| Launch Schedule |
1/7 - Club Launch - A
1/14 - Annual Meet - VFW
2/4 - Club Launch - A
3/3 - Club Launch - A
4/14-4/15 - Club Launch - N
5/5 - Pawnee Open - N
5/25-28 Mile Hi Mayhem - N
7/7-8 - Club Launch - N
8/4-5 - Club Launch - N
9/1-2 - Club Launch - N
10/5-8 - Oktoberfest - N
11/3 - Club Launch - A
12/1 - Club Launch - A
1/5/13 - Club Launch - A
1/12/13 - Annual Meet - TBD
N = North Site, A = Atlas Site, H = Hartsel, TC = Tripoli Colorado
P = SCORE Lauch Site
CO Rocketry Calendar
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Welcome to the NCR Website!
 The NCR flight line at our Pawnee North launch site. Photo by Mike Bennett taken from his marvelous flying machine.
The Northern Colorado Rocketry Club is one of THE premier rocketry clubs in Colorado and also the home of the Rocky Mountain West's two finest regional launches - Mile High Mayhem and Oktoberfest. NCR encourages and provides support for hobby rocketry in all it's forms - from the smallest 1/8A powered model rockets up to largest birds powered by O and P experimental motors. NCR's two launch sites with 12,000'AGL and 20,000'AGL standing waivers, as well as special dates with 35,000'AGL windows, are amongst the finest launch sites anywhere in the country. With a full range of pads and launch equipment, including hybrid ground support for all commercial hybrids, NCR's state of the art launch system can fly everything from the smallest 2 oz. model rocket up through rockets weighing several hundred pounds. Launches are scheduled usually on the 1st Saturday of every month. In addition there are our two 4 day regional events - Mile Hi Mayhem in the Spring and Oktoberfest in the Fall as well as two all-club meetings in January and July.
NCR strives to make hobby and amateur rocketry a safe, enjoyable and educational hobby for all - from the kids to teens and all the way up through the big kids. Come out and fly with us. Directions to our launch site are available at the link on the main menu. Northern Colorado Rocketry is an equal opportunity service provider, and an Authorized Permittee of the Pawnee National Grassland. Come join NCR today!
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Go for Pawnee Pioneer Open
Monday, April 30 @ 15:50:23 MDT by jhinton (66 reads) |  There is a scheduled/approved Northern Colorado Rocketry launch event on Sat, 5/5 at the North (Main) site. Range and waiver (20,000’ AGL) are expected to be operational by 9 AM and we’ll fly until the weather chases us away, we run out of motors or interest, or 5 PM, whichever happens first. This launch is for commercial motors only.
With no fire restrictions currently in place in Weld County or on the Pawnee NG, NCR is "green lighted" for the event, subject to normal precautions. The prairie remains very dry but is starting to green up due to below normal levels of precipitation. Extra caution and vigilance will be asked of all participants.
NCR will be hosting the Pawnee Pioneer Open to coincide with our regularly scheduled club launch. Five events are scheduled to test your building skills and competitive spirit. All NAR members are invited to join in this sanctioned competition. You probably have rockets in your arsenal already built that will qualify for many of the events. The entry fee for the Pawnee Pioneer Open will be $5.00 and this will allow you to compete in all of the competitions listed. You must have a NAR membership to compete. (If you'd like, we can get you signed up on the field!)
Find your copy of the United States Model Rocket Sporting Code (Pink Book) or go to the NAR website at http://www.nar.org/pinkbook/ for rules and specifics on the following events. Here’s the line up (total WF=80):
· G Eggloft Altitude –Altimeter ·The purpose of this competition is to carry an exceedingly fragile payload to as high an altitude as possible and to recover the payload without damage. The egg is intended to simulate (in miniature) an astronaut, who must be properly cushioned and restrained to withstand the forces of acceleration and the shock of landing. No material may be affixed to the egg (e.g., glue or tape).
· B Boost Glider Duration - Open to any model rocket, one portion of which returns to the ground in stable, gliding flight supported by aerodynamic lifting surfaces which sustain that portion against gravity. The purpose of this competition is to achieve the longest flight duration time.
· A SuperRoc Duration - The purpose of this competition is to achieve the greatest duration possible with the longest rocket possible without impairing the structural integrity of the rocket.
· Classic Model - a unique event that emphasizes craftsmanship while remembering the historic legacy of model rocketry. The purpose of this competition is to produce a flying replica of a classic model rocket kit.
· Streamer Spot Landing - The purpose of this competition is to land the entry so that the tip of its nose cone is closest to a predetermined spot on the ground utilizing streamer recovery.
