The joint MMMSCLUB/CMASS launch was loads of fun on Sunday. Absolutely beautiful day to fly.
For me, the goal on Sunday was a dual deploy flight on the Super DX3. I did three things:
1. Flew it in an odd configuration, with the altimeter bay installed and shear pins holding the forward section on to the bay, but with simple motor ejection single deploy. This flight was successful and convinced me that the shear pins would survive the initial separation of the booster section.
2. Ground test of the shear pins. With around 1.8g of powder and an igniter loaded into the forward canister, I rigged up 25' of wire, a 9v battery and a switch, taped the rocket to a chair (thanks Howard G!) and hit the switch. Good separation - one pin gone, the other present but bent. So my learning was that the pins might bind as is.
3. Flight. I decided to slightly score the shear pins on the assumption that they would continue to hold during booster separation, and that a bit of weakening from the scoring would give me a clean shear. That worked, and it was a great flight and recovery.
Here is an 'ok' video of the flight. I got a little excited there in the middle and lost the frame, but it captures the essence.
Thanks,
- Matt
