What a jerk!

The Falcon Rocketeers get ready to weigh their rocket before a flight (Click to enlarge).

We are now in "crunch time" - those last couple of weeks before the TARC deadline, ones in which the teams make every effort to get some practice in before setting up their qualification flights. Pegasus field hosted the Falcon Rocketeers and Hope Rising on Thursday, which tuned out to be a good day for both teams. Falcon had no catos and achieved a couple of decent flights, so they decided to make a qualification attempt. Unfortunately the rocket traveled a bit too high, yielding a not-so-good 51 as their first score. Disappointing, but at least they have a qual flight in the books - quite a few teams don't turn in a single qualification score. Hope Rising shook off the infamous Estes E cato curse that had been plaguing the team, rallying after an initial cato to produce two good practice flights with altitudes just over 800 feet. They were back at Pegasus on Saturday, when the Z-95 Headhunter demonstrated the "Right Stuff" by soaring to altitudes of 773 and 778 feet, just 2 and 3 feet off the mark! They were having a bit of a problem with thermals towards the end of the day, so they wisely decided to waive off a qualification attempt. This was smart, as their last flight was way long on duration.

Hope Rising prepping Headhunter for its first flight of the day (Click to enlarge).

Which brings us to today...

I stopped by the field on my way home from work to find the Hope Rising team setting up for their first practice flight. The rocket weather cocked a bit in the 8 mph wind, reaching a low peak altitude of 730 feet. Drifting about 100 yards to the northeast, the payload section decided to plop itself in the branches of a tree, about 20 feet or so off the ground. Fortunately, it was recovered without damage. The sustainer... well, that's a different story.

Headhunter on the pad (Click to enlarge).

And in the air (Click to enlarge).

The sustainer drifted about as far as the payload section; however, it made for the east side of Pegasus, landing in the road, near the edge of the asphalt. The kids on recovery were almost to the road when it touched down, but had to wait to retrieve the rocket because of an oncoming car. The driver of this vehicle, on seeing the rocket hit the pavement, deliberately swerved his car and ran over the sustainer, crushing it. We were dumbfounded - NEVER, in all the years I have been involved with TARC, have I seen such a display of downright meanness. I have to give Hope Rising credit - they took it in stride, returning the remains of their rocket to the prep table and immediately setting to work to get another sustainer ready for flight. In an ironic twist, these teens served as role models to the parents on the field, who were pretty pissed off, if I may be so blunt. Hope Rising made one more flight, in which their rocket overshot altitude and duration, before packing it in for the day. As I left the field, I found myself admiring their quiet resolve - I really hope they make it to Nationals.

The sustainer after being run over by the car (Click to enlarge).

And I hope karma catches up to that jerk in the car.