Does this look crazy, or has anyone tried this before? This is my Spiderjets F-16 with a Quest Aurora rocket/C6 motor mounted on the wing tip. The rocket slides on a brass tube mounted 1 1/2 inches into a hard balsa block, which is glued to the wing tip. One of the rocket fins rests upward on the pylon , and gives an additional support for the rocket. I have not yet tested this, but I am planning to bring just the wing to an abandoned area and testing the rocket there before I try an airborne launch. I will also make a few flights to see if the rocket is indeed stable on the wing tip. Launching from the air would have to be in a steep climb, to have some control of the rockets trajectory, as well as being able to retrieve it after the parachute pops out. Again, this would take place on an abandoned air field.

If anyone has tested this - please give me some input!!

Tor

Nope, not yet, but I`m up to the same as you............
I`ll use my Sidewinders allready attaced. I`ve hade the idea for a long time, infact since I got mine from Philip.
Sendt you a PM.

Regards

Gudmund

Can't do this in the US due to AMA rules. It would be rather simple to rig them up with the model rockets available on the market today. Definately a NO, NO here and would not even consider it. Our AMA memberships would be GONERS.

Greg

I am not so sure about that. I mean they launch RC rocket planes from a mother aircraft all of the time, so how is this different?

If you ask me, if the scale rocket ( or plane) has its own RC system in it seperate from the mothership, then it is fine with the AMA.

Either that is the rule or they should stop letting that guy with the scale X-1 (rocket) drop it from that B-29 at every Top Gun and Joe Nall!

AMA does not have total control over all model aircraft activities at all places and all times!!!

Larry

Suggest that you read the AMA Safety Code, under "general", paragraph 7. Would have cut and pasted it here but didn't know how to do it.

I did'nt know the AMA regs covered norway too!

I know that. Someone earlier mentioned about rockets from planes in the US.

Well I have read the rules, and I still do not know how they drop that X-1 legally, seems to me IF that is legal, then a normal rocket is legal. Cause if it is not, then you have to draw the distinction between a rocket and a scale model of an X-1.

I think the difference is that the X-1 is a radio controlled model and not a projectile (the word implies a ballistic item or not under positive control ). Therefore a radio controlled model of a sidewinder is not a projectile, but rather a model just like the X-1

Mac Hodges, who owns/flies the B-29 has a "Air Show Team" waiver for the model (due to weight). As far as the rocket powered X-1, I am not sure if it is covered by the waiver or is operated in accordance with the rules which state that rocket power is acceptable as primary propulsion for models of 3.3 lbs or less and power up to "G" size motors. The rocket is ignited after a glide some time after the drop from the X-29.

AMA is perfectly aware of what he is doing. And yes, in the USA, barring a special waiver, launching rockets from an RC model is verboten. Elsewhere (or if you have enough money to self-insure for any injury/damage), have at it!



AMA Safety Code 2004

7) I will not operate models with pyrotechnics (any device that explodes, burns, or propels a
projectile of any kind) including, but not limited to, rockets, explosive bombs dropped from
models, smoke bombs, all explosive gases (such as hydrogen filled balloons), ground
mounted devices launching a projectile. The only exceptions permitted are rockets flown
in accordance with the National Model Rocketry Safety Code or those permanently
attached (as per JATO use); also those items authorized for Air Show Team use as defined
by AST Advisory Committee (document available from AMA HQ). In any case, models
using rocket motors as a primary means of propulsion are limited to a maximum weight of
3.3 pounds and a G series motor. A model aircraft is defined as a non-human-carrying
device capable of sustained flight in the atmosphere not exceeding the limitations
established in this Code, exclusively for recreation, sport, and/or competition
activities. The operators of radio control model aircraft shall control the aircraft
from the ground and maintain unenhanced visual contact with the aircraft
throughout the entire flight operation. No aircraft shall be equipped with devices
that would allow for autonomous flight.

