There is NO federal law that says that rocket engines have to be certified prior to use. although on the NAR website it states:
"State and federal law require all rocket engines to be independently tested before they may be sold in the United States"
As far as NAR/TRA motor certification is concerned.They are ONLY state laws in the case of the states who have adopted the IFC/NFPA codes.In fact the NAR/TRA would like you to believe that uncertfied engines are illegal. Not quite....
The only states where this is law are the following States that have adopted the IFC which adopts NFPA 1122/1125/1127
Alaska Arkansas Florida Georgia Idaho Indiana Minnesota New Jersey New York North Carolina South Carolina Utah Virginia Washington Wyoming
Only in the above few states is it illegal to purchase or use "uncertfied" or "unregulated" rocket engines. Why? Because they are the ONLY states that Have adopted in full the IFC, which adoptes the NFPA codes.
If you live in the following states and ARE NOT a NAR/TRA member, you must still conduct your model rocket and high power rocket activities under these IFC/NFPA Codes... Why? because the IFC/NFPA codes are state law.
IF you live in the following states and are a NAR/TRA member, you must follow the IFC/NFPA Codes
States that have adopted the IFC which adopts NFPA 1122/1125/1127
Alaska Arkansas Florida Georgia Idaho Indiana Minnesota New Jersey New York North Carolina South Carolina Utah Virginia Washington Wyoming
IF you are a NAR/TRA member you will be in violation of the NAR/TRASafety Codes if you do use uncertified or unregulated motors in a state that has adopted the IFC/NFPA codes....
IF you are not a NAR/TRA member you will still be in violation of the IFC/NFPA codes if you use uncertified or unregulated motors, because the IFC/NFPA codes are state laws.
In the following states, local jurisdictions (cities,counties,etc) may have adopted some or part of IFC.They may or may not have adopted the NFPA codes independently of the IFC.
In those local jurisidictions which have adopted the IFC/NFPA codes, your compliance or uncompliance remains the same as above.
On the other hand, in those local jurisdictions where NO IFC/NFPA codes are in effect, it is perfectly legal to purchase and use uncertified or unregulated motors in your amateur or sport rocketry activities.
You will not be violating any local,state or federal laws if you purchase and use uncertified or unregulated rocket motors in these states.(this ONLY applies if you are NOT a NAR/TRA member)
Alabama Arizona Colorado Illinois Iowa Kansas Maine Michigan Mississippi Missouri Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas
None of the following states have adopted the IFC code in whole, but still may have adopted the NFPA codes independently of the IFC(in whole or part)
It is again perfectly legal to purchase and use uncertified or unregulated rocket motors in these states as long as you are not a member of the NAR/TRA.
California Connecticut Delaware DC Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Montana New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island South Dakota Vermont West Virginia Wisconsin
So the question becomes this:
How will the NAR/TRA interpret the above?
DO the NAR/TRA have any regulatory authority? Yes they do. BUT ONLY in those states that have adopted the IFC/NFPA codes in Full.
The NAR/TRA has NO regulatory authority outside of the IFC/NFPA codes and their own NAR/TRA membership.
The only regualtory authority the NAR/TRA has, is that which is given to them in the IFC/NFPA codes.
IF a state has not adopted those IFC/NFPA codes, then it stands to reason that the NAR/TRA has NO regulatory authority in those states.
Therefore it is perfectly legal for a company to manufacture ( from a non IFC/NFPA compliant state), rocket motors and then sell those rocket motors in non IFC/NFPA compliant states, to rocketeers that are not members of the NAR/TRA.
In a nutshell, the NAR/TRA only has regulatory authority over YOUR rocket activities IF you are NAR/TRA member living in a IFC/NFPA compliant state....or a non NAR/TRA member living in a IFC/NFPA compliant state.
What IF you are a NAR/TRA member living in a non-compliant IFC/NFPA state?
The NAR/TRA only has authority over you when you are participating in a NAR/TRA activities as NAR/TRA member....in your own personal rocketry activties, they have no regulatory authority over your private amateur,sport rocketry activities. The NAR/TRA will try and tell you they 2 are the same, but they are not. You have the right to choose not to join and adhere to NAR/TRA regulations. You have the right to choose to join the NAR/TRA and adhere to their regulations.
the bottomline is this: the only time and place the NAR/TRA has any authority over your rocketry activities if when you are a member of the NAR/TRA AND you live in a IFC/NFPA compliant state OR you are not a NAR/TRA member living in a IFC/NFPA compliant state.....
shockie B)