Tripoli North Texas

Tips for Flying at the Rocket Ranch

Through the years, our Launch Director, Matt Bukin, has developed a list of "Best Practices" for flying at the Rocket Ranch.  We wanted to publish these to everyone in hopes that by following them, they will enhance your launch experience.

1.  If you are flying over 2,000 feet - Use a Tracker 

There are multiple varieties of trackers available from simple and inexpensive to complex and multifunctional.  Your choice of which tracker to use should be dependent on the requirements of your flight.  I personally use Altus Metrum as well as a Big Red Bee 900 for my larger rockets.  I also use radio beacons and cell service trackers.  Cell service trackers work well at the Rocket Ranch.  I use Trackki and Invoxia - both are available from Amazon.  They are inexpensive and offer multiple features.  

2.  Put your Contact information on each piece of your rocket

Whether you write your name and number on the inside of the tube with a sharpie or use a nicely printed label on the outside, it is important to put your name and contact info in each piece of the rocket that could potentially be lost.  I use stickers with my name and phone number, but others include their address and personal email as well as a note saying "Reward if Found" . 

I cannot tell you the number of times that a farmer plowing in a field has come across a rocket, sometimes even a year after it was lost.  Making it easy for them to contact you can sometimes be the difference in you getting your rocket back and them not knowing what to do with it and tossing it their barn or the trash.

3.  Respect the surrounding land that we use for rocket recovery

We are very fortunate to be supported by the individual landowners around our field.  They graciously allow us to come on their private property and recover our rockets.  Without their generosity, we would not be able to fly high-powered rockets at the field.  It is essential that we show respect to their property as if it were our own.  This includes the following:

A.  Do not drive on any plowed or planted fields.  A field that may look empty may just have been planted with seeds and driving on it will do serious damage.   
B.  Do not cross fences if there is a gate that can be used.  In the event you need to cross a fence, try and either go under it or carefully between the wires.  Most of the fences are rusted barbed wire and can cause nasty cuts.  Also, many of the fenced off areas are used to raise cows. please leave the cows alone and be sure to close any gates that you open immediately to ensure the cows don't get out.  

C.  Don't leave any trash on your journey - bring all wrappers and water bottles back with you.  Also, if you see trash along the way, stop and pick it up.  Make an attempt to leave the field in better condition than when you entered it.

D.  If you need assistance with retrieving your rocket, please let us know.  We can assist with directions and sometimes may even be able to shuttle you to your landing area.  We also have poles, saws and other various equipment that can be used to get rockets out of trees and ponds.