HPR article in yesterday's Chicago Tribune
Bob Kaplow
Appetite for propulsion
With solid rocket fuel and a lust for thrust, an extreme hobby launches
itself onto the radar of the feds
By Mike Anton
Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
January 18, 2008
LUCERNE VALLEY, Calif.
The pickup with "Official Rocket Recovery Vehicle" on its side bounced
across the rutted dry lake bed kicking up silt. Andy Tryon glanced over his
shoulder at his baby cradled in back. In a few minutes, his crew would
gently place the Desert Hawk on the launch pad and arm it with an igniter.
Showtime and Tryon was nervous.
The rocket represented three months of labor. He needed to solve the
engineering flaw that doomed the Desert Hawk's three previous launches. The
camouflage paint job alone took two weeks. On the rocket's fins were
inspirational quotes from the Bible, Shakespeare, the heavy metal band Molly
Hatchet and the theme song from the television show "Star Trek: Enterprise."
"There's a heck of a lot of trial and error in this hobby," said Tryon, a
41-year-old from Victorville, Calif., who drives a forklift for Wal-Mart.
"We refer to it as the bug. Either it bites you or it doesn't. But when it
bites, it bites in a big way. Did for me."
Tryon's goal is to make a name for himself in the competitive world of model
rocketry. If that conjures up images of a junior high science fair, think
again.
The Desert Hawk is 10 feet tall and weighs 126 pounds. Launching it required
high-altitude clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration. It's
fueled by a mixture of ammonium perchlorate and synthetic rubber; known as
APCP, it's essentially what powers the space shuttle.
What was once a simple boyhood hobby spawned by the Cold War's space race
has transformed into extreme rocketry, a subculture dominated by middle-age
men.
"The final result of all the work is that you light a motor and there's a
big old bunch of noise, smoke and flames," said Richard "Wedge" Oldham, who
lives in the San Fernando Valley and builds replicas of vintage Cold War
missiles. "That appeals to guys."
ATF calling
It also got the attention of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives. In recent years, the bureau has tightened
regulations on the purchase and storage of APCP, which it classifies as an
explosive. Even small amounts of APCP can require a federal permit and a
background check.
Heightened scrutiny since Sept. 11, 2001, threatens to affix training wheels
to the hobby, said Ken Good, president of the Tripoli Rocketry Association,
which along with another group has been locked in an eight-year court battle
with the agency.
"What's going to happen when an 18-year-old tells his parents, 'I've got a
new hobby, but I've got to get a low explosive user's permit and, oh, by the
way, the ATF is going to inspect our house to make sure it's being stored
properly,'" Good said. "The kid's parents are going to say: 'Gee, can you
find another hobby?'"
Or as Oldham put it, "The ATF is worried that someone could use these things
as a weapon. We're lucky if we can hit the sky."
Oldham, a wiry 50-year-old with steel blue eyes and a habit for Marlboro
Reds, is well known among extreme rocketeers. ("Wedge is somebody I'd aspire
to," Tryon said.) He is among fewer than 100 rocket builders who tackle
projects big enough to warrant attention at international events such as the
annual Large and Dangerous Rocket Ships convention and the revealingly named
BALLS launch in Nevada's Black Rock Desert.
He also was among scores of rocketeers who gathered in November at the
federally managed Lucerne Dry Lake east of Victorville for the biannual
ROCstock, an event sponsored by the Rocketry Organization of California.
As Tryon readied the Desert Hawk for launch, Oldham drew a crowd simply by
displaying a motor he used recently to propel a 700-pound model of a Nike
Ajax missile -- without a warhead, of course -- to a height of 14,740 feet
in 30 seconds.
'Totally enthralled'
Oldham stumbled onto extreme rocketry like many of his peers did -- in
middle age when he introduced his childhood hobby to his teen son.
"As a kid in the early '60s, when the U.S. got into the space race, I was
totally enthralled," he said. "Eventually the Navy and girls got in the
way." Unbeknownst to Oldham, model rocketry had super-sized in the
intervening years. It was no longer just a kid's game. His son grew bored
with rockets. Oldham grew more intense.
"I wake up thinking about rockets and I go to bed thinking about rockets,"
said Oldham, a software engineer who keeps three framed photos of his most
beloved projects on an office shelf where others might have family pictures.
"It's not a hobby. It's a passion and obsession."
