Hi all

Some thoughts and feedback on the event

The staff at WA were very pleased with this first Rockets and Space Event and are keen to hold another event next year. With its history of research into propellants and now very good collection of rocketry related hardware the staff are very keen to have hobby rocketry involvement on site. It’s a good fit for them as it interests the younger family elements and gives people something they can relate to and hopefully participate in. Have chatted to the staff and they are open to the idea of a permanent hobby rocketry display of some sort on site. The event got local and national press coverage an article should appear in the next edition of the BIS Spaceflight magazine.

Why am I involved - As I was responsible for donating the Foden NG wagon and most of the motor/missile hardware I obviously plugged hobby rocketry and they asked me to co-ordinate that side of things. I'm happy to do the same again for next year but could do with some help especially over the event weekend. Question to UKRA Council are you happy with this arrangement and are you prepared to support the event in future?

Suggested dates for next year are 27/28 June, 4/5th July or 18/19th July obviously don’t want to clash with weekend club or UKRA events so was guessing that the late June or early July dates would be better 18/19 July being likely to be the Flamer for 2009.

An interesting aspect of this years flying at the site was the very few hobbyists that flew and that was despite quite a few turning up for the AGM on the Saturday. Normally at club launches Newbie's and where rocket workshops are held people have lots of hobbyists with well built and finished rockets to chat to. At Waltham when a hobbyist did bring a rocket out to fly it caused a real stir loads of questions admiration. It really was noticeable. So the question is how do we encourage hobbyists to turn up and fly. I am afraid the range size is fixed see the safety code. But to be honest that still left plenty of scope for flying. I had four different types of saucer and six different 3/4 FNC models all of which would fly under the range constraints and would be impressive to non rocketeers.

On the range EARs and Crock being the nearest clubs got lots of plugs to the visitors. A few plugs for Midland and BK for visitors from the Midlands.

For next year the suggestion is to have a marquee on the field near to the range allowing the UKRA and club stands to be nearby to the action and of course providing wet weather shelter.

Thanks again to those who manned the stands Mike, Rod, Stuart and Phil. To Paul at Congreve for the loan of the firing stand and Pete of Jineg for the loan of the GSE.

If you have any thoughts on the event or ideas for future years please do post them.

regards

Mark