[F-FT] I joined TRA

I should perhaps clarify and state that as of now I have submitted my application -- but I fully expect to be accepted as a member.
David Erbas-White

Welcome to TRA. New blood is the sustaining life line.
Fred Wallace

Welcome aboard, David!

Hi Dave,
Lurker-Daemon = false;
Only because you and I were both graduates of the same rocket class ...
David Erbas-White wrote: GUILT ... THANKS for being MAN enough to say it. HPR for YEARS was put down, dragged through the mud by NAR people. "red-neck" rocketry they would call it at launches. I would grind my teeth and work very hard from not slapping the little NAR nerd who would spout that crap ... I wrote letters to NAR BoD in the late 1980s and 90s requesting that they support High Powered rocketry, and all I would receive was BS about safety with PROVEN BP A-D motors, and how anything above a G would cause the end of NAR's acceptance into schools, churches, boy scouts and the like.
NAR turned its back on High Powered Rocketry, so I turned my back on NAR and have NEVER looked back!
TRA people are far far FAR more concerned about their public image than NAR ... and has been the case from the very beginning. TRA folk understood early on that we were taking the risks and getting and the attention; pro or con. I have been to MANY TRA events, and ALL of them have been ran with the utmost professionalism, where as NAR launches get away with soooooooo much crap its scary most NAR sections are allowed to even fly where they do. Point is that people are far more willing to take risks, and do take risks with an A8-3 or some B4-4; where a TRA person flying a K1500 WON'T. I have seen "play things" flown at NAR events ... things that were obviously unsafe, but everyone wanted to see the silly thing fly ... they wanted to CHAD stage a C6-0/D12 cause it was cool ... rocket goes up a few feet, CHADS, then goes horizontal ... wow that was fun ... "cool", the cheers come in. A RESPONCIBLE TRA member would never be so careless or cavalier with a high power motor and I have YET to see anyone at a TRA launch do so. A TRA man or woman understands the responcibility they have taken upon themselves ...
Dave, just have FUN, responcibly. Screw the damn magazine, just have fun flying with TRA. You will find that we aren't into, 'I'm smarter than you cause I was able to clone the Alpha decals just right ...', or 'I was able to use 1mm thick mylar compared to your inferior 2mm mylar for parachute duration ...'. Just have fun, ad think BIG :) Yes, you will find arrogance with TRA ... just bring a bigger rocket to the next launch and get your RESPECT! ;=} LOL
Nope, glad to have you in the family.
Lurker-Daemon = True;

Welcome. You will find as I did - it's not a bad organization. You made the right descision on HPR. Be sure to join the TRA forum.

I forget if you're certified, but if you include a copy of your NAR card with the application, TRA will give you the same cert level (TRA cards are only sent once a year, even if you go from level 0 to level 3)

Well, lot's of folks say I'm certifiable, is that the same thing???
Seriously, I wasn't sure if that was the case, but I did include a photocopy of my NAR card with the application, so hopefully it will be transferred through (and I did email headquarters to give them a heads-up that it was with the application).
David Erbas-White
AZ Woody wrote:

Which is located... where??? Thanks!
David Erbas-White

Nevermind, found it on the website -- but unfortunately it requires a TRA number to subscribe, and says it will take 3-4 weeks for a new member once that information is sent in. So I probably won't be able to join it for some number of weeks yet.
David Erbas-White
David Erbas-White wrote:

Understatement.
Thank god!
TRA should follow its own rules in every detail or change them AFTER they have FIRST followed them.
Past non-followings and/or punishments should be reversed/expunged "with prejudice".
In short, forgive and improve.
I have NO faith that will happen BTW.
Jerry

Doing this wasn't a problem in the past for me. I joined TRA when I had a NAR L2 and sent a copy of my NAR card. I think you'll still be getting the TRA binder, which is a 3-ring notebook with a bunch of stuff in it. (including the "3 part cert form".
As someone else mentioned, join the TRA list server. Lots of good info there. I'd guess that if you sent a scan of your TRA card, they'd allow you access sooner than your number can trickle to AU. That's where the list server is located

Under Documents, Misc on TRA website.

(snip for brevity's sake)
Very nice explanation. I joined both groups right off the bat as I wanted to support both of their efforts to fight the government. Also I got addicted like crazy to launching again and have a nice range 2 minutes from my house I can do G or less launches from. I wasn't aware of the "hot" politics that was going on. I hate to give the appearance of blind appeal to authority but if Daves' serious inquiries were addressed to his satisfaction, it makes me more comfortable being in both groups. I have a "secret" desire to do certifications in both groups just for fun and satisfaction. If there are problems, not joining or leaving a group accomplishes nothing. It takes persistence and perseverence to affect change. One has to keep in mind though that any group is a "tyranny" of the majority.
Kurt Savegnago

David,
You have been experiencing what I have seen for over 9 years now and it works BOTH ways. Where I have been, ALL flyers were welcomed as you said, regardless of what you fly. The only place I know of an implied continuing conflict is here on rmr. I've never seen conflicts between HPR and model rocket flyers, nor TRA / NAR members at the meets I've attended. Everyone seems to enjoy it ALL and each other.
I've seen launches where they were organized in various ways, with specific times of the day devoted to model rockets, then a time for HPR, then a time for whoever is prepped. Personally, I like flying with people that fly all types of rockets, large, small, NAR, TRA, no affiliation, I just like flying. I like all types of rockets. I enjoy talking to all types of flyers.
For many reasons, I have been content flying model rockets for many years but I really enjoy reading about and watching HPR. When the opportunity for 665 to have a Tripoli prefecture I was the one to make the motion we add it to the club. Several others would have if I hadn't but the point is that I want the club to be able to offer EVERYTHING rocketry has to offer from mini motors to HPR including EX. We have members that are NAR, TRA & some are both. All 3 state clubs want both. 665 is having it's first TRA EX launch in 3 weeks. Check our website for details.
We invite and want everyone to come fly with us.
Randy

Ditto, Dave. You have written my sentiments exactly. I joined TRA in 1998 at LDRS specifically so I could fly on EX day. After that, some issues came to light and I was hesitant to "re-up" on top of having a very tight budget for a few years. Now, I'm very pleased with the direction the org is taking and I'll be TRA 7448 once again.
I'm planning on attending XPRS, but not BALLS this year. Maybe we'll meet?
sincerly, steve Bloom

I'm mostly a southern California-er, so perhaps somewhere out west sometime...
David Erbas-White

Hey, maybe You, Me and Ray could carpool! You have to go to Black Rock at least once.

(snip for brevity's sake) Surely you joined for some other reason. NAR and TRA are not the NRA.. I doubt that the NAR and TRA combined would be on a top 100 list of groups fighting the government.
Alan

Point.
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