The ERC held their last flight of the year at Calmar, on November 12, 2023. It was actually quite a nice day, no wind and mostly blue sky.
My Black Tusk DDL waits on the table while we watch a launch. [Photo by Calgary Rocketry Club]
My Black Tusk DD had failed it’s previous dual deployment attempt because the main parachute was too tightly packed into the upper airframe. I replaced the old tubing with a longer one, creating the Black Tusk DDL.
Flying on a CTI Pro29 G126, it reached an altitude of 1279 ft. It was a perfect dual deployment flight, using my EasyMini, and a great way to close out the year!
On October 14, 2023, I attended the Fall Fire rocket launch in Kitscoty, Alberta, hosted by the Saskatoon Rocketry Society.
In Canada, it is necessary to obtain an “Electronics Endorsement” before starting the L4 Certification process. This requires two, high-power flights using dual deployment in a different rocket for each flight.
I modified my Aerotech Mega-Initiator, adding an altimeter bay and an upper airframe tube for the main parachute. This flight reached an altitude of 1352 ft on an Aerotech 29mm I205. Everything worked perfectly, under the control of an EasyMini altimeter (primary) and a RRC3 altimeter (backup).
My second flight used the Highlander 29 DD, reached an altitude of 931 ft, but the main parachute hung in the airframe. The rocket landed safely on the drogue, and was prepped for another flight. This time, the rocket rose to 895 ft, but the drogue did not fire until about the same time as the main chute. Inspection revealed that the drogue was not properly armed, and was ejected by the motor ejection charge instead of by the StratologgerCF altimeter.
Even though I only completed one of my two required dual deployments, it was a learning experience and I had a good time. This was my first Fall Fire, and I really enjoyed meeting the local rocketeers.
On September 23, 2023, I attended the ERC rocket launch in Calmar with two rockets.
Black Tusk DD
Highlander 29 DD
The Black Tusk DD is simply my BT-80 rocket, fitted out for dual deployment. Flying on a CTI Pro29 G83, it reached an altitude of 1101 ft, recorded by an EasyMini altimeter. The drogue deployed properly, but the main stuck in the upper airframe. The rocket was recovered in good shape.
The Highlander 29 DD is my original Highlander 29, also fitted out for dual deployment. Flying on an Aerotech G80, it reached an altitude of 708 ft, recorded by a StratologgerCF altimeter. This rocket also was recovered in good shape.
Both of these rockets were my first attempts at dual deployment, using an altimeter bay to deploy a drogue parachute at apogee, and the main parachute at a specified lower altitude. The purpose of dual deployment is to limit the rocket’s drift, so that old rocketeers like me don’t have to walk as far to recover the rocket!
The Highlander 29 is a 3-inch diameter, 4-ft tall rocket fitted with a 29mm motor mount. I designed it as an experiment, using low cost components where possible. The body tubes are from a single Staples mailing tube (about $5) and the nosecone was 3d printed (about $1).
The construction is similar to the previous rockets that I’ve built and described. This rocket is intended for use with motors from F through H, making it a good choice for people going from mid-power to high-power.
The maiden flight took place at the ERC rocket launch in Calmar, on 19 Aug 2023. Powered by an Estes F50, the rocket reached an altitude of about 670-ft, followed by a perfect parachute recovery.
My friend Darcy (who 3d-printed the nosecone and gave it to me) took a video of the flight and was kind enough to post it on YouTube:
My first altimeter bay was so ugly that I couldn’t take a photo of it for fear of breaking the camera lens! The second attempt was neater, but it was difficult to position the “pull-pin” switches at the correct position within the bay. I needed a modular system, where the components could be aligned easily and reused in different sized bays if needed.
Altimeter Bay #3 (Front)
Altimeter Bay #3 allows me to swap components around among my 2.6″ and two 3.0″ rockets. The individual modules were each inspired by parts that others had posted online, but my ideas and design are original.
Altimeter Bay #3 (Back)
The middle module contains a single key switch, which takes up less vertical space then the “pull-pin” type of switch, and which can be easily adjusted up-or-down to line up with the hole in the altimeter bay coupler (not shown). This module could probably be modified to hold up to six switches in a 3.0″ rocket.
The top module can hold one or two EasyMini altimeters, while the bottom module holds a single 9v battery (there’s room for another).
Either of my first two altimeter bays should have worked fine, so why did I keep working away to develop this one? First off, I had not built any altimeter bays before and I needed to learn how it was done. I still believe that one learns by doing.
My experience with Altimeter Bay #1 taught me that component layout was important, and that more attention to detail was needed. Altimeter Bay #2 was much better, and after it was finished I could imagine how much better a modular component system would be. At this point, Altimeter Bay #3 is “the best that I can do” and is ready to be flight-tested!
