USR motors

What he said.

I will have good news shortly. Till then I am willing to say just kits.

The news will include dealer news

I share your opinion. NAR does not. TRA does not. I had to take assertive action.

Unfortunately hobby shops are usually a lousy source for rocket motors, or even rocket kits except for Estes/Quest.

Most hobby shops I've seen don't even carry Aerotech's D-G motors, even before the fire. In over 20 years, I've only ever seen one hobby shop that had any composite motors at all. And only one other shop that had anything other than Quest, Estes, or Centuri -- a small local shop that once had a pack of FSI's black powder F100's back in the early 80's.

Usually true here in B'ham too. I haven't even seen Quest in a while now. I don't know if they just don't ship them here or people will only buy Estes. Hobby Lobby used to sell Aerotech but the stores here haven't had them in quite some time.

Randy

With all due respect Ray, until our product was decertified, we were the only vendor other than LOC servicing small hobby shops via the traditional dealer network system.

Recertify the motors that were previously certified. I will deliver up (only) motors and money immediately.

And of course, NO LEGIT PAPERWORK!

None required!

I didn't write the rules, I just follow them!

Hobby stores are great for basic supplies like balsa, glue, etc. Beyond that, they rarely carry anything other than the most popular, fast-selling items like R/C planes and cars, Estes kits/motors etc.

I don't doubt that, but I never saw any of your motors in the hobby shops I've visited. I've never seen LOC kits in a hobby shop either. I'm sure there are some shops somewhere that have mid-power or high power motors or kits, but as a general rule most hobby shops do not. That's true regardless of who the manufacturer is -- as I said before, I've only ever seen one shop that had any AT stuff.

I'd guess that the biggest obstacle to growth of the hobby (beyond QuEstes) is the fact that the hobby is almost completely unknown to the general public, with very few ways for anyone to find out it exists. With rare exceptions, you can't just walk into a hobby shop and discover mid-power or high power rocketry kits/motors. I haven't even seen any rocketry magazines in bookstores or hobby shops for at least a couple of years.

And when a manufacturer says how to correct that he is vilified, shunned and blackballed, not listened to, supported and encouraged.

I'm lucky enough to live within a longish drive of a great hobby shop. Check them out. What they show online is pretty much what they have in store. They are great. They have up to 75mm motor hardware in the window. The owner attends all major launches too.

Also, prior to the AT fire, I had access to a hobby shop here in BC, Canada that stocked AT single use and reloadables, motor hardware and kits. They had reloads from 18mm to 29mm and hope to have them again some day. I can pick up Sport Rocketry and Extreme Rocketry there too.

I think your location makes it such that you have limited availability in the local hobby shops.

Len B

Would you service whiners who buy on price alone, mostly by mail order and internet? I wouldn't. And with the 80% drop in participation, that is all that is left. And "manufacturers" of course.

Jerry

The Hobbytown USA that I frequent had and astonishing amount of AT stuff last time I was there. AT kits and motors from E-30 to G-80.

-- Joe Michel NAR 82797 L1

Perhaps, but I doubt it. I live in a major city with lots of hobby shops in the area. I suspect the reason some shops have mid power and high power stuff is because the owner of that particular shop is in the hobby himself.

I don't doubt it. Only CSFM listed motors can be sold in stores and just because you go to a HPR launch where "clandestine" HPR motors that are TRA approved but not CA approved are flown and available for sale does not mean that dealers can get and sell them as well. Further have you seen the onerous rules applied by NFPA-1127? The dealer and the consumer must BOTH be members of TRA or NAR (no exceptions) and have a Level cert to the level of the motor transacted. The number of over the counter dealers willing to do that for ONE of perhaps 300 product lines they carry, and a tiny revenue one at that, I can count statewide on ONE HAND.

Jerry

That's odd. Both of the hobby shops I frequent in Columbus, OH carry composites (and the appropriate supplies), and one of them is a chain. I recall seeing them in hobby shops in other cities as well (Atlanta, at least--not sure about the Greenville/Spartanburg area of SC, which is the other place I've been hobby-shopping).

Scott Orr

There is one hobby shop about 30-40 miles from my house that stocks lots of AT, LOC, PML, and at least a dozen other brands of stuff. There used to be one in the Peoria area. And on a trip to Phoenix I saw one, but they are history. I'm sure there are a scattering around the country. Probably where there are concentrations of activity.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Tim has it all.