Rangehead Info

Rangehead

The Rangehead is the tent where you can check in for pre-flight inspection and receive your launch pad assignment. This is where you’ll most likely find the folks in charge of the launch.

Check-in (RSO)

When you are ready to launch your rocket , you will first have to bring it up to the RSO (Range Safety Officer)/Check-in tent. You will need to fill out a flight card for the type of rocket you want to fly. White flight cards are for A-G powered models and H and up use a blue flight card. Be prepared with the following in formation when checking in:

Motor Size

Launch Rod or rail button size

Anything specific you might need to share about your rocket like pad preferences, cluster, heads-up flight ( Usually for a scratch built model’s first flight ) , etc.

Safety Check

Before you’re assigned a launch pad, the RSO will usually do a short safety check, for low and mid power models this usually involves checking the fit of the nose cone, seeing if the model’s motor retention is adequate and a quick visual scan checking the overall condition of the model. High power models may be given a more thorough inspection including asking if you know the cg/cp locations, have flight sim or estimated altitude for your flight to make sure you’re staying under the waiver, know the weight to thrust ratio for your flight, etc. All things high power flyers should know about their rockets. If the safety inspector finds an issue, you will have to correct it before flying.

Pad Assignment

Once you’ve been given the thumbs up at the check-in tent, the RSO will give you a pad assignment based on you model’s requirement(s). Please note that while the banks of pads may have the same pad numbers, the closest set are for low power models, the pads in the middle are for mid power models and the pads all the way out on the far end of the field are reserved for high power rockets.

Unless your model has special requirements needing the next sized pad up, you will be automatically given a pad assignment on the appropriate rack or pad area. If you need to fly off a specific type/size of pad, please let the RSO know before you head out to fly.

Launch Control (LCO)

The Launch Control Officer is the person(s) in the pop-up closest to the launch pads. They are in charge of selecting which pads are active and ready to go, pushing the button that launches the rockets and doing countdowns and making other announcements over the Club’s PA system. They are responsible for range safety once members’ rockets are placed on the pads and are ready to be launched.

Because they have to be very observant of what is going on out on and near the pads, it is important that they not be distracted from their duties. If you have a question or concern for the LCO, please wait until the current pads are cleared ( launched) so as not to distract them from range operations. While the Midpower and High Power pads are wireless, the Low Power pads and PA system are not. Cables run from the LCO table to both and damaging them can delay or shut down the launch. Please look down when walking near these areas and refrain from walking directly from the LCO tent to either the low power pads or near the PA speakers.