I had an excellent static session at my local sports complex today, getting more comfortable with my 5m Apex. Had a visit from a bald eagle and an osprey - all in all a great day.

Then the model rocket group showed up and started launching about a hundred yards up wind of me. I don't really know anything about rockets, but I do know that a couple of them landed within about 30 feet of me. I never felt like there was any real danger and kept flying, but now I'm curious. What are the safety rules for launching those things? Are you supposed to clear down range before launching? Are there bonus points for hitting the guy flying a kite?

There are no regulations that I am aware of unless they are breaking certain altitudes. I know that the larger rocket conventions have to get FAA clearance to launch. (Probably not what you were dealing with) They are really quite safe for you and your kite. (Unless they are aimed at you)

I dunno about that - hot burning gases and exhausts and ripstop/Chikara etc? No thanks.
They sound like morons

If there was enough wind for you to fly they should not have been launching.......

Although, the basic Estes rockets are no problem.... there are the level 1, level 2 and level 3 rockets. All of these require testing and certification to launch.

The breaking point is engine size. You can fly up to a G engine rocket with out certification. Once you go over that you need to get certified. Size also does matter in model rocketry. Although , unless you cluster the smaller engines into groups of 2,3 or 4 you would never get a large rocket off the ground.

If they are flying the big rockets I would not want to get hit by one of them even if it was coming down on a chute. Some of these can weigh up to 20 pounds.

I got an education one day as I was flying in by a field near a rocket club that had the big boys shooting off the rockets it takes certification to launch. It was really cool to watch some of those bad boys go a mile or more up. They have to register their flights with the FAA.

We got into rocketry as on of our family hobbies when there is no wind. Rockets tend not to like wind. They do what is called weather #@%$#!ing where the rocket when launched will actually turn into the wind.

I would think that it would be more of an rudeness thing myself. Just like people who see you ripping across the park, so they decide to use your kite as a target when they throw their frisbee for their dog to chase. Some people just get a kick out of irritating others. At the same time there is a lot of people ignorant to our sport, as such they may think that they are at a safe distance away from you when they shoot off their rockets.

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza I dunno about that - hot burning gases and exhausts and ripstop/Chikara etc? No thanks.

I was more referring to on the decent. It is obvious if it was shot at your kite and hit it that would be an issue. Just to touch it coming back down under chute should not be an issue. The motors on the small rockets are only warm upon return to the ground.

Unless they are true morons and used TP instead of flame retardant wading....

Ah ok ... I figured they'd hold a bit more heat! Mind you, cigarette ash falling from dickhead's mouth who was standing over a kite burned holes in it ... glad it wasn't my kite!

Definitely no FAA clearance needed - whatever motors they were using burned out in a few seconds. It looked like a couple of dads with their kids just out having some fun.

I'm with Shaggs on the rudeness thing. I would have appreciated a simple heads up before they got started, if for no other reason than it would have made me feel less of a down range target.

Would "finders keepers" apply?

Quote:

Originally posted by WIllardTheGrey Unless they are true morons and used TP instead of flame retardant wading....

Good point there.....flaming balls of TP are never good!

Sounds like you are dealing with little A-E Estes rockets. g00fba11 nailed it. Those things are harmless. I've probably put together and launched a hundred of them.