OKTOBERFEST
NCR's
Oktoberfest Fall launch has become a popular, must attend event for many
model and high power rocketry enthusiasts in Colorado and throughout the Rocky
Mountain West. With good people, great weather, 96,000 acres of recovery area
and a 20,000' AGL standing waiver, Oktoberfest appeals to flyers of all capabilities.
Pads are available for launching everything from 1/4A Micromax
NAR contest flights on up through the alphabet 200# O-powered birds on experimental motors. Oktoberfest
has become a world-class event attracting flyers from all over the country.
Beginning in 2007, Sunday of the event will be held by NCR as a Research
Launch Day under Tripoli Research Rules*, allowing experimental motors and
significantly higher power than is readily available from certified motors.
Once you've flown with us at Oktoberfest, you'll plan on coming back again
and again and again.
The Event
This
year, Oktoberfest is back to its traditional dates of the first full weekend
in October. Got a special project planned? We'd sure like to know about
it in advance to make the necessary pad arrangements.
Dates: Friday
October 8th thru Monday October 11th
Range Schedule:
·
Friday,
October 8th- 10AM until 6PM - Certified motors only!
·
Saturday,
October 9th- 8AM until 6PM - Certified motors only!
·
Sunday,
October 10th- 8AM until 3PM - Tripoli Research Rules*
·
Monday,
October 11th- 8AM until 3PM - Tripoli Research Rules*
These
hours are subject to change with due cause based upon local weather or fire
conditions or at the request of the Forest Service, FAA or Weld County officials.
Please Note - Sunday is a Tripoli Research launch. You MUST be over 18,
a Tripoli member and L2 certified in order to fly.
*Tripoli
Research Rules allow ONLY Tripoli members, certified to L2 level or above,
to fly under Research Rules. You may fly anything up to 200,000 N-sec total
impulse with up to 15 seconds total burn time or 100,000 N-sec total impulse
between 15 seconds up to 60 seconds total burn time and limited to 75% of
the waiver. Flights over 25K' altitude or with longer burn times than 15 seconds are allowed only with written (email) Tripoli Board of Directors approval. See the Tripoli Research Safety Code for full details. Non Tripoli
members can spectate, however they cannot be within 50 of motor prep or rocket
prep areas according to the insurance coverage.
Fees:
Flyer
fees remain unchanged from 2005.
NCR Members
-$10 Non-Members
-$25*
*Non-members
of NCR are offered a special membership deal. $25 for Oktoberfest and an
additional $25 gives you a full years membership in NCR, a $10 savings.
Click here for Registration Form and Instructions!!!
Parking
As
always, parking needs to be within 100' from the edge of Road 45 in a straight line and at least 100' back from the flight line. Do not park or drive on the road east to the Windmill. Please be courteous while parking and leave
room for others. Park head-in and behind the yellow rope. Make sure you do
not block the vendor area or the central flight line and Administration Tent area as this area is reserved for vendors and event management.
Pre-registration
We'd
like to strongly encourage pre-registration. While we are working on an automated,
online payment and registration system, it isn't quite ready for prime time.
Until that's working, please print out the registration form HERE and send
it in with a check for your flyer fee to the address on the form. Checks should
be made out to Northern Colorado Rocketry. For signing up early, you'll get
two free raffle tickets when you check in. Pre-registration forms must be
received by the last Friday in September to qualify. When you get to
Oktoberfest, go to the Registration Table to pick up your flyer's wristband
and raffle tickets.
Onsite Registration
Of
course you'll be able to register onsite as well. After finding a parking
place, walk on down to the Administration Tent to sign in and pay your flyer's
fee. ALL flyers are required to wear a wristband indicating they have registered
and paid. NO ONE FLIES WITHOUT A COLORED CODED WRISTBAND!
The Site
The
area that is now the Pawnee National Grassland was originally acquired by
the Soil Conservation Service (SCS, now called the Natural Resources Conservation
Service) during the 1930's "dustbowl" days, was transferred to the
Forest Service in 1954, and was designated a National Grassland in 1960.
TREAD Lightly. Travel and recreate with minimum impact. Respect
the environment and the rights of others. Educate yourself, plan and
prepare before you go. Allow for future use of the outdoors by leaving
it better than you found it. Discover the rewards of responsible recreation.
