November 13th 1999 - Lucerne Dry Lake California
Maiden flight - Attempt for Level III Certification
Perfect Slow motion boost. It accelerated slowly off the pad and then quickly took off almost out of sight. The parachute was deployed at apogee but was not fully deployed from the nomex bag. The rocket fell rapidly and finally at about 1000-Ft. above the playa it finally opened up. The R-19 chute gently lowered the rocket to the ground with Zero damage. Successful Level III certification.
The batteries in both altimeters shifted in their holders however and a good altitude reading was not obtained.June 11th 2000 - Lucerne Dry Lake California
The Worlds First Level III Mega Event
For the first time ever Five Level III rockets were simultaneously ignited in the biggest rocketry spectacle ever. The Patriot was the Fourth to leave the launch pad. It took off slowly as it did the first flight Six months earlier. Then Two seconds after the motor burned out, I ignited the cluster of Four J-350 motors via remote control for my first successful airstart of the Patriot.
The parachute deployed perfectly at apogee this time (no nomex bag).
July 22nd 2001 - Lucerne Dry Lake California
LDRS XX High Power Comes Home
I stayed up until 2:00 A.M. after the LDRSXX banquet reloading the motors for the Patriot. One M1419 and four J350 motors. The Patriot went on the pad at about 11:15 and was ready to launch by 12:00 noon.
The Patriot lit instantly at the end of the ten-second countdown and boosted straight up and out away from the flight line. A few seconds after main motor burn out I pushed the button on the Pratt remote to light the four outboard motors...nothing. I pushed and pushed but they would not light I was disappointed to say the least.
The Patriot coasted up and over then right at apogee the chute came out nice and easy it did the last flight. I suddenly realized that I now had four J350 motors to fly at the next launch. The patriot landed on its rear end and gently fell over on its side. Just as the parachute was touching the ground there was a bright flame and lots of white smoke from the rear of the rocket. The outboards had lit and the rocket did an arcing land shark across the drylake away from the flight line.
Upon landing the relay that I used to light the outboards from an R/C car battery pack must have bounced and set off the electric matches inadvertently. The paint job is now badly scratched and the front edge of the body tube is chewed up. I plan on repainting the Patriot in the Desert Storm paint scheme and flying it either at LDRS or next summer's ROC Stock launch.