Contest flyers will be given priority on the low power launch pads over other sport model rockets. Thank you for your understanding.
Please note that all launch events will be conducted using nationally approved/accepted range safety practices. The launching of rockets on NFS land is normally prohibited under a Forest Service Region 2 fire regulation. NCR’s Special Use Permit allows launches to take place by exempting the Holder from that regulation for approved launch events only.
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Argonia Update
Tuesday, April 24 @ 08:13:44 MDT by jhinton (60 reads) | Folks,
I drove down to the rocket pasture in Argonia for the first time since the tornados tore through the area on the 14th of this month. Compared to our neighbors, it’s almost embarrassing to admit the our two storage containers are fine. I then drove over to Rick Nafinger’s house which is located two miles west of the launch site and a mile and a half north. What I saw when I got there was truly a lesson on the selectiveness of a tornado. Rick’s homestead was virtually untouched by the storm. The only damage as I understand it is one of his grain hauling trucks was turned over onto its side and the vinyl siding on one side of his house will need to be replaced. Rick has insurance to replace the siding and he and a few of his neighbors turned his truck back onto its wheels and Rick thinks it is just fine.
However . . . I also talked to Rick’s neighbor who lives on the same side of the road as Rick and just a quarter mile to the north. Kenny was, on one hand, not nearly as lucky as Rick and, on the other hand, probably the luckiest guy in the area! The tornado leveled Kenny’s barn. The tornado has caused so much damage to his house that, in my opinion, it would be easier to tear it down and start over that to try to put the non-shattered pieces back together. Along with the damage to these buildings, most of his combines, tractors, and farm trucks were heavily damaged. In talking to Kenny, he mentioned while there was insurance on all of these things, it never covers the real expense of replacing them. In addition, as the storm moved across the fields, it broke up the wheat stalks. Several weeks ago the wheat “knuckled” which means the grain head has developed. Between that time and the time it crop is harvested, farmers pray for no high winds, or hail because the crop can be damaged enough to preclude its harvest. Guess what comes with a tornado! Yep, the one-two punch of hail and winds. None of the farmers I talked to yesterday had any idea on the amount of damage yet as they were all too busy helping each other return their life’s to some normalcy. I mentioned earlier that Kenny might have been the luckiest guy in the area. He told me that as the storm was approaching, he decided to move a trailer from one side of a tree line to the other in case the tornado hit so that the trees would not crush his cattle trailer. So he got into his pickup and hitched the trailer and moved it closer to his barn. This effort saved the cattle trailer because the trees were uprooted but his timing was a bit off. Before he could get the trailer unhitched, the tornado hit and Kenny rode it out laying on the seat of his truck! It’s amazing to hear an ex-Vietnam vet tell you that it was the most scared he has ever been. When I asked him how long the truck was in the storm he chuckled and said “Probably only a few seconds but it seemed like 10 or 20 minutes.” Kenny indeed is one lucky sucker!
I drove up Argonia Road and stopped at the cattle yard just south of the river where I ran into Mark Tracy. Mark farms the land on the NW corner of Eden Rd and 80th street, some of the primary recovery area for most of our recovery efforts during the summer. Mark was the owner of the nice homestead on the west side of Argonia Rd Just south of 50th street. I say “was” because his home was completely demolished in the storm. What little remained of his house afterwards was burned to the ground during the cleanup efforts. His place was so devastated that he does not plan to rebuild. When Rick told him of the worldwide community’s donations (I say worldwide because some have come from as far away as Australia (Thanks Mates!)) that were coming into us he just shook his head and said “There are good people everywhere, Thank you!”
I left the area a little amazed at how fast a community can help each other get back on their feet but they need our help. Insurance, Red Cross, United Way helps the best they can. The monies collected by us goes to fill in the voids left by these organizations. The beauty of our donations is that there is no overhead to cover. We will be sure that those in need on the Argonia area get every single penny donated.
For those of you who have donated, thank you! I see many of the names on the PayPal notifications and many of you have been a friend of the Kloudbusters and Rick himself for years. Others are names that have no real tie to the area. These folks are just as Mark Tracy said “Just good people everywhere”
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We will keep the donations up for another 10 days or so then move the money into the community. We want to get this to the people quickly because many times insurance takes a long, long time!
Thank you all again and God bless you,
Bob Brown
A PayPal account has been established that folks can use to donate to the
cause, the address is argoniarelief@kloudbusters.org. All money collected
via this account will be used to directly benefit storm victims in the
Argonia community. Alternatively, donation checks may be sent to
KLOUDBusters Argonia Relief, c/o Science Ed. Center, 2730 Boulevard Plaza,
Wichita, KS 67211-3812.