As
our preferred launch site, Oktoberfest is being held at NCR's Pawnee North
launch site - Latitude 40 degrees, 52 Minutes North, Longitude 104 Degrees
37 Minutes West. Ground elevation is 5,430'
Site Considerations
Recovery
Area
Sitting
in the midst of over 96,000 acres of potential recovery area, NCR's Pawnee
- North Site lies on rolling short grass prairie. Aside from the occasional
sagebrush, rabbitweed, or stand of grass, there is little of anything more
than 4' high apart from the windmills and fence posts scattered around the
area. We strongly recommend dual-deployment for flights to significant altitude.
You may drive ONLY on the existing main roads. If your rocket lands at some
distance from the launch site, you MUST park on the road, and then WALK to
recover your rocket. Recovery is by FOOT travel ONLY!!! No vehicle traffic
is permitted off road.
Weather
The
weather in Colorado varies by elevation, as well as by season. Be prepared
for sudden changes in temperatures, cool nights and possible afternoon rain
showers. Average temperatures on the prairie range from highs in the 50's
to 70's with lows in the 30's to 40's. Weather at NCR's Pawnee launch site
is usually very pleasant with clear Colorado skies and mild temperatures.
As with most places inm the west, high winds are occasionally a problem. It
is strongly advised to stake and guy out any tents or sunshades you set up
to prevent them from ending up in Nebraska or in a ragged pile of broken poles
and torn fabric.
Camping and
Lodgings
Camping
is permitted right on the flight line. You may bring RV's, tent trailers or
set up any kind of tent or whatever you wish. Keep in mind the need to be
fair about taking up space on the main flight line for a large camp. Please
establish those out towards the ends of the flight line. No camping or vehicle
parking is permitted on the West side of the road. Also, keep in mind that
ALL vehicles and camping MUST be behind the flight line.
The
nearest motels are in Wellington, CO, Cheyenne, WY, and Fort Collins, CO.
The Comfort Inn in Wellington , 970-568-0444, has offered a reduced rate for
launch participants.
Fires
The
Forest Service allows us a single fire pit at the site which we must clean
up at the end of the event. All other fires or barbecues must be elevated
well above the ground to prevent charring and sterilization of the soil. Firewood
is nonexistent on the prairie so contributions are welcome. In the evenings,
the fire is frequently the center of social activity. Join us there!
What to Bring
Water - At least a gallon per person per day for drinking.
There is NO water available on site.
Sunglasses
- It IS bright out there. People have become glare blind after a full day
out in the sun. (not actual blindness, but like snowblindness, feels as if
your eyes have been filled with sand.)
Sunscreen
- The sun here is intense at 5430' and you WILL burn a lot quicker than you
think. Bring plenty of sunscreen.
Food
- We recommend you bring all the food and snacks you will need as stores and
restaurants are all more than 30 minutes away. There will likely be a hot
dog vendor and perhaps a burrito vendor onsite during the day on Saturday,
but for the other days you must be prepared to feed yourself.
Other Useful
Stuff
Binoculars,
GPS unit, FRS radios, EZ-Up sunshade or similar, chairs.
What NOT
to Bring
PLEASE,
don't bring pets, fireworks, firearms, explosives, or illegal drugs. Alcohol
use is restricted to the hours after flight operations have ceased for the
day. We ask parents and caregivers to carefully consider whether it is appropriate
to bring small children (or the old, infirm or disabled) to this event as
some of the rockets are large and powerful enough that they could cause serious
injury or death in the event of an accident. Attendees should be able to be
fully mobile and aware of their surroundings in the event it becomes necessary
to move rapidly away from a falling or malfunctioning rocket.
Sanitation
and Trash
Port-a-Potties
are provided for your convenience. Please don't use them for anything but
their intended contents. Do not throw trash or other materials into them.
There
are NO large trash receptacles provided. As is typical with self-sufficient
camping on most public lands, YOU are responsible for taking ALL of your trash
out with you. If you bring it, take it with you when you leave. Please clean
up your parking and prep area before you leave. Help keep the prairie clean
of micro-trash and rocketry debris.
Water
Bring
enough water for you and all of your activities as there is none available
at the site. We highly recommend an allowance of at least 1 gallon per person
per day for drinking as the dry climate will dehydrate you far more quickly
than you can imagine.
Other Services
There
are no services whatsoever at the site that you can count on. A Hot Dog vendor
and perhaps a burrito stand will be there during the day on Saturday, but
you should plan on taking care of your own needs. The nearest gas stations
are in Ault (Colorado Highway 14 and 85) or Wellington (US I-25) or in Cheyenne,
Wyoming, (US I-25 and US 80) about 25 miles away by paved road.. And the nearest
large convenience stores are also found in Ault, Wellington or Cheyenne.
