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Published: Sunday, 01 December 2024 19:45
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Written by Claude Maina
Our sibling club to the north, Champlain Region Model Rocketry Club - CRMRC holds monthly launches in St. Albans VT, about 30 miles north of Burlington, a couple of miles east of Lake Champlain, and 12 miles south of the Canadian border. The launch field is a 400 acre corn and grass field, that can support M impulse motors and has a 10,000' FAA waiver. The club is primarily HPR. They have 6 LP rods on a saw horse and at least four 1010 rails and one 1515 rail for HPR. They usually get in between 30 and 40 launches per launch day. The club president is Howard Druckermann. Like most NAR sections, the officers and members are very helpful, friendly and welcoming. I really enjoy launching with them. For each of their launches, they give an extensive summary of all of the flights and post a video on You Tube, which is always interesting to watch.
For the last few years, I've been attending two or three launches a year. It's a long drive - just under four hours each way for me. So, it makes for a long day. But right now, this is the closest field that can accommodate higher altitudes and larger motors. I attended two launches this fall on Oct 30th and Nov 17th. At the Nov 17th launch, Howard G, Jim Moe, Liz, and Sam Fineberg were also there - our little CMASS contingent! I only took a few pictures at the launches. But you can see the launch reports for both the Oct 30th and Nov 17th here; the launch videos are here - Oct 30th, and here - Nov 17th.
At the Oct 30th launch, there was one school in attendance, Northeastern, and a successful L3 certification flight that day, that was neat to see. Apparently a first for the club. Temps in the 50's, no clouds and no wind at all throughout the day! I flew my HyperLoc 1600 on an CTI L645G. I'm using the 1600 for my L3 certification. This was it's third test flight and my first L motor! It had both a Featherweight and Eggfinder GPS trackers. Not that it needed it, but both worked well. It reached 5650'. I flew two MP rockets that day as well.
There was a big crowd at the Nov 17th launch, and estimate of 75 people, that included students from Northeastern, Darthmouth and Worcester Polytechnic. And there were a multitude of L1 and L2 certification attempts, most of the successful. Temps were in the 40's, clear skies in the morning and little to no wind for most of the day. I flew my LaserLoc 313 on it's maiden voyage. It flew well and is a nice rocket. The details of the flight are in my post of the odd workings of the altimeters. Still haven't figured out what happened. I flew another HP and two MP that day. Howard flew his Wildman Mongoose on a CTI I255R - a really nice flight. Sam flew his LOC Big Nuke on an Aerotech L1000. And finally, Jim launched a rocket he purchased at the 2022 Spadafora Auction on a CTI J330Cl - also a good flight.
CRMCR does fly in the winter, weather permitting. But for me, I'll wait until Spring!