It's Tryon's obsession, too, and on this day he launched his Desert Hawk,
pressing a button that sent an electrical charge to the Desert Hawk and
ignited its fuel. Thick black smoke spewed from the rocket's tail. It
lurched from the desert floor and roared into the atmosphere
"Go, baby, go!" Tryon said.
- - -
Want a missile?
Get a mortgage
Richard "Wedge" Oldham's Nike Ajax missile cost him $10,000- $8,000 from a
refinancing of his home. His next project, a 45-foot-long replica of a Nike
Hercules, will cost twice as much. "It'll go supersonic. About Mach 1.1,''
Oldham said. 'I don't know where the money is going to come from. I just
know I'm going to build it."
Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune
--
Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L >>> To reply, there's no internet on Mars (yet)! <<<
Kaplow Klips & Baffle: http://www.nira-rocketry.org/Document/Phantom4000.pdf
www.encompasserve.org/~kaplow_r/ www.nira-rocketry.org www.nar.org
Sir, if I was building a weapon of mass destruction,
you wouldn't be able to find it.
Roger Smith
> things
> as a weapon. We're lucky if we can hit the sky."
Nice quote. :-)
> Richard "Wedge" Oldham's Nike Ajax missile cost him $10,000- $8,000 from a
> refinancing of his home.
Now, I don't feel so bad about the $150 motor casing I lost last week.
Thanks, Wedge! :-)
-- Roger
http://www.payloadbay.com/
Harry B.
news:NKptHU...@eisner.encompasserve.org...
> www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-rocketmenjan18,0,4435685.story
>
> Appetite for propulsion
>
> With solid rocket fuel and a lust for thrust, an extreme hobby launches
> itself onto the radar of the feds
>
> By Mike Anton
>
> Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
>
> January 18, 2008
>
> LUCERNE VALLEY, Calif.
>
Here's the article with a few pics on the LA Times site.
"Rocket science fills their spare time - Los Angeles Times"
By Mike Anton, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer - January 18, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rocketeer18jan18,0,4932530.story
Darrell D. Mobley
>> Richard "Wedge" Oldham's Nike Ajax missile cost him $10,000- $8,000 from a
>> refinancing of his home.
>
> Now, I don't feel so bad about the $150 motor casing I lost last week.
> Thanks, Wedge! :-)
I applaud people's commitment to their hobby, but isn't this a bit of a
reach? An $8,000 2nd mortgage, 10 years at 5% would result in $84.85
monthly payments with a total of $2182.29 of interest. Why pay all that
interest for the next 10 or so years to launch a rocket? And I thought
using credit cards was a bad idea, but I guess he can write the interest
off...
--
At first there was just one planet. And then there were two...
Rocketry Planet (http://www.rocketryplanet.com) and now Our Planet
(http://our.rocketryplanet.com)!
Alan Jones
Kaplow) wrote:
>www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-rocketmenjan18,0,4435685.story
>
>Appetite for propulsion
>
>With solid rocket fuel and a lust for thrust, an extreme hobby launches
>itself onto the radar of the feds
>
>By Mike Anton
>"There's a heck of a lot of trial and error in this hobby," said Tryon, a
>41-year-old from Victorville, Calif., who drives a forklift for Wal-Mart.
Ah yes, HPR, the hobby of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers. ;) What ever
happened to the image of geeks honing their technical skills?
>Tryon's goal is to make a name for himself in the competitive world of model
>rocketry.
A worthy goal, perhaps, but he seems a bit off track.
>What was once a simple boyhood hobby spawned by the Cold War's space race
>has transformed into extreme rocketry, a subculture dominated by middle-age
>men.
Isn't Extreme Rocketry just the name of a rag? The hobby/sport is
High Power Rocketry, HPR. It's not a subculture, its a hobby.
>Heightened scrutiny since Sept. 11, 2001, threatens to affix training wheels
>to the hobby, said Ken Good, president of the Tripoli Rocketry Association,
>which along with another group has been locked in an eight-year court battle
>with the agency.
In the space wasted with "another group", "the NAR" should have been
used.
>Richard "Wedge" Oldham's Nike Ajax missile cost him $10,000- $8,000 from a
>refinancing of his home. His next project, a 45-foot-long replica of a Nike
>Hercules, will cost twice as much. "It'll go supersonic. About Mach 1.1,''
>Oldham said. 'I don't know where the money is going to come from. I just
>know I'm going to build it."
Wedge should recheck his math, and find a new financial advisor.
>Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune
rokkits
>
>> "There's a heck of a lot of trial and error in this hobby," said Tryon, a
>> 41-year-old from Victorville, Calif., who drives a forklift for Wal-Mart.
>
> Ah yes, HPR, the hobby of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers. ;) What ever
> happened to the image of geeks honing their technical skills?
>
>
>
HPR is largely just another manifestation of "small dick syndrome".
W. E. Fred Wallace
>
>
> HPR is largely just another manifestation of "small dick syndrome".
Speak for yourself...(:-)
§
Your just *afraid* of HPR.
Ted Novak
TRA#5512
IEAS#75
edbedb
Its a very perceptive observation, which is proven every ime Fred posts.
Gonna' beat somebody up. Fred?
§
Instead of being a butthead why don't you post something rocketry
related to this newsgroup, rec.models.rockets?
Ted Novak
TRA#5512
IEAS#75
rokkits
.....rrriiigggghhhhttttt........
§
> § wrote:
>> rokkits wrote:
>>> Alan Jones wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> "There's a heck of a lot of trial and error in this hobby," said
>>>>> Tryon, a
>>>>> 41-year-old from Victorville, Calif., who drives a forklift for
>>>>> Wal-Mart.
>>>>
>>>> Ah yes, HPR, the hobby of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers. ;) What ever
>>>> happened to the image of geeks honing their technical skills?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> HPR is largely just another manifestation of "small dick syndrome".
>>
>> Your just *afraid* of HPR.
>>
>
>
I knew it!
Ted Novak
TRA#5512
IEAS#75
W. E. Fred Wallace
Ed,
The only fact sadder than your ignorance, is your inability to recognize
the fact...(:-( Can't you understand a joke when you read??
Fred
Eekamouse
>
> HPR is largely just another manifestation of "small dick syndrome".
As opposed to trolling, a symptom of "no dick syndrome".
rokkits
§
That you have no dick? That's kinda being hard on ones self, don't you
think?
Ted Novak
TRA#5512
IEAS#75
Darrell D. Mobley
> Instead of being a butthead why don't you post something rocketry
> related to this newsgroup, rec.models.rockets?
You're making the assumption he knows something rocketry related.
Darrell D. Mobley
> That you have no dick? That's kinda being hard on ones self, don't you
> think?
Honesty can be hard.
rokkits
> § wrote:
>
>> That you have no dick? That's kinda being hard on ones self, don't
>> you think?
>
> Honesty can be hard.
>
Yeah, honesty.
Like allowing the unregulated sale of motors for years with your full
knowledge?
That honesty?
plano-doug
> >[article by] Mike Anton
> It's not a subculture, its a hobby.
Yeah, but Mr Anton spent four years in journalism school. It's not
sufficient to describe us; he must add a label, and the more
hyperbolic, the better.
So, if we're a subculture, what are tongue-speaking snakehandlers?
(besides nuts)
> In the space wasted with "another group", "the NAR" should
> have been used.
I thought that, too.
> Wedge should recheck his math, and find a new financial
> advisor.
Maybe that's how he gets a big refund check :)
Doug
.
Darrell D. Mobley
> Yeah, honesty.
>
> Like allowing the unregulated sale of motors for years with your full
> knowledge?
>
> That honesty?
I am not a cop, nor do I play one on the Internet. It is up to the
individuals involved in the transactions to make sure they are following
applicable local, state and federal laws. I no more "allowed" the
unregulated sale of motors than your local newspaper allows the
unregulated sale of guns. But who is the appropriate party to be held
accountable? The person selling the motor? The person buying the
motor? Using your logic, they are not at fault, I am. Now if you want
to show me one example where I said, "Pssst! Want to buy a restricted
motor? Give me your money and I'll get one for you," then you may have
a point. Until then, that was really weak. Seriously, was that your
best shot?
rokkits
> rokkits wrote:
>
>> Yeah, honesty.
>>
>> Like allowing the unregulated sale of motors for years with your full
>> knowledge?
>>
>> That honesty?
>
> I am not a cop, nor do I play one on the Internet. It is up to the
> individuals involved in the transactions to make sure they are following
> applicable local, state and federal laws. I no more "allowed" the
> unregulated sale of motors than your local newspaper allows the
> unregulated sale of guns. But who is the appropriate party to be held
> accountable? The person selling the motor? The person buying the
> motor? Using your logic, they are not at fault, I am. Now if you want
> to show me one example where I said, "Pssst! Want to buy a restricted
> motor? Give me your money and I'll get one for you," then you may have
> a point. Until then, that was really weak. Seriously, was that your
> best shot?
