a pool of NCR contest altimeters.

That's a good idea, but let me ask if people are concerned about variation from one altimeter to another for a club contest. For argument's sake, if altimeters had a 2% error, would this be significant? How much precision error do we think there is in a single altimeter?

If we were to go with a set of one or two club altimeters, what do people think of a Jolly Logic Altimeter One?

I will donate a Jolly Logic One, if someone can find it. I lost it at the north site attached to a Mean Machine nose cone, headed southeast, when last seen. (LOL) It was not this year, so it will probably need re-charging!
BEAR 😆

It sort of tests the rocket build strength, the VMax that is. An H or I motor set to keep price down. Also need to check with Joe on availability of the motors in question.

It sort of tests the rocket build strength, the VMax that is. An H or I motor set to keep price down. Also need to check with Joe on availability of the motors in question.

So by this do you mean that you like the 2-motor combined altitude contest?

As I understand it, two predetermined motors in the same rocket. One a V-Max to test the build strength. I guess we need some rocket specs and I was thinking 38mm MT to keep pricing cheap.

I think we did this one a few years ago. Two launches of the same rocket to get the closest to 10,000 feet on the combined flights. You must call out both engines before the first launch and flights less than 1000 feet are disallowed.

No rocket design specs required.