Date/Time: 05/31/2020 8:30am - 1:00pm

Location: Buder Park North

PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND THESE SPECIAL RULES FOR ROCKET LAUNCHES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO ATTEND A LAUNCH AND FLY ROCKETS IF THESE RULES ARE NOT FOLLOWED.

In order to comply with the latest guidelines issued by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH), SLRA’s Buder Park rocket launches will be limited to a maximum of ten people (two officers and eight flyers). Additionally, SLRA will not be able to host students, scouts, or any other groups at our park launches until social distancing is lifted. Here’s how we’re going to manage that:

• Prior to each launch, each person who wants to attend must register by emailing Dan Crank at danno@danno.org. If you are a NAR member, please include a scan or photo of your NAR card with your first registration email (I will keep these on file until they expire). If you are not a NAR member, I will send you instructions for signing a liability release electronically.
  (Updated 5/15/2020): We will need to know in advance if your children will be attending the launch with you – see item #5. Please include this with your registration email. (Updated 5/15/2020): If you are not a paid SLRA member, you will be required to pay your $3 launch fee by PayPal prior to or at the launch.
• Slots will generally be assigned to people first come first serve, but…
• To ensure as many people as possible get to fly, priority will be given to people who registered for a previous launch but did not get a slot, and people who did not register for the previous launch. For example: Bart registers for the May launch, gets a slot, and attends. Lisa registered for the May launch, but did not get to attend because Bart got the last slot. Maggie did not register for the May launch at all. If all three register for the June launch, Lisa has first priority for a slot, then Maggie, then Bart (regardless of when they sent their registrations). Then, if Bart doesn’t get to fly in June, he goes to the top of the list for July.
• Lists will be finalized 48 hours before the launch and everyone who sent a registration will be notified by email whether or not they got a slot. If there is a no-go for weather, flooding or any other reason, it will also be decided 48 hours before the launch if at all possible.
• (Updated 5/15/2020): We do need to count children to comply with the County DPH guideline. Children are permitted to attend a launch with a parent or guardian as usual, but each child will require a reservation slot.
• People slotted as officers will get to fly rockets, but will be expected to help as LCO (launch control officer) and / or RSO (range safety officer) for a portion of the launch. SLRA club officers and people whose names are on our GSLMA permits can act as launch officers; others may be deputized at the discretion of an officer. There will be no badges (although Don will try to sell you a name tag).
• As with everywhere else, DPH-issued social distancing guidelines will be in effect at all times during the launch. Specifically for us, this means:
  • While at the launch pads or flight line or anywhere else, maintain a distance of six or more feet from anyone who is not a member of your household. Please approach the launch pad one at a time to rack your rockets.
  • Only the LCO should be at the launch control table (there will be no sign-up sheet as we’ve had in the past).
  • RSO inspection of rockets, when necessary, will be “hands-off” at a distance of six or more feet.
  • Please bring a mask (a bandana is OK) and wear it while in the vicinity of the flight line or launch pads, unless wearing a mask would compromise your health (let me know if this is the case). If you’re by yourself in your prep area, or out in the field retrieving a rocket, you are not required to keep your mask on (although you can if you wish).
• It goes without saying that all rules of the NAR Safety Code remain in effect.
• If you have any questions or concerns about these rules, please email Dan Crank at danno@danno.org. This is a new situation for all of us, and we’re figuring it out as we go. If you have ideas about how to make the launch better (“better” being defined as safer, fairer and more fun – in that order), please bring them up for discussion with the club.
  Updated St. Louis County DPH guidelines effective May 18: https://stlcorona.com/dr-pages-messages/public-health-orders/director-of-public-health-business-and-individual-guidelines-for-social-distancing-and-re-opening/

St. Louis County Parks and Recreation page, with park-specific information: https://www.stlouisco.com/Parks-and-Recreation

Regular launch announcement follows…

SLRA will hold an (approximately) monthly model rocket launch at Buder Park from March through September. Spectators are welcome, but are not allowed to approach the launch pads.

Launch pads are usually set up in the southeast corner of the park, but this may change based on wind direction and other activities nearby.

Anyone who is a current, paid member of the National Association of Rocketry or Tripoli Rocketry Association is welcome to participate. Due to insurance regulations, those who are not a member of one of the two national organizations will need to have a NAR or Tripoli member inspect and fly their rockets for them. Non-members will also be asked to sign a liability release. If you wish to fly your own rockets, please be prepared to show your NAR or Tripoli membership card, or a receipt of payment if you are a new member who has not yet received a card.

Please note that these launches may be cancelled for a number of reasons, notably: weather conditions (rain, high wind), park conditions (mud, flooding), or scheduling conflicts (another group’s use of the park makes it impossible to safely launch, or not enough SLRA members are available to run the launch). Please check the “current launch status” on the front page of our website, http://dmortproductions.com/stlrocketry, before making your way to the park. Also, the number of people in attendance has a bearing on how long the range stays open; if you plan to arrive after 11:00 am, please call ahead (314-630-7619) to make sure we’re still flying. We will continue to fly rockets past noon if the weather is good, our battery holds out, and people still have rockets to fly.

Buder Park launches are conducted under the NAR safety code as “Class 1” rocket launches. Class 1 launches carry the following restrictions:

Rockets must weigh less than 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) at liftoff, including propellant.
Rockets must contain no more than 125 grams (4.4 ounces) of propellant – this includes most motors up through G class (although see the note below regarding high-altitude launches). Only certified, commercial motors are allowed.
Rockets must be made of wood, paper, or breakable plastic, and contain no substantial metal parts.
Rockets must employ a recovery system such as a parachute, streamer, helicopter, glide, tumble or featherweight recovery
Decisions of the LCO (launch control officer) and RSO (range safety officer) are final with respect to these restrictions and safety in general. Our goal is safety for everyone involved.

The total size of Buder Park is approximately 2100 x 1200 feet, which according to the Model Rocket Safety Code is large enough to fly a G motor rocket. However, please keep in mind that we are usually not the only users of the park – we share it with radio control aircraft flyers, archers, sports teams, joggers, and many others. Also, the perimeter of the park is lined with very tall trees, and just beyond the north treeline you will find the Meramec River. Have some idea of how high your rocket is expected to go before you launch, keep the wind conditions in mind, and use common sense. Experienced SLRA members will be happy to advise you to make sure your rocket is safe and likely to be recoverable.

Finally, please remember to take adequate precautions in hot weather – use sunscreen and bring water or sports drinks to stay hydrated. One nice thing about Buder Park is that there is plenty of shade around the edges of the field, so please take shelter from the sun when you need to.

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