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News Item: ARGONIA RELIEF
Tuesday, April 17 @ 17:12:59 MDT by jhinton (77 reads) | Dear Rocket Friends,
On Saturday April 14, 2012, a large EF3 tornado swept through south central
Kansas leaving in its wake a great deal of destruction of property. While
KLOUDBusters was fortunate that the storm narrowly missed the Rocket
Pasture, some families in the Argonia community were not as lucky.
Several, including one of our nearby farmers, experienced major property
loss including their homes, livestock, farm buildings and equipment.
Thankfully, no people were seriously injured.
In the rural Midwestern way, the Argonia community has banded together and
are helping the victims gather their belongings that were strewn across a
large area. KLOUDBusters is taking the initiative to allow the rocketry
community to come together to assist Argonia storm victims financially.
This catastrophe strikes close to home as if our own families have been
affected. It is our hope that we can help them is some small way to recover
from their losses.
A PayPal account has been established that folks can use to donate to the
cause, the address is argoniarelief@kloudbusters.org. All money collected
via this account will be used to directly benefit storm victims in the
Argonia community. Alternatively, donation checks may be sent to
KLOUDBusters Argonia Relief, c/o Science Ed. Center, 2730 Boulevard Plaza,
Wichita, KS 67211-3812.
With the guidance of our Argonia contacts, we will determine the best way to
disseminate the funds and 100% of the money collected will stay in the
Argonia community.
For those of you who wish to participate, thanks in advance.
On behalf of the KLOUDBusters,
Bob Brown, Prefect
Lance Lickteig. President
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News Item: Sunday Launch Scrubbed
Saturday, April 14 @ 17:12:50 MDT by jhinton (88 reads) | NO LAUNCH ON SUNDAY APRIL 15th.
Apologies for the late notice – Sunday’s planned launch events have been scrubbed due to the poor weather and nasty winds expected. “Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow and a chance of rain, then a chance of rain in the afternoon. High of 59F. Winds from the NNW at 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph. Breezy. Chance of precipitation 20% .” When the storm front blew in this afternoon, temps dropped in a hurry, and the scattered showers threatened to locate directly above.
NO LAUNCH ON SUNDAY APRIL 15th.
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April Launch
Tuesday, April 10 @ 09:09:43 MDT by jhinton (83 reads) | Members and Friends,
If the weather cooperates, we have a GO for launch this Saturday, April 14th and Sunday April 15th from the North Site. Saturday will be for commercial motors only and Sunday will be for TRA Research. Expect the range and waiver (20,000’ AGL) to be operational by 9 AM. NCR is an Authorized Permitee of the Pawnee National Grassland.
An unusually dry winter and the recent windy days have elevated the need for extra vigilance of the fire risks on the range.
For those of you that drive a long ways to attend our launch, please check with your favorite weather forecast before leaving home. The current forecast for Saturday : ”Mostly cloudy in the morning, then overcast with a chance of rain. High of 54F. Winds from the North at 10 to 20 mph. Breezy. Chance of rain 20%.” Sunday’s forecast predicts stronger winds and a greater chance of weather.
NCR is very aware of the fire conditions and that there have been 9 fires on PNG since January. Just FYI, “normal precautions” means, among other things, that launches are prohibited if:
· FS or Weld County Fire Restrictions are in effect for PNG or
· A Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Zone 238 (which includes both launch sites) or
· Winds are 20 MPH or greater
An orientation briefing for participants will be held and will include a discussion of safety and emergency procedures, fire conditions and instruction, applicable rules and regulations, and what is expected of participants with regards to the use of NFS lands under our special use permit.
Please note that all launch events will be conducted using nationally approved/accepted range safety practices. The launching of rockets on NFS land is normally prohibited under a Forest Service Region 2 fire regulation. The issuance of NCR’s permit allows launches to take place by exempting the Holder from that regulation for approved launch events only. All launches, other than those conducted by the Holder during approved launch events, are outside the scope of this permit and are prohibited by Forest Service regulations.
As always, volunteers are needed to help with range set up, operation and clean up. Please contact Ed Dawson at volunteer@ncrocketry.org
Hope to see you out on the range.
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News Item: 2012 Pawnee Pioneer Open
Tuesday, March 13 @ 10:54:24 MDT by jhinton (203 reads) | On Saturday, May 5th, 2012, NCR will be hosting the Pawnee Pioneer Open to coincide with our regularly scheduled club launch. Five events are scheduled to test your building skills and competitive spirit. The five events coincide with contest offerings at NARAM 54. All NAR members are invited to join in this sanctioned competition activity. We will need a minimum of 10 NAR contest fliers to make this a Regional Contest.
