CMASS October 3 , 2026 launch Concerns
Before I start this I do want to say thank you to the CMASS staff and volunteers for putting on this launch and all the effort that goes into it !
My wife and I attended the CMASS October 3 , 2026 launch at Amesbury , MA location . I planned on 2 rockets to fly one being the very large pumpkin rocket 8” diameter 8 feet tall on an Aerotech J800T (800’ altitude ) with 3 pounds of candy to be ejected at apogee with streamers . The other was a BETA test for Launch Lab Rocketry of the new Bullet Bobby Trimax , a 3 cluster motor rocket .
Upon arriving at the field at 9:10 am there was a fellow rocketeer pointing out parking cars away from flight line which was great and kept the parking line going in the correct direction .After parking and helping run some club equipment out to the field then I started setting up the pumpkin rocket for flight when Kenn Blade showed at the field . He told us that high power will be shut down due to wind changing later on . As of 9:10 am the CMASS flag showed wind blowing towards the Lama pen and winds would not change until early afternoon blowing towards the wires . Kenn did send a message out (email I believe) at 7:45 am Saturday saying high power will most likely be shut down . This was too late as I was already on the road as many other people who have a long ride . Also too last minute for most people even living closer to the field as they are loading their vehicles heading to the launch . Jim from New Hampshire who is part of a satellite part of CMASS drove down with a 15/15 launch pad just for my pumpkin rocket to fly on also bringing his neighbor and their kids to witness the flight and participate in finding the dropped candy . A college team arrived to do their level 1 certification and numerous people showed up with their high power flights they been wanting to fly . There were spectators that also showed to watch the pumpkin rocket launch .
This starts my first concern and I do agree with upholding safety and not doing anything to jeopardize the Amesbury location by having a rocket drift into the high power wires . The wind did NOT change direction blowing towards the lama pen which is blowing away from the WIRES until 1:30 PM . That gives High Power launches a window of 10 am – 1:30 pm and plenty of opportunity to get a decent amount of flights in safely .
PAST Practice with CMASS club has been watching the CMASS flag and as long as it is blowing in a good direction high power launches can go . As soon as the flag starts blowing closer to the direction on the wires high power is paused until wind direction changes away from wires . If wind direction is not changing after that point then High Power is shut down for the day .I know you can’t always count on the weather and you never know what you are dealing with until at the field but there was a big missed opportunity to fly high power .
My Second concern and this is a big one for me is the TONE of voice to the flyers from the LSO . Getting the rods / rails pointing into proper direction so that rockets have best chance not to fly over flight line is important and a rule from NAR . At a certain point it starts sounding like people are getting yelled at for rockets flying over the flight line through the loud speakers . I flew a second flight with the BETA test Bullet Bobby on 3 Estes C6-5’s and I had the 3/16 “ rod angled what looked like to me 20 degrees which is max angled allowed from NAR . The rocket launched and for a quick second it did lean toward the direction of flight line but then straighten out never close to going over flight line . Under parachute it was recovered in the part of field desired by the club . Kenn Blade LSO announced with a bitter tone “ this is the 16th time I have to say this to angle your rod ! “ and went on the saying a few more things reprimanding me . I felt like he was making an example out of me in front of everyone and felt humiliating . At this time my wife could not take anymore of Kenn’s tone he is having with me and others flyers stressing her out and I was upset so we packed up and left . I did everything right and still was reprimanded . As I looked at all the video angles I had with all my cameras a lot of people were angling their rods and that means they were getting what felt like yelled at for no reason . There were a few pads I did see in the video setup straight so yes those would have needed to be addressed .
Also the again what sounds like yelling through the loud speakers at people parking past the flight line , yes they are wrong for parking there , but they is a better way to handle that . That tone over the speakers adds to a negative feeling at the launch on top of reprimanding flyers . It would have been better to get a Board member or volunteer to walk around and ask whose car that is and please move it .
It should never come to “ this is the 16th time I have to say this lean your rod“ . How do we fix this ? If it happens a couple times in a short time pause the launch maybe have everyone come to a pad and show them how a pad looks angled .
Other clubs would pause the launch to address multiple rockets going over flight line and make adjustments to pad like CATO . UFFG would have a pad manager make sure rails are pointing away from flight line at events . Some people with limited experience may not know what it means to lean the rod .
* have a flyers meeting before the launch near the low power pads and show everyone what is looks like and how to lean the rod . Also to go over important information about the launch . I know people show late so they will miss it .
* have a launch pad manager ,someone to walk around inspecting rod /rail angles ( Curtis was doing this a little while taking photos )
* In my videos on October 3 , the launch rod all sizes in low power section have rod whip and the metal post they are secured to wiggles a lot . Add the 2 parts moving swaying and its sometimes impossible keeping these rocket from being whipped in the direction of the flight line . HOW do we secure the rods better from all this swaying ?
* Have the LSO pause the launch if a lot of rockets are flying over the flight line to figure out whats going on . Look at the rods to confirm they are being pointing in correct direction . I feel like that’s more constructive than what feels like being reprimanded . And yes if flyers doing the wrong thing educate them .
* The parking line needs a sign or just hand draw one up with a wood stake till one can be printed
These are some ideas and I feel all these areas need to be discussed for the health of the club . I run a car club in Worcester county doing car shows and car meets and I understand the difficulties and pressure of running a club .
At this time my wife will not be going to any future CMASS launches and with my health conditions I can’t always drive so I will not be attending these launches unless something changes with the CMASS club .
Joshua Drummond
NAR 111883 Level 3