aerial rocket launching
 

OK! just wanderin round the forums again and i thought id try and launch some tiny model rockets from my old RC trainer. has anyone ever done this, or know if this is leagal? id just like to see if i could take out an old RC combat plane with one, or just shoot some out the top for fun. any comments welcomed!

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

been done, not that hard, but also not kosher with the AMA. (it is perfectly legal, people sometimes forget AMA isn't a law making body...) coolest 'rocket off plane' thing I saw was a piccolo (micro heli) launching bottle rockets off the skids. the video is floating around somewhere of that...

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

ok, thanks, i just dont want the AMA up my butt if i do this.

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

It's legal, as long as it "does not place any person, or personal property in danger". I used a balsa frame with a metal rod to hold estes rockets on my supercraft trainer. I used a 9 volt battery rubberbanded to a servo as the ignitor. It worked very well. Be cautios of the blast area. It will take the monocoat right off!!

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

Just as rkramer said the AMA is not a law making body however if you are a member do take the trouble to read your safety code item #7 and do realize that AMA insurance will not be in place if you do this. Perhap far more important if it is a club field of an AMA chartered club that you intend to use, then the site insurance for the property owner will not be in place and this puts club at risk.

Now concerning legal questions. Citys and countys have laws all over many areas limiting model rocketry some times to very specific areas. So unless you choose such a site then you may or may not be breaking the law.

AMA does allow rocket boost RC gliders with a limit on motor size and a max weight of I think of 3.2 lbs. This is only if the rocket stays with the aircraft and not dropped or launched. Back to law this would not be legal in areas prohibited by municiple or county law.

John

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

http://w1.rob.com/pix/crazy_rc/Sq46274

mb

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

I've been looking around for hours now and I just want to know if anyone has a good rocket ignition system they would like to share with me. I have the launcher and rockets I just need to have a safer way to light them other than just using a lighter to fire them up, take off and hope the heli is pointing in the right direction.

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

While it may not be illegal, it is a bad idea.

If you insist on doing this, please go somewhere isolated. The last thing this hobby needs is the wrong person seeing a model shooting off rockets and jumping to conclusions. With the terrorism issues what they are, people may start seeing our aircraft as potential weapons which would lead to all sorts of red tape and likely lead to expensive and limiting licensing procedures to be able to fly.

My reccomendation would be to simply not persue this.

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

wow damn good post

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

If you must, stick with a rocket ignited on an air dropped R/C airplane, like the X-1. That is entirely reasonable and allowed by the AMA. There just isn't the velocity and energy involved with a rocket assisted model. It'd be a little more interesting than usual, with performance about the same as blipping an engine's throttle to maximum for 2 seconds (these engines don't burn very long) and shutting it off. But, I know why you'd want to do the rockets... it's cheaper, but not necessarily safer. I'd hope you are an advanced modeler before you attempt this.

I like the idea of a the X-1 rocket, because in the case that the motor does fire on the model, the X-1 will stick to the B-29, the B-29 is too massive to get a push from the rocket motor, and all is safe. Those little rocket motors will have the chance of firing at people from a radio glitch, and they won't be locked onto the model.

Keep the hobby innocent.

RE: aerial rocket launching
 

Launch that rocket and enjoy.