April 2007
From the Prez
by Lance Lickteig
It must be spring! My grass needs to be mowed, the trees
are blooming and leafing out, I saw the Easter Bunny hopping
down the Bunny Trail, and my grass needs mowing … AGAIN!
Oh, and it is once again time for KloudBurst. The launch
opportunities have been pretty sparse since Distant Thunder
2006, although we had an unbelievably busy March Fun Fly
commercial launch (story and photos later).
KloudBurst is always a great chance to bring out
wintertime build projects for their maiden flights. All the warm
days really get me excited to see what everyone has been
working on. I only built one new rocket this winter, but I’ll be
waiting to launch it at the Research fun fly on April 28, 2007.
Rumor has it there will be some other surprises afoot at
KloudBurst as well. The launch will be supported by our great
vendors; Mark from Science Education Center and Kent from
Giant Leap Rocketry will be on-site for your rocket motors and
other rocketry supply needs.
As many of you know, the KloudBusters Board of
Directors has prepared a proposal for us to host LDRS 27 in
the summer of 2008. Since we have quite a few new
members, first a little background. LDRS is high-powered
rocketry’s “granddaddy of all launches.” Rocketeers from all
across the nation target major projects for launch at LDRS.
While there aren’t the extreme altitude launches like BALLS,
LDRS is a chance for the TRA rocketry community to come
together for a huge social event and impress everyone with
large, complex, or one-of-a-kind projects. There will be 300400 rocket flyers and well over 1000 flights over the 6-day
event. In addition to the flyers, there will be as many as 2000
people on-site enjoying the week.
members will be held whether or not KloudBusters will submit
the prepared bid proposal to the TRA Board of Directors. The
proposal WILL NOT be available on the web. If you want to
see it, come to KloudBurst. If you can’t make it to KloudBurst,
contact me directly at lancel@cox.net and other arrangements
will be made.
The idea of another LDRS bid has been on the table for
almost 2 years. We decided to bring it forward at this time
due to the renewed vigor demonstrated by members in
volunteering to step forward and help out at our large
launches. Make no mistake, LDRS is AIRFest times 10 and
must have an enthusiastic show of support from the members
to bring LDRS 27 home to the Argonia Rocket Pasture in ’08.
One final thing, please keep Larry Mills in your thoughts
and prayers as he recovers from a stoke he suffered in early
December. Larry is well known by rocketeers throughout the
Midwest as he has traveled to several launches each year.
Larry is a happy-of-lucky sort of guy and is always full of ideas
and good advice. Get well soon, bud!
Argonia Relations - Billboard Replaced
KLOUDBusters was asked several years ago if the club
would consider replacing the billboard welcoming folks coming
from the east on US160 into Argonia. Club member Mark
Schwartzkopf took on the challenge and produced an
impressive sign, which was put in place just before LDRS 22.
Well, last year Mother Nature exacted her wrath on the
KloudBusters has hosted LDRS 4 times in the past, the
most recent in 2003. In preparation for the 2003 event, we
built and purchased a great deal of launch infrastructure.
Since we were so well prepared for LDRS 22, it is our belief
that will greatly reduce the financial and advance manpower
burden on the club for hosting the event again. While that’s a
plus, the required manpower commitment will still be huge for
the club. We will rely heavily on a dedicated core team of
volunteers who are willing and capable of making time
commitments and sticking with their pledges. In addition to
the core team, each and every KloudBusters member and our
friends from surrounding clubs will be called upon to pitch-in
their time and effort to make another KloudBusters LDRS
second to none.
On Saturday April 14, 2007 after the range closes at
KloudBurst there will be serious discussion of our proposal.
Following the frank and open discussion, a vote of the
Photo Credit: Lance Lickteig
Sign Installation in progress east of Argonia.
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billboard and it was wrecked in the wind.
Last summer we salvaged the remains with the intention
of replacing the billboard once again. After a few fits and
starts at trying to repaint the graphics on the panels, Dennis
found a guy who makes vinyl signs on the side and was able
to get professional grade graphics done for the sign at a very
reasonable cost. The sign design was recreated on new
panels but had been relegated to Dennis' garage during the
harsh fall and winter months. Finally last month, the cold, ice
and snow gave way to more moderate conditions and we
were able to reinstall the sign.
Each member of KloudBusters should say "Thank You!"
to the following crew of dedicated member volunteers: Steve
and Tony Tedeschi, Tad and Thomas Keller, Jim Cooper,
Dennis Blackburn, Bob Block, Susan and Lance Lickteig.
Mark Schwartzkopf also deserves another round of thanks, as
we all now better understand the huge task he took on
accomplishing the original sign creation.
The Argonia city folks are very much appreciative of the
club's effort. We're always seeking to promote goodwill
between KloudBusters and the community. From Verna Lee
Coleman of Argonia, “… your billboard is a big hit here in
Argonia. They think it is wonderful. Thanks a bunch.”
I suggest everyone swing by the billboard and admire it.
It looks AWESOME!!!