>
Sorry Darrell, but your take is the weak one.
Exculpatory statements just don't cut the mustard.
You had full knowledge of what was going on.
W. E. Fred Wallace
Why do you care, one way or another???
Big Habeeb (a.k.a. Mitch)
> Darrell D. Mobley cried his eyes out to his momma babbling:
>
> - Show quoted text -
Darrel does not have a fuckign clue on most anything, why give the
fucktard credit for knowing anyhting here either.Once a fucktard
always a fucktard.Want Proof.look at Tweak and Freddie
Wallace...............
W. E. Fred Wallace
>
> Darrel does not have a fuckign clue on most anything, why give the
> fucktard credit for knowing anyhting here either.Once a fucktard
> always a fucktard.
I see you are still having trouble with your spell checker; or is the
booze and crack pipe clouding your moronic brain??? (:-)
ddmobley
> Sorry Darrell, but your take is the weak one.
>
> Exculpatory statements just don't cut the mustard.
>
> You had full knowledge of what was going on.
So sue me, dickhead.
ddmobley
> I see you are still having trouble with your spell checker; or is the
> booze and crack pipe clouding your moronic brain??? (:-)
Brain!?!?
Markum
"ddmobley" <dmo...@rocketryplanet.com> wrote in message
news:6698b851-bc58-452a...@m34g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
Alan Jones
<new...@keslers.removethistosend.net> wrote:
>In article <rk57p3hh872esq5f5...@4ax.com>,
>ala...@nospam.mchsi.com says...
>
>>
>> Ah yes, HPR, the hobby of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers. ;) What ever
>> happened to the image of geeks honing their technical skills?
>>
>
>
>Don't bother with a wink, anyone who has been here is familiar with your
>opinions regarding HPR and it's participants.
Seriously, there is nothing wrong with fork lift drivers. In fact,
that was one of the skills that helped my pay for my Aero. E. degree.
Nevertheless, I take an interest in the image of sport rocketry
portrayed by the press.
Just to stir things up a bit: Most of us are not happy with the
"toyification" of model rocketry. We prefer the glory days when model
rocketry was a scientific educational pursuit of serious minded
modelers. In fact, many of the HPR crowd were attracted to HPR, in
part, to distance themselves from the MR image of kids and their toys.
Those HPR folks must be annoyed to see the lofty HPR portrayed as a
trial and error endeavor of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers with
questionable financial management skills.
It's going to -15 Deg. F. tonight. A little heat please.
Alan
Alan Jones
months]. First, second and third defendants never went out of the
house together [some one always being on guard]. Last year Tai-Ku
and A-Neung told me that I should have to go to San Francisco.
This year I was again told that I was going to San Francisco. I
said I did not want to go. Tai-Ku then beat me." Another girl
only 19 years old, married about four years, declared that in
consequence of a quarrel between herself and another wife of her
husband, he sold her to Sz-Shan, fifth defendant, for $81, who
brought her from Tamshui by steamer to Hong Kong, and took her to
A-Neung's house, where she was being held for sale. She finished
her testimony thus: "Several men have been up to the house to see
me. They were going to buy me if they liked me." A letter was
produced by the Inspector, which he found in A-Neung's house, from
Canton to the writer's sister-in-law in Hong Kong, urging that as
the owner had lost money on the "present cargoes," a higher price
must be set on them and the sale hastened, as soon as the letter
should arrive, and word returned that they had been disposed of;
also directing that "after the transaction, one cue-tassel and one
shirting trouser" were to be taken back and sent to Canton by the
hand of a friend at first opportunity. (This as a pledge of good
faith.)
A-Neung, first defendant, declared that she was "a widow,
supported by her son-in-law now in California. Mine is a family
house. The girls are visitors at my house." The second defendant,
Tai-Ku, daughter o
Gus
> Those HPR folks must be annoyed to see the lofty HPR portrayed as a
> trial and error endeavor of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers with
> questionable financial management skills.
>
"lofty HPR"
If you mean lofty in terms of "beer lofting" - yes
If you mean lofty in the sense of higher educational pursuit - ROFL !!
Phil Stein
wrote:
>
>In the space wasted with "another group", "the NAR" should have been
>used.
