[Not displaying correctly? View web version.] | Peak of Flight Newsletter #478: | Making helicopter blades stiffer and lighter weight is the subject of this article. You may not be doing that exact same task, but the technique that I describe here may be applicable to something you need for one of your next projects. This past summer my ambition was to make lighter weight helicopter blades for international competition that didn't sacrifice stiffness. In the past, I used lightweight fiberglass cloth over the blades. This article lays out the technique that I used to apply carbon fiber to the surfaces of the blades. They turned out lighter, and much stiffer. You can also use this technique for stiffening wings on gliders, or for making lightweight competition fins. | Read the rest of this week's article, either on a downloadable PDF for printing out, or on our website (great for viewing on your phone)! Previous issues of our newsletter are found at our archive page. |
What is new on Apogee's shelves! | The "E-Match Mate" is an ejection canister for dual-deployment rockets and that are designed to be used with e-matches. It uses a reusable silicone powder cap that doesn't allow the ejection to blow in one direction, which lessens the chances of scorching your parachute. Because they are reusable, you'll save money compared to one-time-use canisters. |
| This is a great TARC motor. With its high thrust, the F67-4W is great for heavier rockets that need a kick in the base to get moving. This motor creates a nice white flame that makes the rocket look realistic, just like the big NASA rockets. We have both the 4-second and the 9 second delays in stock. |
| The Black Brant III is a Canadian sounding rocket designed to launch small payloads of up to 39 pounds to around 72 miles high into the atmosphere. This single-stage 1/10th scale kit is about 21.8 inches tall and features a 3D printed nose cone, laser-cut plywood wood fins, water-slide self-adhesive decals, and quick-change engine hook. If you've ever thought about working with 3D printed parts, check out this rocket kit. |
| The First Fire Micro™ is a two-wire motor-starter designed to fit into the tiny nozzles of the smaller Quest Q-Jet composite propellant rocket motors. These motors are harder to ignite because the nozzle isn't always big enough to allow a larger starter to fit through the nozzle and reach the front end of the motor. These starters are made by Aerotech for their Quest Aerospace line of composite motors. |
| The Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, developed by the United States is used by 37 countries. This model rocket kit from Rocketarium is a 1/4th scale version of that missile, and flies on most 24mm diameter motors, like the D12 and F44. The rocket is perfect from the modeler that wants to build a scale model that is a little more complex and that can use a wide variety of rocket motors. |
| This new bumper is padded Nomex protector that wraps around the shock cord of a rocket. It provides cushioning (also made of thick Nomex) in order to minimize the possibility of "zippering" the airframe when the shock cord gets pulled against it during ejection. You can easily swap it between rockets, so one bumper can cover your entire fleet. Now also available in a larger size for 4" or bigger diameter tubes. |
| The LOC 2.63" Patriot kit is a simple, straightforward, mid-power scale kit that can fly on a range of motors from D-F easily, and with high power motors with some added nose weight. A great introduction for people looking to get into mid-power rockets. |
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| Did you know there are over 120 different model rocket manufacturers of kits, and components? That high number surprised us too. We bet you haven't heard of half of them, let alone to know what items they produce. Would you like to receive a free newsletter that announces the latest products coming out? We're starting a newsletter called "Industry Updates" that will come out about twice a month to let you know what new items are coming out. We're doing the work, so you don't have to. Click here to subscribe today and stay informed. |
"At Apogee, not only can I find the few, unique, specialty things I need. I also get fantastic service and what is listed as being in store is actually in store - ready to be shipped. Even being in Australia, my parcels arrive in good time with all the goodies I want and need at a price that is very hard to beat. It doesn't matter were I am or what rocket I'm building, checking Apogees website is the first thing I do. Their products set the standard I go by." -- Oliver J. | |
Have you seen "Barks At Rockets" yet? - The new hilariously funny comic strip by our graphic artist Chris Duran is released every Thursday on our Facebook page. Be sure to check it out and share it with your rocketry friends. |
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I need help with generating the biweekly newsletter articles since it takes a lot of effort to put them together. And I'm willing to pay big bucks for your help. So ask yourself, are you looking to earn some extra money? 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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