CATO LXXIII Launch Report - 16 March 2003
Sterling, CT

It was a beautiful day to be outside.  Bright sunny skys and temperatures climbing from about freezing at 8 AM up into  the high 50's by afternoon.  Unfortunately the warmth caused the remaining snow, ice, and frozen ground to rapidly turn into a soupy morass.  The launch was ended early (2 PM)  in order to get the cars out while we could.  Many still got stuck and had to be pushed, causing some unfortunate damage to the hay field and access road. We had 22 flyers make 54 flights. A total of 5,673 Ns were burned today.

Launch Photos

Photos by Jay Calvert
1)  Bill Dauphin and his LOC Warlock EXP, ready to go on an Aerotech J420 Redline reload.  Both halves of the rocket ended up in the trees, but both were recovered using the tree pole.
2) Jay Calvert and his PML Ariel, riged for dual deployment using a G-Wiz LC Deluxe accelerometer / altimeter.
3) There goes Jay's Ariel on a Cesaroni J330, on its way to 4300'.  Unfortunately the vehicle is MIA in the woods.  Len Haze's 4x upscale Mosquito (E9-4) can be seen in the foreground, and Bill's Warlock is waiting for launch in the background.


Photos by Jay Calvert
1)  Ross Tracey, igniter in mouth, hooks up his PML Ariel for his NAR level 1 certification attempt on a Cesaroni Pro38 H153-10.  The Ariel flew great, landed in a tree, was recovered using the tree pole, and Ross got his cert.  Congrats Ross!  Meanwhile, John Poulin studies the rapidly liquifying ground.  This can't be good!  Or maybe John is just doing his best imitation of The Monkey.
2) The Monkey, a.k.a. "Saddam Orang", complete with Iraqi flag.  Saddam was the target for today's Open Spot Landing contest.  Bombs Away!
3) Houston, we have a problem!  Bill Dauphin's "ZWACK" was loaded with seven motors: an Aerotech I211-10W reload as the central core motor, and six (6) Apogee F10 end-burning outboards.  As you can see, the I211W is not burning.  Under the power of the F10s only, ZWACK made a very slow and graceful arc over the field, hissing like a snake for 8 seconds, and eventually impacted Terra Firma (or Terra not-so-Firma, as the case may be).


Photos by Jay Calvert
1) Two guys named Chris Masullo, and a rocket named AMRAAM.  Chris the Elder (the one without the red hair) flew the PML AMRAAM-2 on a Cesaroni H153 for a sucessful NAR level 1 certification flight.  Congrats Chris!
2) Alex Immerman's NHS TARC team qualification attempt lifting off on a G64W to E9 combo, with two eggs and Adept altimeter on board.  The attempt did not go well.  On the left we see George Boulas' V2 (F20W) and Jay Calvert's Hang 13 (1/2A3-4T) in a floating head piston / tower combo.  On the right is Dan Brown's Fat Boy (A8-3), Devin Burt's Mongoose (A8-3), Ryan Tracey's Flash (C6-5), and Chris Masullo's AMRAAM-2 (H153).


Photos by Zachary Lau
Blast off assortment:
1) LOC IV on a White Lightning motor.
2) Ross Tracey's PML AMRAAM-2 off the rail, on an F50-6T Blue Thunder motor.
3) Zach Lau's Mini-Payloader.
4) Red and white rocket.
5) Fat Boy.
6) Orange and black rocket launches, R2D2 looks on.


Anyone wishing to contribute images please e-mail them to Jay Calvert

LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS and STATS:

Certifications:  An amazing five (5) NAR level one certification attempts today.
Shawn Forsythe / Intruder with dual deployment / I161W
Sanu Giri / PML Tethys / H153
Chris Masullo / PML AMRAAM-2 / H153
Chris Mikovits / LOC IV / H128W
Ross Tracey / PML Ariel / H153

Frequent Flyers: Chris Masullo and Dan Brown each made 5 flights. Zack Lau and Bill Dauphin each managed 4.

Clusters:  Bill Dauphin's ZWACK (I211W + 6 F10s).

Multi-Stage Flights: Two Team America Rocketry Challenge teams attempted 2-stage qualification flights (Alex Immerman's NHS team and the Hall High School team).  Both encounted problems.  The Hall HS team had an F50T to F50T combo fail to stage.  The impact broke the rocket and the altimeter (not to mention the eggs). Better luck next year!

Classic Kits:  Chris Masullo flew a vintage Estes Goblin on a B6-4.  A fin cracked on landing, but it should be an easy repair.

Motor CATOs:  None today

Other Notable Flights:  Zachary Lau made four flights today with his Mini Payload and a tiny altimeter on A3-4T and A10-3T motors.  Peter Lawall flew three altimeters in his "Last Minute Special" (F52T), while wife Jeannine flew a PerfectFlite miniAlt 15K WD in a Quest rocket (C6-5).  Rick Polzello flew his Predator on a Cesaroni J285 (hiding in the woods).  John Poulin launched his SAAB RB05 on an Aerotech I195 Blackjack for a great dual recovery flight.

Contests: Saddam Orang made a fine target.  Ulf Jonsson came closest (40'), and Peter Lawall came in second (90').

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