To all those to whom it may be of interet.

This is the formal announcement of the dates and arrangements for International Rocket Week 2009.

Dates: Monday 24th to Monday 31st August (the latter date being the 2009 Summer Bank Holiday in England).

Base Camp & HQ: South Whittlieburn Farm (SWF), Brisbane Glen, Largs, Ayrshire, KA30 8SN. Proprietors Mr. and Mrs. Watson. SWF will provide to let B&B Rooms (all En Suite), Fixed Caravans, space and power hook ups for Caravans or Mobile Homes brought to the site, field space for Tents. SWF has full Toilet, Shower and WHB facilities for those in Caravans, Mobile Homes or Tents.
Please Note: Bookings for IRW 2009 particpants wishing to stay at SWF will be taken from January 2009 (just afer New Year). Please do not contact SWF before the turn of the year to book for IRW 2009. Reminders about the opening of IRW 2009 Booking at SWF will be posted here, on the IRW 2009 website, on uk.tech.rocketry and elsewhere during the first full week of January 2009 (Monday 5th to Saturday 10th). Mr. Watson advises that the variuos rates at SWF next year will be the same or about the same as they were this year. Full rates details in the New Year.
The SWF web site is at: www.SmoothHound.co.uk/hotels/whittlei.html

We will also again have the use of the Barn at SWF that we were given the use of this year for covered, dry work space for rocket preparation, repairs, building, and other tech activities, and that quite successfully replaced the Kelburn Pavilion of old as the HQ, technical, exhibition and social centre of the IRW. If we need extra covered space outwith the capacity of the SWF Barn the IRW Organisers will provide tents with lighting plus tables and chairs. If you prefer to bring your own tables, chairs, etc, and set up your rocket work areas at your Tents or Caravans you are welcome to do so.

Rocket Flying: Model, Mid-Power, High Power and Large Rockets, plus Aquajets/Water Rockets at the Fairlie Moor Site (FMS), for which a 15,000 Feet (4,572 Metre) AGL NOTAM will be applied for with the CAA, as was the case for IRW 2008.

As those of you who were at IRW 2008 will know there was no rocket flying at SWF; all the event rocket flying, Model and High Power, was conducted at the Fairlie Moor Site (FMS). This was because of the last minute change from Kelburn Country Centre to SWF as base venue, and SWF is a working farm with sheep and with privately owned horses in the fields and stables there. In the week during which the switch from Kelburn to SWF was organised there was not the time or opportunity to look around the fields of SWF to see if there might be one that would do for Model Rocket & Aquajet Flying (as was the case with the Main Flying Field next to the Pavilion at Kelburn). After some post-IRW 2008 exploration and survey of some of the SWF fields and some discussion with Mr. Watson at SWF there is a possibility that Model Rocket Flying up to a limit of C class motor Total Impulse (10 Ns) and an altitude limit of 1,000 Feet (300 Metres) AGL might be allowable at SWF. But I must stress, and I wish it to be clearly understood that Model Rocket Flying at SWF IS NOT CONFIRMED until this possibility has been futher explored, and all the non-rocketry parties who have an interet in the issue at SWF have been fully consulted and their agreement obtained. And I also wish it to be kept in mind that in the end it may not be safe, practical or suitable to conduct any Model Rocket or Aquajet Flying at SWF. An announcement about this will be made early in 2009, when other fuller details of the IRW 2009 Rocket Flying Programme will posted on the IRW web pages at http://irw.rocketry.org.uk

I hope that the above details, which will also shortly be posted on the IRW 2009 web pages (above link) are helpful.

I and the other IRW 2009 Organisers look forward to building up and accomplishing IRW 2009.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Fly High, Fly Safe, and Have Fun!

John Bonsor, IRW 2009 Organiser.