Contests and the Oktoberfest Raffle
Similar
to our other big event, Mile Hi Mayhem, NCR sponsors a contest or two specifically
for this event and we also hold a raffle with a wide range of rocketry oriented
prizes.
Oktoberfest
Beverage Boost - A Closest to the Pad Contest (Beer/Pop can boost contest)
- Again, this is relatively simple contest. The contest being to loft a 12
ounces of your favorite brewed beverage to an altitude of at least 600' AGL
and land it closest to the pad using any certified I motor. Leaking containers
are automatically disqualified. Entry fee is the other 5 cans of beverage
in the 6 pack.
Single
Shot and Super Single Shot Sweepstakes - These are the latest incarnation
of VERY popular contests from 2004. The idea is you get one chance to reach
the highest altitude possible on a single, predefined, motor. This year the
single shot is a Roadrunner G80 Single Use motor (see CoolRocketStuff.com)
The Super Single Shot will again be the Aerotech 38/720-cased, J350. Both
are kick-ass motors. The G80 is NOT an Aerotech, costs less and has an integral
thrust ring - a major improvement on the original aside from having 108 N-sec
total impulse vs. 100 N-sec.
Altitude
must be measured by a standard, unmodified commercial electronic altimeter
and witnessed by at least one NCR member who is not the flyer. There is a
one time, $20 entry fee. The prize is awarded at NCR's annual club meeting
in January and consists of the entire pot of collected entry fees. The prize
for the 2005 SSS was $280.
Altitude
Record Attempts - Of course everyone is welcome to take a shot at breaking
any of NCR's club altitude records or even Tripoli altitude records so long
as we don't break the waiver limit. This leaves things wide open for motors
of K impulse class and below as well as higher altitudes if prior arrangements
and approval are obtained from the NCR executive committee and the TRA board.
See our Altitude Records page for further information. All altitude's must
be determined by a stock, unmodified commercial altimeter and witnessed by
at least one other NCR club member.
Vendors
have donated a pile of great prizes to our raffle. From rocket kits to motor
cases, DVD's and reloads to t-shirts, there are plenty of great prizes "up
for grabs". We'll be pulling winning tickets throughout Oktoberfest
and posting the winners on the board at the Registration table. Raffle tickets
are just $1 or 6 for $5 and can be bought at the Registration table. Pre-register
for Oktoberfest by September 21st and get two tickets free.
Vendors
As
always, NCR's big events attract an increasing number of rocketry vendors
selling kits, supplies, rocket motors and reloads. If you expect to need larger
motors and reloads, we suggest you contact your favorite vendor soon and place
your order to ensure your motors and reloads are available in time for Oktoberfest.
Missileworks
- Jim Amos and Missileworks will be there. Jim will be selling his fine quality
altimeters, timers, remote deployment controllers, and timers.
Giant
Leap Rocketry - Tim Thomas, our Colorado Giant Leap rep will be on hand with
an inventory of kits, components, rocketry supplies and both Aerotech and
Cesaroni reloads. Giant Leap is one of the larger suppliers in the country
of High Power rocketry supplies and motor reloads. Pre-orders for motors
are encouraged
Photos
By Nadine - Nadine is very well known throughout the high power rocketry community.
Her amazing rocketry photographs have been featured in rocketry magazines
and calendars. We're lucky that Nadine Kinney lives near us and has attended
NCR's Mile High Mayhem and Oktoberfest launches since their inception. Her
photos are superb - 'nuf said.
Rocket Garden - Bryan shows
up at most NCR launches bringing his trailer full of model rocket supplies,
model and mid power kits and rocket motors - primarily Estes and Aerotech
single use motors up through G impulse
CoolRocketryStuff.com
- Jon Skuba is an NCR club member and the Colorado distributor for RoadRunner
motors. Jon also vends a huge assortment of motor mounts for clusters and
the hard to find hardware we all need.