Christmas Party 2006
by Terry Smemo
Each year in December Kloudbusters hosts a holiday gettogether. On December 9, approximately 36 members,
spouses, children and groupies met at the Kiwanis shelter in
Wichita for friendship, fellowship, food, and pickle
pyrotechnics. Some folks traveled a long way to be present,
and so here is a tip of the Kloudbuster cap to Mike, his wife
Marty and their son Michael Dickinson who traveled from
Oklahoma. Great seeing you!
Being as it was a potluck, Bob Brown brought the pot and
... wait, that¹s not right. Truth be told, this bunch is loopy
enough straight that chemical "enhancement" is totally
unnecessary. The food fare was the best ever! And the
entertainment justifies the cold, the travel and all the hassles!
Again this year Lance compiled an impressive slide- / videoshow of the year¹s highlights. Thank you, Lance! Gerald
brought a single stage Gherkinbaum, a Two-Stage
Gherkinbaum (!) and a 3-Cluster Gherkinbaum, ALL of which
performed in a pickle-perfect manner! Gerald¹s singing of the
Gherkinbaum Song lent great solemnity to the ceremony
<chortle, cough>. The newbies were overwhelmed with the
proceedings, and many of them had a glassy stare afterward.
The old-timers privately rolled their eyes but joined in and
sang as best they could anyway. Seeing this spectacle
repeatedly does not diminish the wonder of it. When the
pickle lit up, all I could think was, "Now THAT¹S
entertainment!" Here¹s a special THANK YOU!! to Gerald, a
brilliant and very twisted genius. We¹re glad you¹re on OUR
side!
After the pickle-persecution, we witnessed a club Board
meeting. Our club sets the standard for organization and
preparation throughout the realm of amateur rocketry. Seeing
the Board in action reveals why this is so. Our leaders are
extremely intelligent (well, most of the time...), dedicated and
tireless. Thanks, guys!
Also, in a time-honored tradition, I had the pleasure of
presenting my Milk-Bone Brother Bob Brown with a small
token of friendship, namely a can of "Anti-Monkey-Butt
Powder". Certainly, Bob was stunned. But never off balance
for long, Bob immediately acknowledged the hordes of
AIRFest volunteers for alleviating the need for this remedy,
thanking them for sharing the workload to the extent that he
actually got to fly rockets for a change.
Photo Credit: Terry Smemo / Collage: Lance Lickteig
KloudBusters Christmas revelry aplenty!
Judging from the smiles I saw, everyone had a good time.
SUGGESTION: during 2007, if you can, take lots of photos
and / or video, so we can show it at the next party!
Photo Credit: Terry Smemo / Collage: Lance Lickteig
Gerald Graves prepared to electrocute some gherkins a KloudBusters Christmas tradition.
April 2007
Distant Thunder 2006
Page 3
by Terry Smemo
One of the few complaints one hears at a launch in
Argonia is how flippin¹ HOT it is. The Founding Fathers of our
club thoughtfully established Distant Thunder as the answer to
that beef. Distant Thunder 2006 was held November 11-12,
and the weather was simply great. Saturday morning was
cool, with clear skies and virtually no wind. This was a good
thing, since we had a gazillion "youthful flyers" flying with us!
We don¹t have a firm count, but we do know there were
more than 20 Scouts, 13 middle schoolers, several groups of
home-schoolers and 9 members of the KU Rocket Systems
Development Club.
The KU Rocket Development Organization has been
flying with us for years. The group has about 15 members,
and 9 were on hand this time. Sarah Jarvis flew a PML
Intruder on an Aerotech J420 Redline for a successful L2 cert.
Dan Hartnesi flew his PML Callisto on an Aerotech 29mm H
for a successful L1 cert. Daniel Zehr attempted a cert one
flight but had no deployment. He didn¹t know why but was
mostly unfazed by the crash, saying he would try again at
Kloudburst. Chris Vaughn flew a PML Quaser on an Aerotech
I366 Redline Sunday, when it was soooo windy, but managed
to do so successfully for an L1 cert. Kodi Caster, the
organization¹s President described the program as a way to
get involved with the KU Aerospace Program. She said the
rockets, motors and parts are paid for by the school, but
Tripoli membership and travel was up to the students. They
don¹t get credit for their efforts, but "It looks really good on our
resumes, plus it gets us away from class for a while!"
Lance Lickteig flew his L3 rocket GO! Shocker on an
Aerotech M1315 successfully to an altitude of 7,000'. This
was a feature flight and the crowd loved it. More than a few
people said, "Do it again!"
There were plenty of great flights on Saturday. I wish
there were time and room to describe all of them.
As great as Saturday was at Distant Thunder, Sunday
was about the opposite. The day dawned cold, cloudy, and
Photo Credit: Terry Smemo
Cal Ammons and Circle Middle School students with Cal’s Level 1 Rocket.
The Scouts -- a mix of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, from
Troop 404 or Pack 404, respectively -- camped on site. They
were working on their Space Exploration Merit Badges. This
required each boy to fly his rocket successfully twice. Mark
Weaver, the Troop Leader explained that the boys were pretty
much self-sufficient, setting up their own tents, preparing their
own food (and it had to be cooked, not cold!) and contributing
to the overall needs of the group. Their enthusiasm was
contagious!
