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TRIPOLI Pittsburgh
Launch Report
November 5, 2023
Page 3
Flyers: 29
Flights: 68
The WVU Experimental Rocketry Team was out in November with a number of members trying for certification flights.
Photo: Dan Heinlen
Elizabeth Breckenridge
Members of the the WVUER Team pose with their rockets prior to certification attempts. Congrats to Ben and Elizabeth for completing their L2 certs.
Carmelo Knisker
Ben Renninger
WVU Experimental Rocketry
Elizabeth Breckenridge is one of Joe Pscolka's WVU students of the last couple of years. Her Level 2 Certification rocket known as Bucket Ass Murphy, named as a dedication to her Gramps who taught her how to play baseball.
"My journey through rocketry has been one I wouldn't trade for the world. I've learned so much and I get cool stories to tell from each launch I go to (regardless if I'm flying or not). Each launch I have brings me a new lesson to keep in mind for the next one.
With my L1 I learned to make sure your motor delay is cut and that your sims account for the wind. I learned with my L2 that making the nose cone shoulder hollow makes it easier to pack recovery devices in the upper airframe."
Liz B. watches her Level 2 Certification rocket, Bucket Ass Murphy head skyward.
Murphy is a LOC Precision EZ-I65 kit that flew on a 6 grain, Cesaroni J-425 to 4,259 feet (one of the highest flights of the year).
According to Liz, "the flight was 106' higher than the anticipated altitude." Many of us would love to get that close to our estimates.
"The flight was deemed completely nominal with zero damage or zippering", added Liz.
What Liz refers to as "completely nominal" many of us might call "Yeah! Woo Hoo! Ya got that Right!". Nominal.
Her rocket was painted to represent the baseball bat she and Gramps used when they played ball.
Elizabeth Breckenridge's Bucket Ass Murphy returns to ground (at left) for a successful Level 2 Certification flight.
Congrats Liz!
When asked if she plans to go for Level 3, Liz replied, "Absolutely! I have already started talking to Joe Pscolka about it. I'm thinking about doing it completely from scratch so I get personal project experience on WVUER's X-Winder."
Liz is shooting for October 2024 for her L3 launch so we'll all keep our fingers crossed.
Photo: Christian Breckenridge
(Elizabeth's Father)
Photo: Christian Breckenridge
Ben Renninger is another of Joe Pscolka's WVU students that tried for his Level 2 certification at the November launch.
Here we see Ben with his Rising Sun, a 4" diameter Hyperloc 835 with a LOC Intelligent nosecone and an onboard camera located in the electronics bay. Ben used a EggTimer Quasar for deployment at apogee and 700' for the main parachute.
Ben Renninger's Rising Sun lifts off on an Aerotech J270 white lightning.
Onboard with Ben Renninger's Rising Sun.
Ben Renninger's Rising Sun. floats safely back to earth for a successful flight and Level 2 certification.
Congrats Ben!
And Ben plans to fly his Level 3 in late 2024 so let's hope he makes that look as easy!
WVU student San Olsavsky flew The Eagle as a successful Level 1 certification flight in October 2021 on an H-219.
Sam flew the HyperLOC 835 kit again in November on an I-140 to an altitude of 1,500 feet. While the recovery was successful, the airframe of The Eagle suffered some zipper damage. Sam said that he may rebuild The Eagle or he might decide to retire it. Either way, "It has been a good rocket and has served me well.", said Sam.
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