The Aero-Hi: This is a cute little flier from Estes using 13mm T engines. It is a pseudo-scale sounding rocket design. This normally uses a tiny 8-inch parachute but was converted to a streamer for a bit, then later converted back into a parachute recovery which I find easier to pack. I actually have two of these, one painted green and this one red. One unique feature of this kit is the simulated conduit up the side of the body tube, made from a balsa strip.
This rocket was later given my "Iris" modification, which extends the body tube about 5 inches above the streamer/parachute bay, and allows for a payload with an Altimeter One or Two to measure altitudes. It's a shame I "ruined" it by adding the payload, she was a cute little bird. (I can always remove the payload.) I like to send this, or the EAC Viper rocket up first on launch days, it's a good and economical way to get an idea how the winds are blowing without risking a lost rocket. As a result, this has flown many times. (Iris is named after the Greek god of the rainbow. She is a messenger of the gods, linking the gods with humanity.) This rocket has flown as high as 282 feet with the A motor, which is higher than the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in NC, the tallest lighthouse in the USA.
| Flight Date: | 2012-12-02 |
| Rocket Name: | Aero-Hi |
| Kit Name: | Estes - Aero-Hi {Kit} (817) [1973-1974] |
| Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
| Motors: | A10-3 |
| Expected Altitude: | 260.00 Feet |
| Wind Speed: | 7.00 mph |
| Launch Site: | Penn Manor School Lancaster PA |
| Actual Altitude: | 312.00 Feet |
I flew this rocket again with a much stronger motor this time, expecting 260 feet or 300 at the most.
Although I’ve seen this rocket launch on the A10 twice before, I was still very surprised at the extreme speed of the launch, with the rocket virtually disappearing from the launch pad. It accelerated at a peak beyond 23 Gs (higher than I can measure), and averaged 3.7 Gs for the full second of thrust. That brought the rocket to 77 mph, a record high for this rocket.
It then coasted for 3.2 seconds and the ejection charge was 2/10 seconds early, ejecting at 296 feet. The rocket continued up for another 4/10 seconds to an apogee of 312 feet, also a record high for this rocket with any motor. With the parachute deployed fully, it drifted down at 6 mph. Apparently there were much stronger winds a few hundred feet aloft, as this rocket sailed far downwind perhaps 600 feet or more before being caught by a tree about 16 feet up. Flight time for this was 37 seconds, the longest flight of the Aero-Hi.
I rescued the model with a long pole, but had to break the shock cord and shred the original 1970’s Estes parachute to get the rocket and payload back. Sad because I think this was the only surviving original parachute that still worked.
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Estes A10T-3 |
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