>
Check the specifics of the rocket and then check to see if "the NAR"
would allow a flight like the one in the article. If you don't want
to check, I will simply say that NAR will not allow launching a rocket
like that at one of their launches. I'll also tell you that those
policies are why more NAR Sections are switching to dual affiliations
or only affiliating with TRA.
>Wedge should recheck his math, and find a new financial advisor.
It beats gambling and drug addictions.
Phil Stein
wrote:
I agree that no one could ever learn anything when they're involved
with the garbage I've seen you fly. I'd say yours are in the
complexity re age between a toilet paper roll with a rocket motor and
a match with aluminum foil wrapped around it.
Gus
wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:44:35 -0800 (PST), Gus <rokk...@hotmail.com>
Truth hurts, eh Phil?
Darrell D. Mobley
> rokkits wrote:
>>
>> Exculpatory statements just don't cut the mustard.
>>
>> You had full knowledge of what was going on.
>
>
> Why do you care, one way or another???
He's the only one that does care.
Wedge Oldham
Wedge Oldham
"Roger Smith" <roger@ns_jadebox.com> wrote in message
news:13p4gb8...@corp.supernews.com...
>> Or as Oldham put it, "The ATF is worried that someone could use these
>> things
>> as a weapon. We're lucky if we can hit the sky."
>
> Nice quote. :-)
>
>> Richard "Wedge" Oldham's Nike Ajax missile cost him $10,000- $8,000 from
>> a
>> refinancing of his home.
>
> Now, I don't feel so bad about the $150 motor casing I lost last week.
> Thanks, Wedge! :-)
>
> -- Roger
> http://www.payloadbay.com/
>
>
Alan Jones
<PSt...@ArielSystems.spamsks.net> wrote:
>On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:08:38 GMT, Alan Jones <ala...@nospam.mchsi.com>
>wrote:
>
>>
>>In the space wasted with "another group", "the NAR" should have been
>>used.
>>
>Check the specifics of the rocket and then check to see if "the NAR"
>would allow a flight like the one in the article. If you don't want
>to check, I will simply say that NAR will not allow launching a rocket
>like that at one of their launches. I'll also tell you that those
>policies are why more NAR Sections are switching to dual affiliations
>or only affiliating with TRA.
Perhaps, but "another group" was a specific reference to another group
co-suing the BATFE.
>
>>Wedge should recheck his math, and find a new financial advisor.
>
>It beats gambling and drug addictions.
And it may keep him off the streets and out of gangs, but that is
still faint praise for HPR. At least with gambling he'd have a chance
of not burning his money.
Alan
Alan Jones
<new...@keslers.removethistosend.net> wrote:
>In article <1bsfp3pme71dkvlvg...@4ax.com>,
>ala...@nospam.mchsi.com says...
>> On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:43:27 -0500, Tweak
>> <new...@keslers.removethistosend.net> wrote:
>>
>> >In article <rk57p3hh872esq5f5...@4ax.com>,
>> >ala...@nospam.mchsi.com says...
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Ah yes, HPR, the hobby of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers. ;) What ever
>> >> happened to the image of geeks honing their technical skills?
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >Don't bother with a wink, anyone who has been here is familiar with your
>> >opinions regarding HPR and it's participants.
>>
>> Seriously, there is nothing wrong with fork lift drivers. In fact,
>> that was one of the skills that helped my pay for my Aero. E. degree.
>> Nevertheless, I take an interest in the image of sport rocketry
>> portrayed by the press.
>>
>> Just to stir things up a bit: Most of us are not happy with the
>> "toyification" of model rocketry. We prefer the glory days when model
>> rocketry was a scientific educational pursuit of serious minded
>> modelers.
>
>"Most of us"? "We"? Who knew you were so adept at sly humor? Gassaway
>has said you don't speak for the NAR, so who are these 3 people for whom
>you speak? As to that last sentence I'll take the called strike, it's
>just too easy.
That's lame, picking on "us" and "we". What is so special about "3"
people? Is that supposed to be the majority of real RMR participants
now? It is true that I don't speak for the NAR, but I do on occasion
speak for myself and comment on my hobby of sport rocketry. At least
you have the guts to admit that you are the mouthpiece for Gassaway.
You could have easily misinterpreted my use of "toyification", and
used it to paint me with ugly colors.
>
>> In fact, many of the HPR crowd were attracted to HPR, in
>> part, to distance themselves from the MR image of kids and their toys.
