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2018 National Sport Launch (NSL)

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6 years 6 months ago - 6 years 6 months ago #8740 by KennB
2018 National Sport Launch (NSL) was created by KennB
The 2018 National Sport Launch is being held in our corner of the country; Geneseo, NY. The Monroe Astronautical Rocket Society (MARS) will be hosting this event celebrating 60 years of NAR, 60 years of Estes and their own 25th anniversary. The event will be Saturday through Monday of Memorial Day weekend, the 26th, 27th and 28th of May. I've been told there are, as of this date, 17 weddings scheduled for that weekend in the area so it would be a good idea to book your hotel now. Camping on the field is possible but you must have a self-contained truck, trailer, camper or RV as no hook-ups are available.

Rocket will fly Saturday through Monday but there are some events/entertainment being planned for Friday. One of the possible Friday activities that is up in the air right now, so to speak, would be tethered hot air balloon rides. The charge for the ride would be $25 per person but they need assurance that at least 100 people would participate before they can sign up a vendor. If you're planning on going to NSL and would like to take this ride, please let know in this thread and I'll pass along the info to the MARS coordinator.

As an attendee to NSL, you'll be able to get a special tour of the National Warplane Museum, whose field our event is on, included in your registration. This is the home of the B-17 "Memphis Belle" and the C-47 "Whiskey 7" that flew mission on D-Day in World War II.

Keep an eye on this thread in The Rocketry Forum for any further information and updates. You might even hear a familiar voice doing some LCO work.
Last edit: 6 years 6 months ago by KennB.

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6 years 6 months ago #8742 by deangelo54
Replied by deangelo54 on topic 2018 National Sport Launch (NSL)
My family attended NY Power at Geneseo this past memorial day weekend. The MARS people are very nice. Prior to the NY Power event I stopped attending big national events because it was all geared for high power fliers. What we liked is that low power flights got equal time and priority. I saved all my travel information so it would be easy to book a hotel and rental SUV to transport all our stuff. Fliers should keep in mind that if some of your family members get tired of rockets, there are a lot of activities in the area. Michael and David ended up hiking at Letchworth State Forest. I have heard of the NSL but I don't know exactly what they do at that event. I guess I'll read a back issue of Sport Rocketry and find out. Keep in mind that the MARS club does not allow 1/4 rods. I ended up doing a field retrofit of rail buttons on two of my bigger rockets in order to fly them. Those kids should be on rails anyway. For those of you that have never been to Geneseo, it is a very beautiful area well worth visiting.

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6 years 6 months ago #8743 by DanTyszka1966
Replied by DanTyszka1966 on topic 2018 National Sport Launch (NSL)
This is exciting news! My son, Ben and I also attended NYPOWER 21 at Geneseo this past Memorial Day Weekend, and I would echo Frank's review...Very friendly folks (many from Canada), the MARS club runs a great launch, catered barbecue on the field(!), and of course the Geneseo field is one of the best you could hope for to fly rockets of all sizes...HUGE recovery area with very few trees. Plus, the field is close to "civilization" for those who need it...less than 3 minutes from the town of Geneseo, which has several nice restaurants, convenience stores, etc.

We stayed in Rochester (actually South Henrietta) when we went there this past spring for the launch. Still turned-out to be very convenient...something like a 25 minute drive to the field down I-390. Lots more to do in Rochester. We combined our trip with a couple of "college visits" (to RIT and U Rochester). And if it rains, there's an area near South Henrietta with an indoor go-cart racing place, and a huge mall with movie theater, and many restaurant options in case one of the days gets rained-out. Keep this in mind if you decide to go, and have difficulty finding a hotel room in Geneseo...Rochester is still reasonably close by, and a good place to stay if things fill-up.

Ben and I were planning to go back to Western Upstate NY for another launch next spring for our annual father-son rocketry weekend road trip. We were thinking either the Memorial Day MARS launch in Geneseo, or URRF-5 in nearby Potter, NY in late June (also a great launch and field...we've been there twice in the past couple of years for LDRS and URRF-3). But with this being the NAR National Sports Launch this year, and having never gone to NSL, I think the nod goes to Geneseo. Hope a few more CMASS folks decide to make the trip...Well worth the 6 hr drive from Boston...You won't regret it.

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