Regulatory Progress

[Rocketman]

Minor rule changes that would have no effect on underwriting of existing rocket insurance policies:

Fix excessive offset distances
Remove club tethering of user certifications
Reduce motor requirements well beyond what the law requires
Fix no allowance for misfire alley range setup

http://v-serv.com/usr/safetycodes.htm

Scroll down to USR Safe Distance Guidelines.

[Bat-mite]

Could you explain "Fix no allowance for misfire alley range setup" please?

[Rocketman]

NFPA-1127 is written such that a torture rack format is presumed for group launches.  It makes it difficult to impossible to comply when running a misfire alley range.  Now to be direct, NFPA codes are ignored by rocket folks all the time, but why intentionally write a rule that precludes the most successful range set-up ever?

Jerry

[Bat-mite]

I don't know what a "torture rack" is or a "misfire alley range." Perhaps I've seen and used one or the other, but I don't know the terms.

[Rocketman]

Torture rack can be a device or a system.  You load a series of rockets all at once and launch them one at a time.

Misfire Alley is both a system and hardware whereby rockets can be loaded, launched, and recycled completely arbitrarily as available.  If you have a lot of folks you can simply have more pads.

With Torture Rack more people causes more congestion and longer lines in a cue.

With Misfire Alley there are never any cues.  Rockets are launched way too fast for that!!!

I would say the single biggest difference is with torture rack users are not trusted to maintain safety and range control. With misfire alley all participants are part of the safety system and really buy in reliably and quickly to achieve the benefits of freedom they deserve. Their time is respected.

Tech Jerry

cites:

misfire alley
http://v-serv.com/usr/images/MisfireAlleyRange2.gif
Stine page 23
http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ModelRo..._07-69.pdf

torture rack
Launch Rack (COSROCS).jpg
Tripoli RSO "rules".
http://www.tripoli.org/Launches/Safety/R...fault.aspx
Range ops
https://books.google.com/books?id=VR6HyQ...ge&f=false

Stine declared Torture Rack obsolete in 1966!! He was right.

[rstaff3]

NOVAAR uses that technique. Works really well. Also works the LCO a bit more because there aren't any long gaps between rounds.

[Rocketman]

NOVAAR uses that technique. Works really well. Also works the LCO a bit more because there aren't any long gaps between rounds.

I have been loudly and repetitiously advocating misfire alley as long as I have been on the internet, perhaps since 1992.  Since then several clubs have adopted the method.  That is great and a practical win for those users.

My concern is the regulations were maliciously authored to make HPR have less access and be far more prescriptive than model rocketry by the anti-HPR factions on the NFPA committee.  That needs fixin'.

With misfire alley there is less need for an RSO to check each and every rocket.  They can lower their duty cycle to merely approving launches and with a larger event they can delegate to assistant RSO's to approve launches.

They can check rockets from newbies and complex flights and let the regular stuff just roll.

Jerry

[Bat-mite]

Thanks for the info.

[WvonBraun]

According to the NAR Facebook page looks like the revisions to California laws about model rocketry are headed to the governors desk for signature.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill...tatus.html
This will be good for the hobby, especially in CA.

[Frederocket]

Good to see California joining the 21st century...