QRS Unspoken Law: Just because you can launch an L or M motor doesn’t mean you should.

• Why it’s broken: Many new Level 2 or 3 fliers think their certification is a green light to go big. But jumping into massive impulse flights without mastering tracking, deployment redundancy, and recovery logistics is like buying a Ferrari when you’ve only driven an automatic.
• Why it matters: HPR isn’t about big motors—it’s about precision. The sky’s not the limit; it’s the proving ground for your skill. If you don’t understand that, you’re flying blind.

QRS Unspoken Law: Every flight is a prediction—without simulation, it’s a gamble.

• Why it’s broken: Fliers often rely on gut feel or hearsay about motor performance, CG/CP margins, or weather impact—especially for “quick build” projects.
• Why it matters: OpenRocket or RockSim aren’t optional; they’re your preflight insurance policy. If you’re not simming with altitude, drift, and deployment timing in mind, you’re not flying—you’re betting against physics.

QRS Unspoken Law: The rocket isn’t the star of the show—the recovery system is.

• Why it’s broken: Many fliers pour time and money into airframe aesthetics and ignore critical fail-points like shear pins, shock cord length, or ejection charge tuning.
• Why it matters: Rockets don’t fail because they launch poorly—they fail because they come back wrong. Your chute deployment, descent rate, and landing zone planning are what actually determine mission success.

QRS Unspoken Law: Every launch is a live test of your discipline, not your gear.

• Why it’s broken: People get sloppy. They rush prep on launch day, forget altimeter batteries, or fudge checklists. These aren't rookie errors—they're ego errors.
• Why it matters: In HPR, one shortcut can cost a $1,000 rocket. Precision is not optional; it’s the price of admission.
  
  Truth Bomb #5: “Range Etiquette Is Safety, Not Style”

QRS Unspoken Law: Knowing how to behave at the range is as important as knowing how to build.

• Why it’s broken: Fliers unintentionally break protocol—wandering near pads without permission, calling for launch without announcing, or not communicating post-flight retrievals.
• Why it matters: The range is a shared airspace. Every moment you ignore protocol, you increase risk for everyone. Respect for the RSO, LCO safety lines, and launch cadence isn’t just polite—it’s foundational at QRS.
  
  

Before I go and fork over some money to purchase the standard, does anyone have a copy? I have checked the Mega site but can't seem to find a copy. 

Cheers. 

Simon. 

The cluster of nests is about 280m North West from the LCO desk. See attached picture 3. Map coordinates -27.849119, 152.961697

PREFECTS MANUAL 
 
- Clarity on certifications in the recently released manual (log onto Tripoli site to access) 
- Prefects do not need to certify every flight if there is an RSO delegation 
- Give the certification form back to flyer, if prevented from flying / or failure so they don't have to fill out another form / complete test if try again at another club 
- The core intent of certification is that the flyer can build a rocket to handle the stress of the impulse range of the motor 
- Do not let them retain the tests! :) 
 
Questions from the Prefect manual discussion 
 
- HPR pad: confirmed no non-members to be there. Any spectators need to stay behind the flight line. 
- This applies to Uni teams: all flyers must be Tripoli (not 5 to 1 as previous) to be on range. 
- Changed that non-Tripoli members in a team cannot go past flight line since the Tripoli unified safety code was released. 
- Flyers can sign up for membership on the day and use their pending certification number (see note about pre-approval form below). 
- When searching for rockets non-members can assist outside the safety distances on range. 
- Noted that 1 September 2023 Student membership increased to $20. 
- Some prefectures request that Flyers send in their certification forms due to volume (see MN below). 
 
 
PREFECTURE ROUND UP 
 
Minnesota - Brian Rose (MN) 
 
- Issues with email 
- Tripoli tech team will investigate 
- 73 Certifications in one launch day 
- Lot of pre-planning 
- Need to send info for flyers to pre-fill 
 
- FAA 
- With MN - Submit their Part 9 (?) to team at FAA, then it is referred to the local RTAC who knows them well, so usually pretty quick. 
- Anything over 18k: has to go through additional approvals (up to 45 days extra) 
- New requirement that has come in recently 
 
Argentina - Horacio Larrosa (#151) 
 
- Four launches in last year 
- Many students 
- Challenges getting motors into country due to cost / regs for dangerous goods 
- Asked about 2024 PIP 
- David Rose: PIP will be announced in a couple of weeks 
 
Certification challenges (Location?) 
 
- High turnover of members leads to one or two people doing all the heavy lifting. 
- Getting students certified as individuals / not teams can lead to some missing out. 
- In US, it appears schools will pay for the competition, infrastructure fees but not individual student rockets 
- Cheapest L1: (US) $100 + 25; L2 another $200. 
- Feeling obligated to certify everyone. 
- Tripoli leadership responded: 
- Encourage the Senior team members to get the younger ones in to support the club. 
- Not every member needs to be certified - some volunteers are great and rarely/never fly. 
- Rule of thumb for competition costs - $1 per foot of competition entered (US only). 
- Asked if NOTAM can be submitted online 
- Steve Shannon: call in NOTAM application; online not available. 
 
San Diego 
 
- New flyers: no comprehension of the power of the rockets / black powder 
- Open rocket CP/CG sims being provided by flyers are clearly off with simple real-world tests 
- Lot of time needed to help them through initial designs 
 
Tripoli New River Valley Rocketry - T. Weeks (VA) 
 
- That's why we require a pre-flight data capture form. 
- To deal with flyers showing up for first time with big motors / rockets 
- Need to send through prior to launch 
- Design plus OpenRocket sim for HPR 
- Place limits on flyers - First flight: COTS / 40FL max to make sure it is working as expect 
- Keep it simple i.e. multi-stage recovery out for first time flyers 
- Competition test flights also need to submit e.g. Spaceport / SLI: over 70FL, L motor or greater 
- Based on rocket if the rocket has flown: not the "team" as individuals turnover year to year 
 
Tim Dixon (?) 
 
- We have specifically recruited the most experienced students to sit on our Board as at-large members. 
- They are the ones that market for our club and drive interest at the university level. 
- They also do the mentoring and pre-inspection of flights. 
- Sometimes giving me a heads up a month or more in advance if there is something of concern that may show up at the field. 
 
Jackie Hanlon (W.Virginia?) 
 
- Building the board is crucial for success 
- Mentoring great: but need more people or you may burn out 
- Since becoming Prefect has not flown a rocket 
- Encouraged all Prefects to balance their role and still get to fly :)