Again the weather for the H.A.R.T. launch day was constantly changing but today we were expecting rain. Chris and Sam were already at the launch site when I arrived and they had brought along a few rockets including the Astron Invader Glider and the Big Rage rocket.
The sky turned black as we set up the launch site and pads and soon the heavens opened and we quickly repacked and headed for the warm cafe. After a short while the rain stopped and the 6 members of H.A.R.T. returned to the top of the hill and set up the launch site for the second time.
Sam was the first to launch with the Astron Invader Glider rocket on a A8-3 engine. Despite the wind the glider took off nicely and did a large loop under power and then did a smaller second loop when the engine's ejection charge fired.
It was soon recovered and launched again and this time is did a great flight as the wind made it fly horizontal after gaining only around 60 feet but instead of crashing the glider just flew straight and level under power and then glided down once the ejection charge fired.
The next rocket to launch was my "Gnome King" on a C6-7 engine. The rocket took of well and vanished into the Sun but the others managed to track it and soon we all watched as it drifted slowly and landed at the bottom of the hill.
While I was retrieving the "Gnome King" Sam launched the "Big Rage" also on a C6-7 and it was nice to see a rocket power into the sky from a distance and then land quite close the launch pad.
Chris soon rearmed the Big Rage and Sam launched it for a second time and again the rocket did a nice flight and landed a short walk from the pad.
The next rocket to launch was my Bail out on a C6-7 as it had a 18 inch parachute for recovery. The rocket shot of the pad and came close to hitting the small kite which I had put up to help judge the wind. The rocket went up to around 700 feet and luckily and long way up wind. The parachute deployed and the rocket soon started it's slow decent back to earth and to my surprise landed on the top of the hill.
It was soon rearmed and launched again but this time it seemed to catch a thermal and drifted to the far side of the lake but landed close to some of the jet skiers who kindly collected the rocket for me.
Overall the meeting was a good day as the weather forecast was poor. We only had 2 members launch but they had 10 successful flights.