UK Builder Seeks Advice

Me too

For hpr in the UK you can look at it two ways. Hybrids rocket motors like the fantastic contrails and skyripper are certainly the most cost effective per flight. With the reloads being very cheap, something like £10 for a J flight. Speak to Damian at

he seems to have an aversion to publishing price lists but he's very approachable and will do you a good deal. The biggest problem in my opinion with Hybrids is the setup cost. Yes Damian does bring the launch gear with him to launches so that isn't much of an issue but the hardware, motor tube etc is quite expensive.

The other HPR option in AP solid rocket motors from manufactures like Ceseroni Pro38,54,75,98 etc see Malcolm Jennings at rocket and things

the motors are more expensive about £45 for a typical j flight but the hardware casings etc are much cheaper.

There are other AP manufactures available in the UK (Aerotech hopefully we'll see again soon) but there is also Congrieve which are very similar in design. see

I'm yet to try these but have heard good things.

They are also illegal in the UK

I hope this all helps

Might be worth dropping a post to UK.TECH.ROCKETRY

Certainly check out the following resources

or the dealers link section on

Best wishes

Damian

All Damiens advice is good. Go the the UKRA web site and locate your nerest club and go to one of their launches. (If its too far for you then you porbably dont have anywhere to fly high power rockets. If you do have a launch site then start yoru own club.) At the launch you will be able to talk to people using diferant sorts of motors and see them being assembled.

You will need an exposives licence to purchase most larger motors and the option to keep them rather than use them on the day can cost £300 so make sure you properly understand what your doing. Where in the UK are you?

BW

Halam

Thanks Damian & Halam for the very comprehensive advice. I live in the Yorkshire area and I think a club fly HPR in the Bingley or Haworth area?

I must admit to being somewhat confused over the whole HPR & hybrid scene. Having trawled a number of UK web sites I was getting the impression that the next step was a huge financial leap into the very expensive hybrid systems. I wasn't aware that re-loads where avilable to the UK market (wasn't there some CE branding thing or other that was getting in the way?).

A club launch meet sounds like a gvery good starting point....if Winter doesn't get in the way! Thanks again, Dennis

Well when launching rockets that weights more than 5 pounds or higher powered motor you must go to a club. They will have all the necessary clearance with the aivation agency in the UK (whatever they are called) that will most likely be required. some of these paperworks is too much for a person to do by himself...

Stop talking bollocks.

Not that flying with a club isn't a good idea.

"DB4" wrote

Check the UKRA web site and actualy contact any clubs yoru interested in. Be aware that these are volenteer run organisations so web sites may not be bang up to date. Launch days are supprisingly informal and friendly. Expect to spend a whole afternoon at an event.

Motor casings cost anywhere form £30 upwards and a typical H reload £30, spend as much or as little as you want on airframes but make sure you understand stability (and the UKRA safety code). The more you spend on a rocket, the more determind you are to find it so then you buy dual deployment altimeters and radio transmitters to reduce the risk of loss but also increacing the costs... But my level 1 cost about £50 including rocket and motor which is OK form time to time.

Some clubs do suspend launching for a few months but here is still time if you are prepared to travel for a great day out. Some suppliers have calendars on their web sites and launches are also announced at uk.tech.rocketry

BW

Halam

You're possibly thinking of the NSRG (

), who are not too far away, but they only ever fly low to mid power stuff locally, and the haven't even done that for the last couple of years.

A better bet for HPR would be WRS (

) who are about an hours drive down the M62.

Well, if by active you mean I added a gallery two months ago and posted some pics from the IRW, then yes it's active. Prior to that the most recent activity is 2004!

The NSRG still exists, as a bunch of friends, and some of us still go to the bigger launch events, IRW, UKRA, K-Lob, but that last local launch was a few years ago now.

Mid power reloads are hard to come by these days. Aerotech motors never got CE marked and so availability is limited to "old stock". The only mid power motors currently on the market (other than the Estes E) are the Pro38 G motors, though that's the top end of mid-power, and can seem a big step for the HPR flier. There may be some light at the end of the tunnel though, I understand that Congreve may be about to start selling mid-power reloadables.

Cheers

I think 29mm F70 will be here soon costing about £5 a flight (pack of 3?) but £50 hardware cost. I have just the rocket for them as well - deisgned for level 1 but too high flying.

Dennis, make the effort and come to Cambridge next weekend if the weather is good, see

it will be a grand day out.

Halam