Cal Ammons is a teacher from Circle Middle School in
Benton Kansas. He brought out 13 of the 25 kids in his
science club to help him fly his beautiful rocket called
“Thinderbird”. This was the second year the group had come
to watch a launch, and the kids were pumped. Their favorite
was Lance¹s Go! Shocker, because it was the biggest rocket
they saw. The kids loved the sound it made. (So did
everyone present!)
Laurie and James Winzer from Augusta Kansas brought 6
children from their Hickory Nuts Homechool for the 3rd or 4th
time. But this was the first time they flew anything. Laurie
explained that they saw rocketry as a "way to get kids
interested in technical subjects -- chemistry, physics and
math. It is a way to capture and keep their interest. Besides
that, I like it!" James said the kids did all the construction and
recovery. Between the kids, there were a total of 9 rockets,
sharing $100 worth of motors. Suffice it to say the Hickory
Nuts Homeschoolers flew a lot of flights! Their favorite flight
was Jay Bailey¹s Flag rocket. Jimmy, age 5 summed it up
nicely, "It went WHOOOOSH!! real high!"
Photo Credit: Terry Smemo
One of the KU RDO groups certification flights on Sunday.
The high winds left a unique smoke trail off the pad..
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very windy. A few hardy souls gathered at the range to give it
a go, but not many were hardy enough to chase their birds in
the 19MPH winds. Two members of the KU RDO group still
had certification attempts to make, so as we tore down most
of the range they prepped their rockets. Once those two
flights were complete, we finished-up, said good-bye to a few
remaining Scouts, and headed in for pizza.
Always check the KLOUDBusters web site prior to
going to the launch site just in case there is schedule
change due to weather or field conditions.
March Fun Fly
by Lance Lickteig
We got to the range expecting the typical March
gathering of a few die-hards. We set-up a few pads and got
things rolling. A few rockets went up and pretty soon I lookedup and there was a stream of several cars arriving at the
Rocket Pasture. What the heck? Well, we got more and
more busy and before you know it were dragging out more
pads and cables to accommodate the throng.
By my
estimation, there were over 150 people, and when the day
was done we had launched around 130 rockets. There were
3 TARC teams from Circle Middle School and a team from
Maize High School in attendance making trial flights of their
egg-lofting rockets. Cal Ammons, the Science teacher at
CMS was back with about 20 students and as many parents
on-site as support.
There were also a number of KloudBusters from some
distance out enjoying the great conditions. Lacy Hull and Amy
Howell thrilled the crowd with a drag race of L motors in their
big projects. We had a number of certification flights as well,
including: Rick Diringer (L1), Kirk Zongker (L1), Jason
Meyeres (L1), Tad Keller (L1 & L2), and Derek Johnson (L2).
Welcome to high-power rocketry, guys.
It was a perfect day and the crowd and flights were great.
Thanks to the KloudBusters regulars in attendance who
worked so hard at getting all the rockets in the air.
Spring Wheat Break & Area Launches
After KloudBurst and the subsequent TRA Research Fun
Fly on April 28, 2007, KloudBusters will go on hiatus for a few
months as the wheat matures and we allow the farmers to
tend to the crops. If you get the urge to launch rockets during
the break, there are a number of springtime and early summer
launches hosted by surrounding area clubs to satisfy your
“rocket Jones”.
From time to time, you'll find several
KLOUDBusters members attending launches at other sites.
Some these include:
 Rock Ex Shots Launch sponsored by POTROCS at
Wayside, TX, May 26-28, 2007. 2 days TRx, 1 day
commercial. Check http://www.potrocs.org
 Nebraska Heat sponsored by THOR at Pickrell, NE., June
15-17, 2007, Friday TRx and Sat./Sun. commercial Check
http://www.nerocketry.org/launches.html
 July Fun Fly (KLOUDBusters) at Argonia Saturday July 7,
2007 commercial and Sunday July 8 TRx.
 LDRS 26 Jean Dry Lake near Jean, NV. July 12-17, 2007.
Check http://www.ldrs26.org
KLOUDBusters Information
Prefect
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Member at Large
Member at Large
Web Site:
Mailing Address:
Photo Credit: Tad Keller
Tad Keller provides this crowd shot taken from on-board video in his L1 rocket.
Bob Brown (prefect@Kloudbusters.org)
Lance Lickteig (president@Kloudbusters.org)
Dennis Blackburn
Mark Logan (payments@Kloudbusters.org)
Steve Tedeschi
John Farmer
Jim Cooper
http://www.Kloudbusters.org
KLOUDBusters, Inc.
P.O. Box 771217
Wichita, KS 67277-1217
April 2007
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Presents:
A.I.R. Fest 12
September 1 - 4, 2006
Argonia Rocket Pasture
Pre-Registration available until August 21, 2006
Visit www.klousbusters.org/AIRFest/ for full details
KLOUDBusters, Inc.
c/o Lance Lickteig
17 Beech Rd.
Wichita, KS 67206