Quote of the year 2008

The earlier you launch it the more time you'll have to search for it.

I bet you can't do that again

Dave T's VMX spiraled down towards the trees.  We all thought it was lost, but it went clean through the middle of a hole between tow trees and landed in the field

.

Stranger sites have been seen....

.... but not by reliable witnesses. (Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy)

I refer, of course, to Gareth's pink "Big Daddy", or should we call it "Big Mummy"?  First launched in April 07 it had the good taste to land in a tree and attempt to lose itself. Unfortunately it was returned by a local lady during the May meeting.

I bet you can't do that again!

Dave B's twin gliders.   It was so perfect that the rocket gods felt obliged to intervene. The first glider crashed into the launch pad and shattered, while the second parked itself up a tree. Karen caught it on video!

Great rocket name

Tom's "Thunder Piglet".

First cert flight at FOG

Mike Brent, 25 February 2007, Level 1 cert flight.  Done with style and confidence.

Best Excuse

Mike's "That was the longest 3 second delay I have ever seen" following the crash of his Mega Viper

Most impressive first flight

Gareth's V2.  It was a windy day, and he flew a nicely crafted scale V2.  Encouraged by another club flier he decided to put a D12-5 into the rocket.  The boost was awesome, apogee was high, the deployment smooth, and the rocket was last seen heading for Bristol under parachute.  It might still be up there.

Gareth's launch stats:  Total Launches 1:  Lost Rockets 1.  A perfect record.

Most forgettable launch

The flight of the Pig.  Phil's "Pork Scratchings" rocket powered pig on a G69.  An awesome boost (those smokey sams are very photogenic) was followed by separation.  The head drifted down under the parachute, the body came in ballistically.

No animals were hurt during this flight - just Phil's pride.

Most attempts to ignite the same rocket

Dave B took 8 attempts to ignite his UFFO.  That's 8 countdowns, 8 sets of photographs, 8 igniters.... you get the idea.

Launch of the year 2006

Mike's dusk launch at the November meeting.  A cluster of D motors receeding into the dusk, then the glow from the tracking smoke and sparks from the ejection charges.  Magical.

We've all done it

How about the flier who used three igniters trying to light an Estes C6?  It would have helped if he'd changed the motor after the previous flight. Name witheld as it was a junior flier - you know who you are!

Least Vertical Flight of 2006

This competition was hotly contended.  Just about everyone had an entry in this class.  The winner was Dave T with his rack rocket that managed to cross two fields under power without exceeding an altitude of 200 ft.

The most used expressions in 2006

"The only way to find out is to press the button"

"Distance is our friend"

"Put a D in it"

The theory was good, but.....

Another Dave T attempt to prematurely age the RSO.  Contrary to aerodynamic theory, not all cones are stable.  This was demonstrated when Dave put a Pitfield in one of the cones that mark out the range.  Distance is our friend.....

Done with style

Just about every one of Verney's VMX flights.  Those gliders just look sooooo good, and in the hands of an expert they are amazing.

Improvisation of the year 2006

Phil and Ian's improvised two-stage saucer.  From concept to launch was about 20 minutes, and it worked first time.  Teamwork!

How did he do that?

Another Dave T flight on a Pitfield.  The rocket went into the hover at about 300ft as the thrust and weight were perfectly balanced for a second.  It then popped its chute.