November 14, 1999 (Rockitz.com newsline)

Lucerne, Ca.
The worlds First Level III Event between Bob Csallo and Kurt Gugisberg, is now history. Hundreds of high power rocketry enthusiasts were on hand November 14th at Rock Stock X for the ultimate high noon high power showdown.

It was a fantastic windless day at Lucerne dry lake. Both of the competitors spent the morning prepping their rockets, hoping to be the first person in the history of high power rocketry to win the title of "level III Event Champion". The first two days of California's Biannual ROC Stock launch were phenomenal. Friday and Saturday both served up some of the best rocket flying conditions in the history of Southern California rocketry. But Sunday proved to be what is probably the biggest day to date in the history of high power rocketry.

Both fliers would be using their Level III certification rockets for the event. Kurt Gugisberg has already logged several successful flights on his Big Dumb Rocket (BDR). Bob Csallo would be flying his Big Stick Rocket for only the second time. Both rocketeers had spent months in preparation for this day. The motors were ordered months in advance, the challenges were sent back and fourth across the Internet. Now was the time to determine who was builder of the biggest, meanest high power rocket in So Cal.

Many had already figured out that Bob's Big Stick had a severe advantage in that it was about 30 lbs. lighter than BDR and it was also 3 inches smaller in diameter. Because of the big difference it was obvious Kurt needed to boost the initial thrust of BDR. Kurt added three J350 outboard motors clustered around the M1939 as equalizers. Ralph Sellers lended his expertise by whipping up some killer magnesium igniters.
BDR also carried a video payload. The lens was pointed sideways at the Big Stick for liftoff.

Bob Csallo and his crew spent the morning meticulously assembling the AeroTech M1939 motor. It was determined from previous test flights the day before with smaller rockets, that the igniters that were to be used in the event were too unreliable. So it was decided to use two Daveyfire igniters and about twelve inches of thermalite. Two rubber chickens were put aboard to be ejected at apogee and allowed to fly free back to terra firma.

The cameras were popping as the two rockets were carried to the flight line by the ground crews:

BDR - Larry Jacobs, John Van Norman, Steve Roberson, and Chris Roberson.
Big Stick - Kelly Smith, Eric Bergner, Michael Jackson, Frank Cimino Mike Csallo

Bill Seiders and Ralph Sellers tested the launch system prior to launch and the go-ahead was given for the countdown. 11 year old Kevin Guice was invited to push the button. The ten-second countdown was about to begin. Brother John Van Norman took over as LCO for the race and introduced the fliers who shook hands and went to their corners. Heads up was announced and the countdown began with the crowd counting aloud. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…

The BDR lit up and came to pressure almost instantaneously and leapt from the pad. One second later although it felt like a lifetime, the Big stick thundered to life and fired from the pad like a bullet from the barrel of a gun. Even with one of the J350s not lighting BDR still managed to get up to 6,775 feet on the remaining three motors. The Big stick soared to a calculated height of ten thousand feet.

But it was to be a triumphant yet tragic day in Lucerne as the Big stick continued over from apogee in ballistic arc northwards away from the crowd. Neither of the altimeters on board the BS had fired the ejection charges that were to deploy the two parachutes. The characteristic whistling noise of a falling bomb was heard as the Big Stick plummeted to its end.

BDR came through the Big Race without a scratch. The onboard video came out great too. It was pointing at the Big Stick sitting on the pad and shows the BS still sitting there as the BDR takes off. There should be a copy available on this website soon.