Find your copy of the United States Model Rocket Sporting Code (Pink Book) ......
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News Item: March Launch
Monday, February 27 @ 12:29:08 MST by jhinton (225 reads) | We have a GO for launch this Saturday, March 3rd, from the Atlas Site. This launch will be for commercial motors only. Expect the range and waiver (12,000’ AGL) to be operational by 9 AM. An important reminder - the Fire Risk is high – the vegetation is dry - extra vigilance will be expected.
Please note that the launching of rockets on NFS land is normally prohibited under a Forest Service Region 2 fire regulation. The issuance of NCR’s permit allows launches to take place for approved launch events only. All launches, other than those conducted during approved launch events, are prohibited by Forest Service regulations.
For those of you that drive a long ways to attend our launch, please check with your favorite weather forecast before leaving home. The current forecast calls for clear to partly cloudy skies, with temperatures in the low to mid forties, but the probability of strong winds from the WNW exists.
As always, volunteers are needed to help with range set up, operation and clean up. Please contact Ed Dawson at volunteer@ncrocketry.org
Hope to see you out on the range.
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News Item: Meeting Minutes 2012
Sunday, January 29 @ 15:17:47 MST by jhinton (337 reads) | NCR Annual Meeting 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Agenda
1. Opening / Announcements
2. FAA Waiver Report - Joe Hinton
3. USFS Land Use Permit - Joe Hinton
4. Treasury and Membership Report - Dennis Billings
5. TRA Research Launches - Joe Hinton
6. NCR Outreach & Safety
7. NCR Launch Schedule
8. Equipment status report & proposals - Ed Dawson
9. MHM and Oktoberfest
10. Contests & Awards - Chad Moore
11. Bylaws Review
12. Webpage - Warren Musselman
13. Elections of New Officers - TRA Prefect & Secretary, NCR President
14. Vendors - 3Dogs, Max Aerospace, Featherweight, Cool Rocket Stuff, Giant Leap Rocketry
15. New Business -
Raffle Prizes
Calendars, rocket motors, rocket kits, Magnetic power switches, Rockets of the World book, t-shirts,
Meeting Called to Order at 12:30PM
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January Launch
Monday, January 02 @ 17:20:11 MST by jhinton (345 reads) | HAPPY NEW LAUNCH YEAR!!!! Resolve to launch more rockets in 2012, beginning on January 7th.
We are GO FOR LAUNCH on Saturday, January 7th at the ATLAS SITE. The current weather forecast promises cold but favorable conditions for flying starting at 10 AM and lasting until 3 PM or until we run out of motors, lose interest or the cold chases us away, whichever happens first. This launch opportunity will be for commercially approved motors only and all flights must remain under the 12,000 foot AGL ceiling. For those of you driving a long ways to visit our launch, I’d recommend checking in with your favorite weather report or call the Greeley-Weld County Airport’s automated weather line at 970-352-3511.
Please contact Ed@dawsonmail.net to volunteer help with the range set up, operations and tear down.
A Quick reminder: NCR Membership Business and Swap Meet Meeting will happen, snow or shine, on the 14th of January, 2012, at the VFW Hall in Ault. PLEASE ATTEND. The Agenda is full and NCR needs your input. Doors will open at 11 AM and the meeting will start by 1 PM. Please RSVP for lunch – build your own burger – ready at approximately noon.
Back by popular response, this meeting will also provide the opportunity for members and friends to acquire or dispose of unwanted/extra rocketry related items. Come prepared to barter, buy or sell some real bargains. NCR will once again host a SWAP MEET. Got something rocketry related to sell, trade or give away? Bring it to the meeting.
Hope to see you out on the range.
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Launch Cancelled
Friday, December 02 @ 09:12:27 MST by jhinton (497 reads) | Saturday’s planned launch event at the Atlas Site has been cancelled. We’ll try again next year.
The weather forecast has CHANGED for launch conditions for Saturday, December 3rd
[ This from Wunderground.com - Chance of snow in the morning...then a slight chance of snow in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 20s to lower 30s. North winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 35 mph. Chance of snow 40 percent. And this from the National Weather Service - A 30 percent chance of snow before 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 28. Blustery, with a north wind 21 to 24 mph decreasing to between 10 and 13 mph. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph. ]
This decision is not made easily but is almost a no-brainer. There’s snow on the ground, more coming, high winds predicted with a low cloud ceiling – not to mention the lower temps predicted and the need to shovel snow off the concrete pad. Not happening.
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