| | [ Not displaying correctly? View web version. ] | Apogee Rocketry Workshop #373: | | 
The new Experimental Gliding Parachute could be a game-changer when it comes to mid and high power rocketry. Instead of the rocket drifting downwind on launch, the parachute can be steered into the wind, and can be brought right to your feet via RC control. You won't have to spend time retrieving your rocket, it will come back to you. We call this: Come To Me Recovery™ Because this parachute is radically different from a traditional chute, and requires a bit of set-up, we've made a series of videos that walk you through the assembly and preparation steps. In this fifth video, we have to modify the swivels that are used to attached to the riser line. There is a little catch that protrudes off the side of the swivel. It sticks out too far, and could easily snag on any of the 26 supension lines of the canopy. So it needs to be trimmed off. But since it is hardened steel, it has to be trimmed off using a rotary cutting wheel. It sounds difficult, but only takes a few seconds to accomplish. You'll see exactly how to trim it off in this video. View this week's Rocketry Workshop Videos (Duration 5 min, 01 sec) If you would like to see the gliding parachute in action, start your journey here. | | Previous videos are found on our archive page. |
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| Check out the latest products to hit Apogee's shelves! | Conductive Starter Mix | | 
Save those old igniter wires, as they can easily be reused to make new igniters! The Conductive Starter Mix from QuickBurst allows you to have the reloadable igniter so you save money. This updated mix works well with BOTH black powder and composite motors! Make your own motor starters from an ordinary two-conductor wire. NO bridge wire needed. And reuse the same wire over and over again. Just mix and dip. And dip again and again. |
| Quest E35 Single-Use Motors | | 
The Quest E35W might become one of your favorite mid-power rocket motors that are 24mm in diameter. This is a FULL E-motor, being at the upper limit of just under 40 N-s of total power. It has great kick off the launch pad, which is what is needed for heavier rockets or those that are larger in diameter. At 95mm (3.75 inches) long, it is the same size as the Estes E12, but with more power, a huge white flame, and a deep throaty roar. And it still won't go so high that you'll risk losing your rocket. It comes in delays of 5, 8 and 11 seconds. It will be great in the Katana Jr, the LexxJet and the Super Big Bertha rockets (29mm adapter not included). |
| Aerotech I40N-P Motor | | 
Aerotech continues to expand its line of single-use high-power motors. The latest DMS motor is the I40N-P motor. This is a long burn motor, with a thrust duration of 10 seconds. It utilizes the Warp-9 propellant in end-burn fashion to give this really long burn time which can allow extremely high altitudes for your lightweight rocket. But beware, it is plugged and therefore does not contain an ejection charge. So you'll need to use a dual deployment altimeter to kick out the parachute to bring your rocket safely to the ground. |
| Estes Super Big Bertha | | 
The Estes Super Big Bertha is a mid-power rocket using 29mm diameter motors, that is over 3-feet tall and 2.6-inches in diameter. In this upscale of Vern Estes' design, the charm of his original Big Bertha model has not been lost, nor has the low-and-slow flight capabilities. This rocket could be flown all day on Estes E16s and recovered without breaking a sweat. But if you were in the mood for something more, it would fly nicely on any 29mm F motor around. |
| Katana Jr Dual Deployment - at a
Mid-Power Price | | 
Do you want to try out dual deployment, but don't want to build a high power rocket that requires either certification or expensive rocket motors? The Katana Jr. is our "practice rocket" for this very purpose. It is a FULL dual-deployment rocket, with a ebay, two parachutes, removable rivets, mounting hardware for the electronics, and a on/off switch. Plus, it has easy-to-follow instructions that will walk you through the process of doing dual deployment if you've never done it before. It is a 1/2-scale version of our popular Katana rocket, which means this rocket will slice the air just like its big brother. |
| Gliding Parachute System | | 
Gliding parachutes have the advantage that they can be steared. That means you can bring them back to yourself instead of having them just drift in the wind. Additionally, they are more efficient that a round parachute, so a smaller chute will give you a slower descent rate. This is an experimental system that includes a nylon cloth Rogallo-shaped parachute and the controller ebay. It also comes with a servo, battery, and a charger for the battery. You will need to provide your own model-airplane style RC receiver and transmitter and have experience using them. Three sizes are available: 24", 28" and 32". More information is available here. |
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Criteria for Selecting Motors This past Friday, in our RockSim Live presentation, we had a question on how to pick a motor for a specific launch site. The rocket chosen was the LOC 2.6" diameter Patriot, and the person wanted the highest flying motor, but they wanted to get it back. So we went through the criteria of matching a motor to his particular launch site. This launch simulation was the culmination of the process of picking the motor. Check it out here. |
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“When I re-started my model rocket experience after many years, I wanted to go beyond the basic Estes brand. I was hungry for information about the upper levels of mid and high power rocketry. While the Internet is filled with helpful information, it mostly created a lot of new questions. Unfortunately, I do live near an area where there is rocketry activities, and I am mostly on my own. When I found Apogee, I was delighted to find a wealth of video, articles, a cad program for exploring designs and helpful people I could talk to real time. I also found that Apogee offers the materials to help me advance at my own pace. And I learned many new techniques for low power as well, such as no touch staging, Kevlar shock cords and ejection baffles to name a few. Apogee has not only helped me have a successful and fulfilling return to the hobby, but has guided me into the upper realms of higher power modeling. Thank you Apogee.” -- Bob Duke | |
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 I'm now actively seeking writers for articles to appear in this newsletter. And I want unique and cutting-edge articles because that is what you want to read, right? I realize this, so to get articles from outside writers that have the same level of quality, I'm going to have to pay a lot of cash to make it worth it for them. So I've come up with a compensation package where I'll pay up to $350 for good how-to articles. Are you a writer, and does that interest you? That is a lot of cash! Far more than you'll get by writing for other magazines. And with over 23,000 worldwide subscribers, if you write for the Peak-of-Flight Newsletter, you'll gain a lot of notoriety. Writing for the Peak-of-Flight Newsletter is a great way to show off your rocketry projects and your technical expertise, at the same time as helping out other rocketeers. Imagine how great you'll feel knowing that you made a difference to the hobby. If you're interested in writing, see the guidelines on our site. | |
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