The Iniatior was the rocket that brought me back to rocketry. I got a great deal on an RMS starter set which included this rocket, a 29mm reload cartridge, two reloads, a launch controller, and a launch pad.
The rocket itself is rather interesting and introduced me to new design methods such as "Through the wall" fin mounting. This kit goes one step further and includes plastic "lock rings" which go around the motor tube and actually lock the fins in place. This combined with 6 fillets per fin means those puppies aren't going anywhere!
This kit also features a "cooling mesh" which is supposed to make wadding obsolete. However, I've heard from other rocketers that this mesh will often clog up and impair proper ejection of the recovery system.
CURRENT STATUS:
The iniator is up and ready to fly. Though it has undergone several modifications since it was built. Due to how it lawn darted on its first flight it now sports a new nosecone and is 2" shorter. I'm also planing on removing the cooling mesh before its next flight.
| Flight Log | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Engine | Comments |
| August 96 | E16-4W | Although this was one of the reloads that came with the kit it was not a good choice. The delay didn't fire untill after the rocket had buried it's nose 9" into the ground and smashed 2" of the body tube. Even worse I didnt' find it or my casing for almost 2 very rainy months. Remarkably when I did find it it was easily repaired |
| December 96 | E28-4W | Testing my new 24mm casing. Since I was flying in a smaller field I had planed on using a smaller motor, I didn't notice I had actually prepped a larger motor untill after I got home. And I didn't notice that the 29-24 adaptor had a right way and a wrong way to be inserted. This resulted in the thrust being slightly sideways and an understandably non-vertical flight. But it did recover fine. |
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