Mill Springs Academy 10/11/2025 Launch Report
Link to image album by Kevin Boyd
The October 11th Mill Springs Academy launch event had good weather conditions with cool morning temps and negligible winds at the start and warm temps with some mild winds at the time of afternoon take-down. Turnout was moderate with ninety-eight launches accomplished throughout the event. With the wind direction staying mostly down the length of the field, most recoveries were successful and close to the launch area. Those using C or above impulse motors had a bit more of a walk as usual. There were also a couple of CATOs with E12-4 motors… very unfortunate.
Remarkable flights included Kevin Boyd’s Original Gold Max thundering off the launch pad with a G74-4 and successfully recovered right at launch control with a fin damaged upon landing and his Estes Renegade looked awesome going up on a D12-3. Kirill McQuillin launched his TARC Rocket (Test 1) with an Aerotech F67-4W that was recovered in the adjacent field with some effort by Jorge with the recovery pole. Ojas got in two good flights of his custom-built O-Ket on E9-4s. Kevin Scholberg has great flights of his Estes Argent LT with an E16-4 (twice) and Mad Cow Bat Ray on an E26-4W.
Other great flights were accomplished by Samuel Pippen with his impressive Mean Machine going up multiple times on a D12-5s and a D12-3. Jeff Fellman launched his Estes Phoenix with a D12-3. Terry Bliss flew his two-stage Hobby Lobby 10” Spinner on a combination of a B6-0 to a B6-4 and also his Dollar Tree two-stage Spider Bowl going up with a C11-0 to a C11-3. Chris Olive stuck the landing with his Estes dual-deploy Exo-Skell powered with a B6-2. And let’s not forget the pleasure of those smaller rockets like Dave’s scratch-built Stretch Swift jumping off the pad with a 1/4A3-4T and Scholberg’s Estes Gryphon Boosted Glider launched on a A3-4T and its long glide to a successful recovery (thanks to sharp eyes). A really enjoyable event in all.
Motor ignition counts:
A – 26
B – 30
C – 25
D – 11
E – 7
F – 1
G – 1