>> Those HPR folks must be annoyed to see the lofty HPR portrayed as a
>> trial and error endeavor of Wal-Mart fork lift drivers with
>> questionable financial management skills.
>>
>Annoyed? Not at all. Where you view this individual with disdain I see
>enthusiasm, determination and excitement. Could he be more intelligent
>and/or wise with his choices and methodology? Certainly, but that
>applies to all of us in on way or another. It even applies to
>individuals who would rather rocketry remain the purview of 72 "serious
>minded modelers", and not allow "everyman" to participate.
I do not view him with disdain, except to the extent that the author
chose this person, and not another, to be the focus of his article.
Ny disdain is only for the author. As a past NAR section president I
valued the diversity of rocketeers and theirs sills. I valued the
welder as much as the electrical engineer. I do admire Tyron's
enthusiasm; he just seems a bit over committed. This suggests that he
may not be entirely responsible, and I think people with explosive
permits should be entirely responsible. I have not met Tyron, and I
would not want to judge him on the basis of the article. I do think
that when the author focused on Tyron, he was not presenting a
particularly good or representative image of HPR participants.
>> It's going to -15 Deg. F. tonight. A little heat please.
>> Alan
>
>
>You'll have to do better than that, as the above didn't even cause me to
>lift from my slouch. I am afraid we no longer have critical mass for a
>good, old fashioned barn burning, anyway. :-(
That's true. Thanks for playing along. Don't bother to get up.
Alan
Phil Stein
wrote:
>On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:03:30 -0500, Phil Stein
><PSt...@ArielSystems.spamsks.net> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:08:38 GMT, Alan Jones <ala...@nospam.mchsi.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>In the space wasted with "another group", "the NAR" should have been
>>>used.
>>>
>>Check the specifics of the rocket and then check to see if "the NAR"
>>would allow a flight like the one in the article. If you don't want
>>to check, I will simply say that NAR will not allow launching a rocket
>>like that at one of their launches. I'll also tell you that those
>>policies are why more NAR Sections are switching to dual affiliations
>>or only affiliating with TRA.
>
>Perhaps, but "another group" was a specific reference to another group
>co-suing the BATFE.
>
>>
>>>Wedge should recheck his math, and find a new financial advisor.
>>
>>It beats gambling and drug addictions.
>
>And it may keep him off the streets and out of gangs, but that is
>still faint praise for HPR. At least with gambling he'd have a chance
>of not burning his money.
>
>Alan
See if you understand this - People can spend their money any way they
like without some stranger sticking his nose in. I'm glad that Wedge
and other HPR enthusiasts (you do not seem to be one) can enjoy
themselves doing it anyway they seem fit. How he or anyone else
chooses to finance a project is neither any of your nor any of my
business.
Should I see if I get your approval next time I buy a new house? I
suppose it should be a specific size and not to fancy.
Personally, I enjoy seeing, hearing about, flying and discussing big
projects. I thank Wedge and many others for making that possible.
Phil
Wedge Oldham
you're welcome.
For anyone who's interested in seeing what's next, you can check out
http://NikeProject.com
Wedge Oldham
"Phil Stein" <PSt...@ArielSystems.spamsks.net> wrote in message
news:0njnp3drdhmhio1l9...@4ax.com...
Wedge Oldham
article. I'll admit that I committed a grave error in chatting with Mike
Anton the reporter who wrote the article. When asked "How did you pay for
that rocket?", I should have said "My personal finances are .....personal".
There does seem to be a large number of people who like the projects I've
flown. I've noticed quite a few people who placed links on their websites
point to my projects. I've also seen a number of websites adorned with
pictures of my projects.
But this is the first time I've ever seen a critique of how I pay for them.
Wedge
"Darrell D. Mobley" <dmo...@rocketryplanet.com> wrote in message
news:xumdnVni2bM4AQ_a...@comcast.com...
> Roger Smith wrote:
>
>>> Richard "Wedge" Oldham's Nike Ajax missile cost him $10,000- $8,000 from
>>> a
>>> refinancing of his home.
>>
>> Now, I don't feel so bad about the $150 motor casing I lost last week.
>> Thanks, Wedge! :-)
>
> I applaud people's commitment to their hobby, but isn't this a bit of a
> reach? An $8,000 2nd mortgage, 10 years at 5% would result in $84.85
> monthly payments with a total of $2182.29 of interest. Why pay all that
> interest for the next 10 or so years to launch a rocket? And I thought
> using credit cards was a bad idea, but I guess he can write the interest
> off...