Pilot reports seeing a rocket in mid-air

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I was into model rocketry for many years until lack of time and a launch area pushed me out of it.

There are two possibilities here:

1 - Pilot was flying under 2000 feet and was "buzzed" by a higher performance model of the little unregulated model rockets like the Estes kits. These rockets are usually well under a pound and generally plastic, mylar-coated cardboard, and balsa wood. Even if the engine ingested it it would cause less damage than a bird strike.

2 - Pilot got buzzed by a high-power rocket launched with no FAR variance. Someone's in deep doodoo if that's what happened, because generally you have to have a federal LEUP to handle the composite engines, be Tripoli certified, and let the FAA know where, when, and how high you're launching.

I have a feeling it's #1 there and a mountain is being made of a molehill.

5-28-2008 @ 10:57AM

Anna Brones said...

Thanks for the helpful input!

6-01-2008 @ 9:14AM

Mike Glen said...

I agree with#1

I used to fly Estes Model Rockets and they could easily reach over 1000 feet.

Someone should check the glide path of this airport, will probably find lots of stuff that shouldn't be there

Kids will be Kids

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