January brings the first rocket launch of 2012 and more importantly, the 4th annual Christmas Tree Launch. This is the launch where rocketeers bring their used Christmas Trees to the field to strap a rocket motor on and let them be disposed of as nature intended. Toni was away at a spa weekend with some friends and she took the Highlander with her. This left me the VW Bug so I packed my rockets and gear the best I could and headed to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I stopped and met some rocketeers at Hollys and enjoyed breakfast before heading to the field.

The muddy field felt like frozen tundra under our feet. The winds were blustering out of the west and the temperature highs were predicted to be only slightly above freezing. There is a fine line between enthusiasm and stupidity and many of us wondered if we crossed it. However, the skies were cloudless and the sun was bright. We made quick work setting up the field and then went on to prep our rockets or trim the Christmas trees.

I watched others fly before me and then started my preparations of Shaken, Not Stirred. Soon I had Shaken, Not Stirred on the pad. I verified the electronics and posted my flight card. Shaken, Not Stirred bolted off the pad on its customary Loki H144 motor and arced over at 1,239 feet. Shaken, Not Stirred continued to arc, and arc, and arc, until it was in ballistic recovery mode. It soon became apparent that the apogee ejection charge did not fire. The tickle of vomit started in the bowels of my stomach before the backup motor ejection finally separated the rocket. The force of the ejection also threw the main parachute out causing it to deploy early. Shaken, Not Stirred came to rest close by but I knew that deployment during ballistic velocity zippered the sustainer. Closer inspection revealed double zipper damage. Shaken, Not Stirred would go home needing repairs. See Shaken, Not Stirred get shaken, and not stirred here.

I was bummed out with the pending repairs but the Christmas Tree launch soon put a grin on my face. What could be better than a Christmas Tree that was in someone’s home during the holidays, that sheltered presents underneath, and brought such joy to the young and old during Christmas morning? Why a Christmas Tree with a rocket motor strapped to it of course! Christmas Trees are inherently unstable and usually fly unpredictable trajectories. Rocketeers do their best to make the trees fly straight and most of the time they fail miserably, hence the fun. They were many rounds of tree launches during Saturday, and each was as fun as the first. See the trees fly here.

I headed home as the sun set and the temperatures dropped even further. I woke early Sunday morning and headed back to the field to film some flights and enjoy the nice weather. However, the cold wind blew into our faces all day, the clouds shaded the sun, and the temperature never rose above freezing. There were still some diehards flying and I filmed some of these flights. But in the setting sun and dropping temperatures, most rocketeers abandon the field for warmer alternatives. I assisted in packing up the field and headed home. I still have to conduct a post mortem on Shaken, Not Stirred to determine the cause of apogee ejection failure. For all the weekend’s fun, see here. Until the next launch . . .