More Event Information
Certifications
If
you intend to certify at Oktoberfest, you will need to make your arrangements
in advance. If you are a member of NAR, you will want to have your cert team
assembled prior to bringing your rocket and flight card to the LCO's desk
for check-in. If you are a member of TRA and wish to certify, you will need
to make arrangements with the Tripoli Prefect (Joe Hinton) or a TAP member. Level 3 TRA and
NAR certs will require your TAP or L3CC Team to be notified and present, so be sure
you make your arrangements in advance. Motors for L2 certifcations will almost
certainly be available on-site from a variety of vendors. However, NCR recommends
that you contact your preferred vendor ahead of time to ensure availability
of the specific motor you're planning on - particularly for 54mm or larger motors. Early ordering and arrangements
are strongly recommended if you expect your motor to be there on time.
Hybrid Motor Fees:
In
addition to the flyer fee which ALL flyers must pay, NCR also charges for
hybrid flights, based upon the amount of nitrous used.
| Hybrid Motor Impulse Class |
Nitrous Fee |
| G and under |
Free` |
| H |
$4 |
| I |
$6 |
| J |
$8 |
| K |
$10 |
| L |
$15 |
| M |
$20 |
| N or larger |
Fee adjusted based upon relative amount of nitrous oxide used.
See LCO or go to the Administration tent for details. |
This
year, NCR has special launch cards for hybrid flights. This is a bright yellow/green
card with the same information that is on a regular flight card plus a checkbox
for each impulse class of hybrid motor and the fee charged. These cards are
only available from the launch registration table and will be given to you
AFTER payment of the nitrous fee. You must have one of these special flight
cards before you can hook up to the hybrid GSE at the pad. You MUST reserve
your hybrid flights with NCR by October 1st in order to be assured of sufficient
Nitrous Oxide for your flight(s). Reserved flights have precedence and no
one who has not reserved NOX will be allowed on the pad until all reserved
flights have flown. Contact Ed Dawson at equipment@ncrocketry.org
or volunteer@ncrocketry.org,
Warren Musselman at webmaster@ncrocketry.org
or Joe Hinton at president@ncrocketry.org.
It
should be noted that this fee covers one flight attempt - If the rocket is
removed from the pad for any reason, the flyer must pay the fee again. (This
will be waived if the flyer doesn't fill the motor with nitrous before removing
it from the pad.) While the fee does allow for a reasonable attempt at flight
including a reasonable number of fills or purges, the final determination
if additional fees are to be charged due to multiple fill attempts is at the
discretion of the LCO and Launch Director.
Other Good Stuff
Of
course, like any other NCR launch we expect this to be a heck of a fun time
for everyone. Oktoberfest will be an event worth attending. Some things
worth thinking about:
Friday
Night at the Movies - Doug Gerrard will once again be holding Friday Night
at the Movies, weather permitting. Doug's awesome collection of ground-based
and on-board high speed film clips brings IMAX quality and NASA-like imagery
to the prairie. Obviously, this will be held Friday night after it is dark
enough for the projector.
Stargazing
- As at previous events, a number of folks bring out their telescopes to take
advantage of some of the best dark-sky conditions in Colorado. If you have
a scope, by all means bring it out. If the clouds are cooperative, we'll
have some great cosmic viewing with great dark skys!.
Disclaimer
NCR
abides by the rules of the NAR and TRA Safety Codes. Since the majority of
our flyers are certified for High Power and are expected to know and use appropriate
building and flying techniques, all common sense rules for HPR launches apply.
The LCO, RSO and Launch Director have the FINAL say in whether your flight
will be permitted. We ask each flyer to know their rocket and motor, to check
in with the RSO prior to flight and to follow best practices for safety when
preparing the rocket and loading it on the pad. A completed flight card is
required for each flight listing ALL pertinent information regarding the rocket.
In addition, complex projects (clusters, multi-stage rockets, air-starts,
etc.) and rockets with questionable stability MUST be cleared with the Flight
Director and RSO prior to heading for the pad - please inform the LCO that
this is a "Heads-Up" flight so it may be announced as such to the
other flyers and spectators.
Safety
First! NCR makes every effort to ensure the safety of all participants and
spectators. Rocketry is not a zero risk endeavor. By participating in Oktoberfest
as either a flyer OR as a spectator, you are accepting the risks inherent
to the hobby and you acknowledge that you assume full financial risk for participating
or attending the event.
Please
note, NCR and its executive board and membership are NOT responsible for you.
YOU are solely responsible for your safety and for following all aspects of
the NAR and TRA safety codes.
CONCLUSION
NCR
welcomes you to Oktoberfest and we hope you will be able to attend the best
Fall launch in the Rocky Mountain West. We look forward to seeing you out
on the range.
