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Author:
Steve Baughman

Web Updated Apr 28
© 1999
All Rights Reserved.

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WORKING FOR AP - XRV LAUNCH VIDEO - AIR SHOW - SKYE DANCE

Austin, TX - This is the second of our regular series of online updates designed to help keep viewers informed of XRV program development and spread the word about significant launch events. Since the last update, the XRV was launched five more times, with three of these flights over one mile in altitude, bringing the total number of flights in the XRV development program up to twenty-six.

BAUGHMAN WORKS FOR PROPELLANT

	Rocketry Online (ROL) published our extensive P2 launch report.  Source: ROL

Rocketry Online, the world's global rocketry resource, published our comprehensive Paradise 2 launch report, which included contributions from Tom Montemayor and online submissions sent to the Texas High Power discussion group. In return for the submission we received $25 worth of AP propellant (in the form of a gift certificate to Magnum, Inc.) as well as gaining significant online notoriety for Hill Country Tripoli and the Paradise launch facility in Eden. This extensive launch summary includes content from our XRV April 3 progress report, however with the inclusion of additional input from other flyers it is a much more robust and complete description of the entire Paradise 2 experience. It is hoped that this exposure will boost attendance at Paradise 3 coming up in mid May of 1999.

It was a real pleasure working with Darrell Mobley of ROL, he's a consummate professional and a real go-getter. Thanks also to Ross Dungan at Magnum, you'll be hearing from us soon!

XRV LAUNCH VIDEO

	Exclusive launch video of flight 23  Video by Eric Mitchell

We are happy to announce the addition of a new member to the XRV flight team, Eric Mitchell of Round Rock, Texas, who stepped up to the plate on April 11 to see an XRV launch in person and contribute the first official XRV launch video to the Rocket Chronicles web site. It is with great pleasure that we present Eric's amazing video of the XRV Mk IV during flight number 23, in which a K550W motor was employed to send the XRV to an altitude of 5752 feet.

Eric with XTRM chute.  Photo by the author

Those who know Eric also know that he's always good for a humorous quip or three, and we really appreciate him taking the time to visit the highly exclusive Kimbro launch facility. The visit gave Eric a chance to spend some quality leisure time in a rural setting and enjoy a close-up whiff of some real solid rocket fuel.

Eric's talents are not limited to videography, however, as he was also on hand during some recent XTRM parachute testing at the CyberPod (headquarters of the XRV and XTRM rocket projects), and got to demonstrate some highly entertaining large scale kite flying.

The XTRM, as you may remember, is the follow-on project to the XRV, which is being designed to accomplish Tripoli level 3 certification sometime in late 1999.

XRV MAKES NOISE AT COLEMAN AIR SHOW

	A formation of WWII era warbirds.  Photo by the author.

Thanks to Tripoli members Jay Townsend and Glen Carey, from Brownwood, Texas, the XRV was invited to participate in the Coleman Air Show on April 17. Held in Coleman, Texas, the airshow was a thoroughly satisfying opportunity to demonstrate XRV technology to the aviation public, hang out with some hip stunt pilots and examine their airplanes up close, and experience a wonderful cross-pollination of two different types of air power. Glen had done the legwork to secure a 10,000 ft. FAA rocket launch waiver, with variances for controlled airspace and crowd proximity, which was put in place in addition to the aerobatic waiver granted to the airshow organizers for the participating aerobatic pilots.

Glen preps as Jay shows off his new launch lugs. Paramedic (back left) has the best seat in the house.  Photo by the author

The event kicked off at 1:00 pm with opening ceremonies, including a launch of the XRV on a J415W which concluded the playing of the Star Spangled Banner over the PA system. While the smoke, flame and roar came as a total surprise to the astonished audience, it had actually been planned by the event organizers and discussed at the flyer's meeting earlier that morning. The synchronization of events in such a manner provided our first experience at prepping and loading the rocket to be ready on cue, which turned out to be as fun as it was nerve-wracking.

As we recovered the XRV from this flight we were treated to a close-up look at a passing a line of restored WWII era warplanes that were taxiing out to the runway for a formation flying demonstration. When the formation passed overhead the rumble of those engines made for a beautiful roar that I won't soon forget.

	We were put right in the middle of the action.  Photo by the author.

Jay and Glen followed up at 3:00 with two nice flights on Jay's Endeavour using a J570W and Glen's Mini-Magg on an I284W. Again the airshow spectators were treated to the roar of composite propellant and now that they knew what was coming, they were able to participate more in the recovery phase as well.

As Jay and Glen returned with their rockets, they were enthusastically approached by the cheering crowd, each hoping to get a closer look at their amazing rocket vehicles. At 5:00 we concluded the rocket demonstrations with a flight of Glen's Miranda and another flight of the XRV, this time on a K550W. A big thanks to Glen and Jay for inviting us out to participate in this event, we had a spectacular time and are already planning for next year!
Flight data:  Flight 24  Flight 25 

SKYE DANCE 16

	The XRV Mk IV takes to the sky on launch number 23.  Photo by the author

In April we had the chance to 'blow the soot out of the pipes" of the XRV Mk IV with a few respectable flights during Skye Dance 16, an invitational launch held at the top-secret Kimbro flight center. For the fist time the event was held over the course of two days, a week apart, and the weather turned out to be somewhat windy but flyable both days.

We began the launch with flight 22 on April 11 with a opening shot on a J800T, and landed close enough to the range head to convince others that the winds were nothing to fear. Flight 23 was accomplished later that day on a K550W, again producing the typical 415 mph velocity that the XRV Mk IV experiences using this propellant combo. Interestingly, flight 23 landed in a distant wheat field, providing the first opportunity for experimentation with the new radio direction finding (RDF) capability that is part of the XRV Mk V upgrades.

Flight 26 was launched on April 18, the day after the Coleman Air Show, on a K1100T which produced it's predicted acceleration of over 16 g's. It's interesting to note how routine these K flights are becoming, with 4 flights on the K550W and two flights on the K1100T having been racked up in the XRV program so far. While we acknowledge our good fortune at this success, we are also very eager to roll out the newly upgraded XRV Mk V, which has triple the power capacity of the Mk IV. Hopefully we'll see the first Mk V launch on a K560W at Paradise 3 in mid May.
Flight data:  Flight 22  Flight 23  Flight 26 

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