Its always amazing how this guestion and others like afterburner, thrust reversers,weight and speed, always brings up the issue of the AMA, which subsequently dominates the thread. without fail, the original question never gets answered.
for me, this sucks monkey butt since the attempts at brainstorming invariably gets smothered by an unasked for issue that is more at home heavily debated in the AMA forum.

but to the point of the question that was asked;
my concerns would be safety. there are so many things that could go wrong. also what type of release would be most reliable, since asymmetry could quickly ruin your day.
I think without a doubt, the best thing would be to use a field abandoned as you stated, minimize your spectators and film the process for the education(good or bad) of us all.

AMA is NOT the FAA. Therefore they can only make rules that cover their insurance/clubs/fields. If you kill someone with this AMA will not assist you with any financing of liability. However, you are still free to do this at a non-AMA field. Now, if the FAA has a different regulation that has not been mentioned, please state it and I will then agree that it is illegal.

With that said, I would not do this without some _serious_ testing. As in take that wing somewhere, get it up to the speed that you intend to launch and launch it with a strong spring. Get it going straight off the rod every time, then _maybe_ start testing with undersized rockets. Test this until it comes straight off the rod every time, then _maybe_ start testing with normal rockets.

Seems to me that barring this special waiver issue.....

if my scale Sidewinder is less than 3.3 pounds and is powered by "G" or under, and it is radio controlled, it is legal.

As to the original question, rockets are easy to fire off of planes. just make sure you have some sort of safety, like an arming channel

Hate to sound stupid... but I have had this picture for some time and haven't been able to determine if it is real or not. Anyone know?

It is real. It was taken by video camera and that is a still from the moving video. Todd Whitkoff knows more.

It looks like it should work just fine. We had a gentalman that had rigged his trainer with four launch rails under the wing of his trainer and was firing them off in flight with what I was told were "awsome results". Unfortunatly this gentalman was quickly stopped because he did not realize that it could not be done at our "AMA" field because of "AMA rules". Gotta love rookies!! He still has the rails on the plane but takes it somewhere else off site to fire them. AMA has NO say in it if it not on an AMA site or if you choose to fly "Outlaw". Have a blast and let us know how it turns out. [8D]

www.traderc.com

Those guys are nuts!! LMAO!!! Thanks for the link. [8D]

I've fired 1 inch diameter rockets with B sized motors from a Sig 1/3 Spacewalker and also a 1/4 scale Cub. The Cub had two rockets, one under each wing, and the Spacewalker had three rockets on each wing. I used a shorted 1/4 inch phono jack for a safety interlock to arm the firing system just before takeoff, and had two microservos closing spring loaded microswitches to arm and fire the rockets while in flight. I tested both Estes igniters and flashbulbs with thermalite to ignite the motors. The flashbulb system was the best for the Spacewalker since different speeds of thermalite could be used to stagger the firing of the rockets. The launch rails mounted on the wings were simple 4" lengths of 3/16" dowel that were attached to the underside of the wing with a pylon to stand the rocket off from the wing by enough distance so that the delta shaped fins would have a small amount of tension on the bottom of the wing to stop the rocket from sliding forward if the plane was in a dive. The plane would be pulled into a climb, then the arming and firing servos closed to ignite the rockets. It was way cool. Is it AMA legal? Hell, no.
Charlie

The photo that Sean posted above was Kim Gardner's Roo out in the Utah desert taken with a fancy Sony digital camcorder with progressive scan.

I launched rockets out from under the wings of an old VK Cherokee (or some other VK kit, remember them?) back in '77 or'78. We either had no idea it was AMA prohibited or it was not prohibited yet. At first, I had the system lighting up the igniters every time on the ground, but it just would not do it in the air. After I doubled the voltage (and cells), then it worked every time. I figured it was just being cooled too much by air flow (even though we packed the igniters in the motor with plenty of wadding). Lost a lot of rockets though!

They don`t!!!
We have the FAI (Federation Aeronatique Internationale)


Gudmund

Hi Gudmund!

Did you get your new avatar yet?? Check your mail!

Tor

What do you think would happen if one of the rockets "fired" but failed to launch from the plane?

Can you imagine turning base to final when the hot rocket decides to finally launch?[sm=surprised.gif]

Or better yet, who is going to be the one to walk up and check it out?

I'm game, let's do it!