| Flight Information | - |
|---|---|
| Location | BEMRC |
| Motor | G78G-7 |
| Predicted Apogee | 322 m |
| Apogee | 274 m (899 ft) |
| Result | Successful recovery with minor fin damage |
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The flight went very well - it was straight and smooth, delay was timed exactly for apogee, and the main ejected and opened perfectly.
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Unfortunately, the wind picked up a bit during descent and the rocket drifted over the gravel parking area, where it struck some large gravel fin-point-first. That fin had some cracked epoxy joints, but remained firmly attached (no wiggle, no signs of internal damage). The body was cosmetically damaged in several places.
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Repairs
The fin joints were repaired on 2019-03-15. They old epoxy was ground down to the body tube/fin junction all along and slightly past the extent of the cracks in the epoxy. The newly exposed parts of the fins and body tube were inspected for damage - there was no additional damage.
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The joint area was re-sanded with 120 grit to ensure a good bond between the body tube, fin, and existing epoxy. The area was then cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and new epoxy fillets were made (using DevCon 2-Ton - to match the original epoxy used).
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The paint was sanded beyond the joint area to aid in blending a bit, it was masked, and then painted. Several coats of clear gloss were added for continued protection.
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