Most Powerful Amateur Rocket in Canada

Alex Schmidt writes "A group of Canadian 'amateur' rocketeers successfully launched a 16 1/2 foot rocket to a height of about 5500 feet. The rocket is based on the 'Dauphine' a meteorological rocket from the 1960's. The rocket weighed 300 pounds, stood 16.5 feet high and 21 inches in diameter. The motors generated 2400lbs of thrust. It successfully landed after 3 of 4 parachutes properly deployed."

Comments

Re:Looks like good fun

[mikeophile]

If you want to do this in the US, here is the appropriate waiver form.

You just have to make sure your launch conforms to the following regulations.

May not be operated in a prohibited or restricted area without permission from the using or controlling agency, as appropriate [14 CFR 101.3]
May not be operated in a manner that creates a hazard to people or property [14 CFR 101.7(a)]
May not drop anything that creates a hazard to people or property [14 CFR 101.7(b)]
If within a restricted area, must: [14 CFR 101.21]

Not be operated within 1500 feet of any person or property not associated with the operations [14 CFR 101.23(g)]
Comply with additional limitations imposed by the using or controlling agency, as appropriate. [14 CFR 101.21]

If not within a restricted area, must: [14 CFR 101.21]

Not operate in a manner that creates a collision hazard with other aircraft [14 CFR 101.23(a)] Not operate within controlled airspace [14 CFR 101.23(b)]
Not operate within 5 miles of the border of any airport [14 CFR 101.23(c)]
Not fly to altitude where cloud coverage is greater than 50% [14 CFR 101.23(d)]
Not fly to any altitude where the visibility is less than 5 miles [14 CFR 101.23(e)]
Not fly into any clouds [14 CFR 101.23(f)]
Not operate closer than 1500 feet from anyone not involved [14 CFR 101.23(g)]
Not fly between sunset and sunrise [14 CFR 101.23(h)]
Notify the nearest FAA Air Traffic Control center 24-48 hours before the launch [14 CFR 101.25]

In addition, your rocket itself has certain limitations.

Section 400.2 [14 CFR 400.2], which explicitly exempts "amateur rocket activities" from these regulations.
Section 401.5 [14 CFR 401.5], which defines "amateur rocket activities" as follows: "Amateur rocket activities means launch activities conducted at private sites involving rockets powered by a motor or motors having a total impulse of 200,000 pound-seconds or less and a total burning or operating time of less than 15 seconds, and a rocket having a ballistic coefficient--i.e., gross weight in pounds divided by frontal area of rocket vehicle--less than 12 pounds per square inch."

BTW, the Canadian rocket had a ballistic coefficient of 6.93 lbs per square inch.