The last flight of Threedom
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Michael Koppelman
Sep 12, 2010, 1:27:23 PM9/12/10
to Tripoli Minnesota
Neither the drogue nor the main deployed on my second L3 attempt
yesterday and the rocket lawn darted to at least 10' below the sod. I
found a few scraps and could not reach the motor case with a ten-foot
pole.
I had double-checked the dip switches on the PerfectFlite and I just
checked my documentation and it was set up correctly for drogue at
apogee and main at 900 ft. AGL. It had a brand new Duracell battery on
it. It was switched on and beeping.
The G-Wiz, it occurred to me, must have been in the rocket upside
down. I'm not used to having an "up" orientation on the electronics.
After thinking about it, I'm pretty certain it was upside down. That
explains it not working. It's a glaring omission on my checklist that
it doesn't say "Make sure the payload bay is installed in the correct
orientation!"
So the mystery is -- why didn't my redundant flight computer provide
redundancy when I screwed up the G-Wiz? The only thing I can think of
is that the power was disrupted at launch. I've successfully used that
computer a dozen times. It worked last month when I launched the same
rocket.
It's possible the apogee charge chuffed but the main tried to fire and
was unable to open the rocket before impact. I guess I'll never know.
But inverting the payload bay would have saved me. The failure with
the PerfectFlite may not have been predictable. Bummer but it's all
part of the fun for me. I have a new project to start!
Does anyone want to buy and fly the long-burn motor I have? It's
already correctly epoxied together and in the case, it just need to be
sealed up and launched. I'll sell it for cost if anyone has the balls
to fly that thing. It's an Aerotech M650W. I won't be able to fly it
until at least next year.
On, upward, occasionally downward!
M.
yesterday and the rocket lawn darted to at least 10' below the sod. I
found a few scraps and could not reach the motor case with a ten-foot
pole.
I had double-checked the dip switches on the PerfectFlite and I just
checked my documentation and it was set up correctly for drogue at
apogee and main at 900 ft. AGL. It had a brand new Duracell battery on
it. It was switched on and beeping.
The G-Wiz, it occurred to me, must have been in the rocket upside
down. I'm not used to having an "up" orientation on the electronics.
After thinking about it, I'm pretty certain it was upside down. That
explains it not working. It's a glaring omission on my checklist that
it doesn't say "Make sure the payload bay is installed in the correct
orientation!"
So the mystery is -- why didn't my redundant flight computer provide
redundancy when I screwed up the G-Wiz? The only thing I can think of
is that the power was disrupted at launch. I've successfully used that
computer a dozen times. It worked last month when I launched the same
rocket.
It's possible the apogee charge chuffed but the main tried to fire and
was unable to open the rocket before impact. I guess I'll never know.
But inverting the payload bay would have saved me. The failure with
the PerfectFlite may not have been predictable. Bummer but it's all
part of the fun for me. I have a new project to start!
Does anyone want to buy and fly the long-burn motor I have? It's
already correctly epoxied together and in the case, it just need to be
sealed up and launched. I'll sell it for cost if anyone has the balls
to fly that thing. It's an Aerotech M650W. I won't be able to fly it
until at least next year.
On, upward, occasionally downward!
M.
Pat Arneson
Sep 12, 2010, 1:40:57 PM9/12/10
to tripo...@googlegroups.com
Bummer, sorry to hear that. Hope the up was pretty at least.
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Bill Kalsow
Sep 12, 2010, 2:36:56 PM9/12/10
to tripo...@googlegroups.com
On 9/12/2010 12:27 PM, Michael Koppelman wrote:
> Neither the drogue nor the main deployed on my second L3 attempt
> yesterday and the rocket lawn darted to at least 10' below the sod. I
> found a few scraps and could not reach the motor case with a ten-foot
> pole.
> Neither the drogue nor the main deployed on my second L3 attempt
> yesterday and the rocket lawn darted to at least 10' below the sod. I
> found a few scraps and could not reach the motor case with a ten-foot
> pole.
How far from the flight line to the lawn dart crater of death?
Just wondering whether I should tell my in-laws who saw the flight...
How did you find it??
____________________________________________________________________
Bill Kalsow
Gary Stroick
Sep 13, 2010, 7:57:54 PM9/13/10
to tripo...@googlegroups.com
Bummer, I guess you should have set the G-Wiz to deploy the drogue at 0 and
the main at -10,000 feet :-)
the main at -10,000 feet :-)
Gary Ryan Stroick
Phone & Fax: 952.926.7648 * E-mail: gstr...@comcast.net
On, upward, occasionally downward!
M.
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