Launch Site Rules
Thank you very much for looking up our site rule before you come out to launch. We follow both NAR and TRA safety rules. The rules change slightly depending on the launch conditions so listen to announcements on the field. The site rules listed below are true for both NAR and TRA launches and govern both spectators and participants in the launch. All participants are expected to follow the local and national safety codes and rules that govern each launch.
From this point forward, sparky motors will no longer be allowed by this club. By request of the landownders, these motors will not longer be allowed.
Sites Rules:
You, as a flyer, need to know that rocketry can be a dangerous activity – objects obviously fall from the sky. We have rules and procedures to help make this activity as safe for everyone as possible, but bad things can happen if the rules are not followed. Everyone, flyer or spectator, must understand and follow these rules to ensure safety:
- Camping on the field maybe allowed, but ask our leadership before you arrive on the field so we can confirm it is allowed on the launch weekend. Absolutely no campfires allowed.
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Pay attention! Every flight is potentially dangerous to you and your family. If the Launch Control Officer (LCO) calls a flight
“Heads up!”
he she means it! Please stand up, get out from under your tent and scan the sky.
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If you hear
“Heads Up” and/or the whistle of a rocket falling and/or an air horn
blasting it means that a rocket, or parts of it, are falling into the spectator/parking area. GET UP, SCAN THE SKY and make sure that you or the people near you are not under the falling object.
- Unless you are flying, stay behind the flight line, the area between the flight line and the first row of flyers’ tents is the spectator viewing area. If you do not know what the flight line is, ask.
- Do not drive wheeled vehicles in the spectator area. This includes ATV’s, bicycles, tricycles, etc. If you need to go on the field to recover a rocket, please do not drive on the fields. You must stay on the roads and not damage the sod.
- Parking is on a first come, first serve basis. Please do not park in any areas designated for vendors or launch administration.
- Drive slowly as you approach the launch area. A vehicle moving fast can be VERY dangerous to pedestrians and pets!
- All pets must be on a leash at all times!
- Please keep your children, friends, family, and pets under control and be sure they understand these rules.
- Please fill out the a flight card for your flight before arriving at the RSO table. All rockets must be inspected prior to going past the flight line.
- DO NOT drive any vehicles into any of the fields. DO NOT block any of the access roads when parking. DO NOT drag your harnesses or rocket parts through any crops in the adjacent fields.
- Please use only the provided toilet facilities (porta potties). Please do not throw any trash into the porta potties!
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Please keep control of your trash and carry it off the field when you leave. Our launches are a
Carry-in Carry-out Event.
If you carry it on the field, you are expected to carry what is left of it home.
Launch Rules:
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The waiver for our site will be in place each day to fly to 7,000 feet AGL.
Do not bust our waiver.
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During the night launch, the waiver is reduced to 3,000 feet.
Do not bust our waiver.
- Flights up to Complex M and simple N motors can be accommodated. But if you plan to fly a complex “K” or higher, please contact us to have your flight approved prior to the launch.
- If you need non-standard launch equipment for your project, please use the contact form to contact the club leadership before showing up to arrange support. We will do all we can to make sure you can launch your project!
- Staff on hand will be able to certify L1 and L2 flights for both NAR and Tripoli. It is the L3 candidate’s responsibility to contact your L3CC or TAP member to arrange to have your L3 certification flight properly documented and witnessed.
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Power Lines Kill!!!!!
If your rocket ends up on a power line or the power station, please do not try to recover the rocket. Contact the LCO and will help you contact the power company.
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All motors of impulse class “F” and above must have their igniters installed at the pad. If you arrive at the RSO with an igniter installed you will be asked to immediately leave the line to correct the problem, and you will have to wait in line again. There are only two exceptions to this igniter rule:
- The igniter must be built-in to the motor during construction; in this case, all igniter leads must remain shorted together until the rocket is on the pad.
- The rocket is a cluster rocket; in this case, igniters may be loaded in a designated area within the range.
- All rockets must be inspected and approved by the Range Safety Officer (RSO) prior to each flight. Please be able to explain or show that your rocket will have a stable flight, and that it will recover safely. If you have a large rocket, a roving RSO may be available to come to your vehicle or tent to inspect the rocket – just ask.
- The RSO might request information showing that the rocket will be stable. The flier is responsible to explain the stability of their rockets.
- The RSO’s word is final. There is no appeal process. Please do not try to argue your case.
- All electronic recovery devices must be safed, shunted, or powered off when the rocket is brought to the RSO.
- All electronic recovery systems must use commercially manufactured electronic matches. No homemade hot heads or conductive primer igniters.
- Radio Control (RC) systems used on the range connected to any pyrotechnic devices (igniters or backup charges) must be commercially available systems that are specifically designed for remote ignition of pyrotechnic devices (such as, but not limited to, the Missile Works WRC or Digifire systems).
- Do not enter the range to load or recover a rocket until the Launch Control Officer (LCO) announces “the range is open or safe”.
- Regarding the high power to away cell pads, if you need a different rail or help adjusting the away cell pads, please ask the LCO for assistance.
- All Flights that are predicted to fly to anywhere near or above 5000’ MUST be dual recovery. High altitude deployment will likely result in the loss of you rocket.
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You may pick up or move another fliers rocket that has landed only under the following conditions:
- You have the owner’s permission to do so.
- If you are a long distance away, and the rocket is undamaged, and no one appears to be looking for it, you may carefully bring it back to the LCO table; if the rocket is damaged, please note the location and report it to the LCO.
- If the rocket is being dragged by the wind, please carefully stop the rocket and place the parachute under its body tube or nose cone, and note the location and report it to the LCO.
- If you find a reloadable motor casing that has been ejected from a rocket, wait until it has cooled off and bring it back to the LCO table.
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Please keep control of your trash and carry it off the field when you leave. Our launches are a
Carry-in Carry-out Event.
If you carry it on the field, you are expected to carry what is left of it home. This includes your bucket recoveries
In addition to the above rules, ROSCO follows NAR's launch rules and ICBM follows Triopli's research and high power rules. For more information, please review the information in the links below.
For national NAR and Tripoli safety codes:
- National Association of Rocketry Safety Codes:
- Tripoli Safety Code: