ARG  is the AHPRA regional launch.  This year was its first year and I think it was a success.  The launch lasted 2 days, Saturday Commercial, Sunday Expirimental. The launch was held in a large field in Rainbow Valley, Arizona.  About 250 people attended and around 300 rockets were flown.  At about 9:00 Am on Feburary 28, 2004 the launch was kicked off "AHPRA Style" when the first flight was an Estes Snitch flying on Aerotech's 6 grain J350. It was a low altitude flight but it was pretty awesome.  There were some big flights planned but some didn't get off of the ground.  One of  the most anticipated flights of the day was a prototype Polecat Aerospace (formerly Skunk Works Rocketry) 10" scale Nike Smoke which was to be flown on a 98mm M motor, but sadly that flight did not make it up.  Another large project was a 7.5" rocket that was about 10 feet tall that flew on an M1315 for a successfully for a level 3 certification.  Another large flight was a  minimum diameter 54mm rocket that flew on a K550 and it challenged the demon that lived at the sound barrier, and sadly it seperated at around 800 feet.  Some more notable flights of that day were a 5.5 inch Mosquito upscale that flew on a Pro 54 Smokey Sam, a PML AMRAAM 4 that flew on an I284, and another AMRAAM 4 that flew for a successful level 1 on an I161, and a 7.5 " V2 that flew on a J330 Hybrid.   After the flights of Saturday, grains were trimmed and propellant was burned in preparation for Sunday.

         On Sunday, Feburary 29, Expirimental rockets were flown.  A few extreme altitude 2 stage flights were flown early in the day.  AST rockets flew a few of thier new expirimental motors.  A large LOC/Precision Bruiser was attempted to be flown on a expirimental blue 54mm load, but cato'd powerfully on the pad.  The rocket Chubsy was flown successfull on a sparky load.  A few J class hybrids (not expirimental) lifted off.  Trailer Trash Aerospace came and flew a few L motors.  But by far, the most notable flight of the day was a huge 12" diameter camo rocket that went up on a black smoke baby N motor. 

           I think that for the first time AHPRA did a good job with ARG, rockete were loaded and shot almost continuously without lines, thanks to an Estes rocket pad supplied by AST rockets set up near the LCO table that got the 100+ small rockets off without having to cycle them through with a flight card.  This launch was great and I hope to see it again next year!!

 

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