Doug Gerrard

Yes I went digital a long time ago.  I use about 20 to 30 cameras depending on circumstances.  I’m not sure how many I’ll have at Oktoberfest but in that range I suspect.  You can checkout some videos come of…   Read more»

I prefer the Sony Action Cameras for my on board rocket camera.  I stopped using the GoPros some time ago.  The Sony's are about the same size as this one (sticking out of the rocket) but the older models (with…   Read more»

We now have editing capabilities but I do not see a method to delete posts that are not longer applicable.Doug 

In case it wasn't obvious, the camera is loaded from inside the body tube.  Here is a shot of the cowling before it was installed on the body tube. 

This image may give you a better idea how aerodynamic the cowling is.

Lets try this again.  Here is a shot of the cowlings and the mold they were made from.Here is a close up of the inside mounting of the camera.and a shot with the camera mounted inside. The Camera Housing was…   Read more»

Here is the footage from its last flight (with a different paint job). Feature Presentations GoPro camera looking aft: https://vimeo.com/110331442Here is the shot of Feature Presentations Sony camera looking out from nose cone: https://vimeo.com/110331443 

With the wide angle lens of the GoPro, the mirror would have to be just about as big as the camera.  I designed and built a very aerodynamic cowling to mount the GoPro in and it works very well. 

You mean like this?http://www.giantleaprocketry.com/products/components_recovery.aspx#FireballNo I haven’t tried it.

Doug – glad to hear you are coming up! Will you be doing Friday night movie night again? Maybe you can bring Art out of the woodwork and to a launch :)EdwardNo movies this time, I’ll be too busy shooting…   Read more»

Hmmmm… Joe, can you say Saturn V?

Hi Ed, I tried to send you a pm and an e-mail but nothing seems to be going through. Could you please send me your updated contact info? Thanks,Doug

Thanks Ed, I’ve already promised Joe I would record his L3 cert when he is ready but he’s been too busy to get his rocket ready by Oktoberfest. The Saturn V would be very cool!Doug

Hi John,Thanks for your interest, I sent you a pm with some of the details. For anyone else that may also be interested, I am still working on my web site but if you would like to see examples of…   Read more»

how much real difference is there in the final product if you go from say 10″ to 20″ of vacuum?Not that much. As you pointed out normally I draw as much vacuum as I can. However, there have been cases…   Read more»

Doug, Most excellant to read you’re planning on attending MHM. Not to hijack this thead but I’m pretty sure Ed and I would like to loft the Saturn V again from your awesome pad.Joe, I sent you a pm to…   Read more»

I’m pretty sure Ed and I would like to loft the Saturn V again from your awesome pad.

I don’t know, the pad will likely have be too far away from the flight line like last time.Doug

Steve and all,I plan on attending MHM with my complete launch pad set up that I am upgrading to all digital video cameras. I plan on having over a dozen cameras on the launch pad and surrounding mounts. I have…   Read more»

Nobody spends hundred or thousands of dollars building a highly technical rocket unless they are trying to set some type of record! Sorry to disagree with you but this statement is completely wrong and shows how media influences perceptions. It…   Read more»

It worked great until I got into vacuum bagging and the whole rotisserie idea went out the window. It wasn’t possible to build a vacuum-tight oven box and there was no way to deal with the twisting of the vacuum…   Read more»

We used to re-work refrigerators and change the thermostats, add a heating element, and we then had an oven for baking speaking of using a old refrigerator as an oven, there are many used refrigerators up for auction at Ft….   Read more»