On 25 Aug 2004 14:14:17 -0500, oD (Bob
Kaplow) wrote:

From: EISNER::KAPLOW_R "Bob Kaplow" 25-AUG-2004 11:26:50.98
To:
CC: ,KAPLOW_R
Subj: October cartoon

As a model rocketeer with 40 years of experience in the hobby, I strongly
object to the cartoon I just saw on page 77 of your October issue of
Kitplanes. To infer that model rocketeers would endanger pilots or aircraft
is absurd.

Just as your hobby has grown over the past 4 decades, so has mine. When we
fly our large models that are capable of reaching altitudes of 5000' and
more, we notify the FAA of our operations and have the local FSS issue a
NOTAM. We fill out the same form used for an airshow. We always check for
aircraft in the flight area before launching ANY rocket. We are VERY safety
conscious in our operations, and have a safety record unmatched by any sport
or hobby.

Pilots are SUPPOSED to check the NOTAMs for their area before taking off. Of
course, we all know that they don't always do so. That's why we always look
for aircraft in the area before we fly. But we've encountered problems where
our NOTAMs actually attract aircraft. Someone comes flying around our
launch, and hangs around in our airspace, hoping to see something "cool". Of
course we then have to sit there and wait for the intruder to leave before
we can fly.

Frankly we've grown tired of our hobby being under attack by everyone
from the BATFE to SBC and now to Kitplanes. It is totally unjustified. Where
do you think the people who will build and fly the first manned Mars mission
will come from? They won't be Nintendo pilots, that's for sure.

[Hint: what was Bert Rutan doing when he was a kid? Building and flying
model airplanes!]

You can learn more about our hobby, our safety rules, and our organization
by visiting our web site at www.nar.org

Bob Kaplow
Northern Illinois Rocketry Association - Range Safety Officer
National Association of Rocketry - lifetime member #18L

cc: Mark Bundick NAR president
cc: rec.models.rockets

Sounds like you are definately a responsible rocket flyer Bob, but not
all rocket enthusiasts are.

A couple of months ago I was flying out of KLEB in Lebanon NH. I was
just logging landings to remain current so I could rent from the FBO,
so I was staying in the pattern. The active runway was 18, which for
Lebanon, means a right hand pattern. This takes you over a tiny
settlement south of the field comprising about five or six houses,
then brings you over the commercial strip bordering the Connecticut
River, then over a part of West Lebanon during base and final.

I was into my fourth circuit, and it was around 8:45 on a quiet
Saturday morning. I had just reported in to the tower midfield right
downwind for 18. The tower came back aknowledging my position,
clearing me for landing and then asking me if I could extend my next
leg.

I told the tower I could do so, then asked if noise was a problem.
The tower responded that it appeared to be. So I repeated that I had
no problem extending my subsequent patterns for noise abatement.

Then the tower came back saying that it wasn't really noise abatement,
that someone had called in saying that they were about to fire off a
rocket and wanted to notify the airport. They did not say where they
were calling from, but they could apparently see my airplane in the
pattern and obviously thought that firing the rocket while I was in
the air might make for a close call, or at least startle me.

I looked carefully at the ground under my pattern the next several
circuits, but could not see any activity under me. I figured that the
caller must have been calling from the houses to the south of the
airport as no other area was remote enough to allow the firing of a
rocket, but who knows.

In the event, I did not see a smoke trail and do not know if the guy
shot the thing off or not. But the mere fact that he was prepared to
fire it off within the pattern of an active airport was a bit
disconcerting.

I guess you could say: at least he called. That's true, but he should
not have even been considering firing it in such close proximaty to
the airport.

Corky Scott