Launch!

Following what Frank said, I too started recording my launches in 2020. Aside from a couple "forced retirements", I keep my rockets going with the duct tape and superglue that Rob alluded to 😀

With that said, I did end up retiring my 100% custom made Saturn V and Falcon Heavy rockets each after 20+ flights. This was not due to a lack of will to continue flying them, but rather I improved my skills as a rocket builder, and designer of 3D printed parts. Thus, I made a new custom version of each which I fly still today (although far more infrequently given the uptick in family activities).

I have some kits that are de facto retired. There are only so many kits I can fly at a launch, so I concentrate on my favorites. I have a Flis Triskelion that Jim gave to my son Michael. We built it together and Michael painted it. It has been flown a bunch of times. Now that Michael is grown up, he does not attend launches. The kit is on display at my home.

Deb and I also also record every launch in a spreadsheet. It's handy to refer back to for flight refinement, as well as to know how many flights a given rocket has had. That said, we're a little behind on data entry.

I've retired a few rockets... but not many. I'll usually send 'em to that rocker in the sky because they've been damaged and are too demanding to repair or if their structure is just getting worn enough that they're no fun and/or dangerous fly. So far I've retired 1-2 a year, since getting back into the hobby in '21. Deb, being more frugal than me, tries to keep things flying longer. Never under estimate the power of duct tape and super glue!

I've got a Mercury Atlas that flew for years but was showing signs of wear and had a few rough landings with damage. Such a good looking kit that I retired it to display for years. I've since put it back into flying shape and will probably have it back in the rotation.

NAR # 78787

L1

Three years ago I retired my EZI-65. Quite a few years before, it had a hard landing in Maine and I never got the that knocked loose quite right where I wanted it. It flew a few times since then and 3 years ago, it was supposed to me a memorial flight force my grandmother and the EZI did a bunch of skywriting due to the motor being put together for 7 years. So I decided to retire it. I bought a new EZI-65 and built it better than the first one.

NAR# 86455

L3

Ten years ago, I over heard Howard suggesting to a college team he was mentoring, to document their launches. I have been doing so ever since. Since 2020, I enter flight information in a spreadsheet. I can easily get reports on rockets, engines, chutes and flight results. I'm too lazy to enter flights prior to 2020. In January, one of my rockets made its 50th flight. As a result, it has been retired. I have a HP rocket I retired. Four years later, it made a come back to occasionally fly on Aerotech DMS G80's. I was wondering if any of you retire a rocket and for what reason.