Range Setup for LDRS 29 will start on Tuesday morning, June 8, 2010, at 8:00 AM, and we need volunteers!  Because we expect some vendors and flyers to start arriving and checking in on Wednesday, we want to have everything set up and "ready to go" by Tuesday afternoon.

The plan is to have one team of volunteers laying out the vendor, spectator, and parking areas with striping paint, while another team works on setting up the launch pads and other equipment.  With a dozen or two willing volunteers, it shouldn't take long at all to finish.

Lunch and dinner will be provided by ROC on Tuesday for all of the setup volunteers.

Remember: if you're planning to camp at LDRS 29, showing up early and helping with setup is a great way to ensure that you end up with your preferred camp site!

If you're willing to help with setup, please email Rick Dickinson, ROC Vice President, so that we can get a rough count of how many people to expect.  Many hands make light work, so please feel free to bring friends!

If possible, we'd prefer that people register for LDRS 29 online, as it makes it simpler for us to keep track of all of the orders.  Payment for online orders may be made by PayPal or by mailing a check.

However, because there are still a few folks who, for one reason or another, are unable to register online, we've put together the attached printable registration form for your convenience.  Please feel free to print out as many copies as you need, and pass them out to your less-connected friends.

The Rocketry Organization of California (ROC) is pleased to announce the following impulse limits in place for LDRS 29, which will be in effect ONLY at LDRS 29. These are part of a project, in consultation with the California Office of the State Fire Marshal, to demonstrate safe operations using higher impulse limits.

Here are the revised limits and requirements for LDRS 29:

Commercial Days (Thursday-Sunday, June 10-13, 2010)

• Flown under the Tripoli High Power Rocketry Safety Code
• Maximum total impulse of 40,960 Newton-seconds per rocket (full "O")
• Maximum total impulse of 40,960 Newton-seconds per motor (full "O")
• All motors flown must be classified by the CA OSFM as either Model or High Power Rocket Motors, and bear the appropriate stamp.

Research Days (Monday-Tuesday, June 14-15, 2010)

• Flown under the Tripoli Research Safety Code
• ONLY Tripoli members may fly on Research days
• Maximum total impulse of 81,920 Newton-seconds per rocket (full "P")
• Maximum total impulse of 81,920 Newton-seconds per motor (full "P")

All motor vendors are responsible for possessing the necessary permits from the CA OSFM to allow them to sell Model and/or High Power Rocket Motors.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING LARGE AND/OR HIGH ALTITUDE PROJECTS:

All "Special Projects" -- anything expected to fly over 15,000' AGL, or with motors totaling more than 10,240 N-s (a full "M") -- must be reviewed in advance by Wedge Oldham, the LDRS 29 Special Projects Coordinator. Wedge may be reached via email at: wedge@westworld.com, or via telephone at: 818-590-7748.

Anyone who has general questions about the higher than normal impulse limits and our efforts to revise rocketry regulation in California may contact Dave McCue, ROC coordinator for this project, at: dmccue@uci.edu

It takes a lot of volunteer effort to run a large launch, and LDRS 29 is no exception.  We need your help!  No experience is necessary; we'll be happy to give you on-the-job training as needed.

Please sign up for a shift or two of Range Duty at: http://www.ldrs29.org/content/range-duty-signup

Definitions:

• RSO is a Range Safety Officer, responsible for inspecting rockets as they are checked in, and initialing flight cards.
• LCO is the Launch Control Officer, responsible for ensuring that the range and sky are clear before each flight, and for counting down and launching each flight.
• Spotter is the LCO's assistant/Spotter, responsible for keeping an eye on rockets in flight, marking the flight results on each flight card, and helping the LCO to keep an eye out for aircraft and other hazards.
• PM is the Pad Manager, responsible for assigning launch pads, noting each flyer's assigned pad on their flight card, and coordinating access to the range with the LCO.
• PA is a Pad Assistant, responsible for helping flyers to get their rockets loaded onto their assigned pads and hooked up to the launch control system, and also help the PM to keep track of flyer pad assignments if necessary.
• Registration is responsible for working the Registration table, signing people in, distributing flyer badges, and selling T-shirts and other merchandise.

Special Requirements for certain duty positions:

• RSO must be age 18+, and certified at least Level 2
• LCO must be age 18+
• PM must be age 18+

The FAA has approved ROC's waiver application for 2010, including LDRS 29.  Here's the relevant details:

• 7,000' AGL maximum altitude from 6:00 AM to 11:59 PM local time
• Call-in windows to 19,000' AGL available during daylight hours
• Night flights require either flashing or non-flashing lights, which must be visible throughout the flight

What does this mean to you, as a flyer?

Here's a basic summary of ROC's launch rules and procedures for 2010:

• All flyers must be registered, and be wearing their badge or wristband
• You may fly up to 19,000' AGL at LDRS 29 during the day
• If your normal daytime flight will stay below 7,000' AGL:
  • Fill out a normal YELLOW flight card
  • Take your rocket and completed yellow flight card to an RSO for inspection
  • The RSO checks your rocket and initials the flight card if everything is OK for launch
  • Take your initialed flight card and rocket to a Pad Manager (PM) for pad assignment
• If your daytime flight will exceed 7,000' AGL:
  • Fill out a RED flight card to indicate that the flight requires special handling
  • Indicate the expected maximum altitude on the card
  • Take your rocket and completed red flight card to an RSO for inspection
  • The RSO checks your rocket and initials the flight card if everything is OK for launch
  • Take your initialed flight card and rocket to a Pad Manager (PM) for pad assignment
  • Once your rocket is loaded on the pad, and ready to fly, inform the LCO, and we will call the FAA for a "high altitude window"
  • As soon as the FAA approves the window (typically only takes a minute or two), the LCO will launch the rocket
• If your flight is a Tripoli or NAR high-power certification flight:
  • Fill out a RED flight card to indicate that the flight requires special handling
  • Indicate the Organization (TRA or NAR) and cert level (L1, L2, or L3) on the card
  • Take your rocket and completed red flight card to an RSO for inspection
  • The RSO checks your rocket and initials the flight card if everything is OK for launch
  • Take your initialed flight card and rocket to a Pad Manager (PM) for pad assignment
  • Once your rocket is loaded on the pad, and ready to fly, the LCO will make sure that your witness is watching, and launch the rocket
  • Congratulations!  Take your completed cert paperwork back to Registration to have your badge or wristband updated with your new certification level
• You may fly up to 7,000' AGL at LDRS 29 during night launch hours:
  • We will schedule night launch hours for Thursday through Monday nights
  • Daytime launching will end about 1/2 hour before local sunset
  • There will be a dinner break before Night Launching begins.  Please refer to the posted schedule on-site for details.
  • Night launching will end just before midnight, or whenever people stop bringing up rockets to fly, whichever comes first
  • All night launch rockets MUST carry lights that make them clearly visible throughout the flight, from liftoff to landing.

As a reminder: If you plan to make a Tripoli or NAR high-power certification flight at LDRS, we will have plenty of the appropriate witnesses available to sign off on your successful flights, and to administer Level 2 tests as needed.  Just come up to the LDRS Information booth when you are ready, and we'll be happy to assist you.