OK, this discussion has been pretty hot on the NAR sections list, but
there's not been a peep here in RMR where the real fun goes on!
At NARCON 2 months ago, the NAR board of trustees aparantly voted to allow
select NAR members to fly uncertified motors at NAR events in violation of
the safety code. I had to go to the Yahoo group and read the minutes of the
meeting posted last week to even believe what folks were saying:
"US Team Practice with Uncertified Motors - US Spacemodeling Team Manager John Langford asked the Board to allow use of foreign and specialty motors upon approval of the NAR President at Team Practice sessions. US Teams previously competed at a severe disadvantage to foreign competitors due to lack of opportunities to practice with FAI competition motors. The Board reviewed the testing protocols used by the FAI prior to World Championship events. Such testing is certainly rigorous enough to insure both performance and safety. The Board approved the request by unanimous vote.
Motion by Jay Apt: Seconded by Joyce Guzik The NAR board of trustee.s authorizes selected members of the US Internat team to allow use of foreign and specialty motors upon approval of the NAR President at Team Practice sessions. Motion approved."
Rather than rehash everything here, folks really should go to the NARsection group and read the thread over there. As one friend on the NAR S&T committee put it "this pegs my BS meter".
EVERY time in the past that an NAR member has brought a motor certification issue to the board, they have ALWAYS declined to get involved, and have indicated that this is S&Ts turf to deal with. Except for this time.
If the board had asked S&T to review the FAI testing, and to grant reciprocal status to motors that had the required legal paperwork and had been actually tested buy the FAI as they have to motors tested by TRA or CAR, I'd have no problem with this ruling. The motors would then be listed on the combined certified motor list for all to use.
But this decision by 8 people is just plain wrong. If these motors are to be allowed at NAR launches, we might as well open them up to the use of Jerry Irvine motors as well. This violates DOT, NFPA regs, which are law in 49 states. It violates our NAR insurance. And it violates the most sacred of NAR policies, the NAR safety code, which has always been absolute. G Harry must be spinning in his grave.
The only conclusion I can draw is that the 8 board members that voted for this bogus policy are a bunch of hypocrites. This decision MUST be overturned, and NAR members flying uncertified motors at NAR events should be disciplined as they have been in the past.
It looks like I started using this sig line that I stole from someone elses email just a bit too soon, but it accurately sums things up.
"US Team Practice with Uncertified Motors - US Spacemodeling Team Manager John Langford asked the Board to allow use of foreign and specialty motors upon approval of the NAR President at Team Practice sessions. US Teams previously competed at a severe disadvantage to foreign competitors due to lack of opportunities to practice with FAI competition motors. The Board reviewed the testing protocols used by the FAI prior to World Championship events. Such testing is certainly rigorous enough to insure both performance and safety. The Board approved the request by unanimous vote.
Motion by Jay Apt: Seconded by Joyce Guzik The NAR board of trustee.s authorizes selected members of the US Internat team to allow use of foreign and specialty motors upon approval of the NAR President at Team Practice sessions. Motion approved."
Rather than rehash everything here, folks really should go to the NARsection group and read the thread over there. As one friend on the NAR S&T committee put it "this pegs my BS meter".
EVERY time in the past that an NAR member has brought a motor certification issue to the board, they have ALWAYS declined to get involved, and have indicated that this is S&Ts turf to deal with. Except for this time.
If the board had asked S&T to review the FAI testing, and to grant reciprocal status to motors that had the required legal paperwork and had been actually tested buy the FAI as they have to motors tested by TRA or CAR, I'd have no problem with this ruling. The motors would then be listed on the combined certified motor list for all to use.
But this decision by 8 people is just plain wrong. If these motors are to be allowed at NAR launches, we might as well open them up to the use of Jerry Irvine motors as well. This violates DOT, NFPA regs, which are law in 49 states. It violates our NAR insurance. And it violates the most sacred of NAR policies, the NAR safety code, which has always been absolute. G Harry must be spinning in his grave.
The only conclusion I can draw is that the 8 board members that voted for this bogus policy are a bunch of hypocrites. This decision MUST be overturned, and NAR members flying uncertified motors at NAR events should be disciplined as they have been in the past.
It looks like I started using this sig line that I stole from someone elses email just a bit too soon, but it accurately sums things up.
--
Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L >>> To reply, there's no internet on Mars (yet)! <<<
Kaplow Klips & Baffle: http://nira-rocketry.org/Document/MayJun00.pdf
Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L >>> To reply, there's no internet on Mars (yet)! <<<
Kaplow Klips & Baffle: http://nira-rocketry.org/Document/MayJun00.pdf
Click to see the full signature.