[roc-chat] Re: Separate LPR area at ROCtober
- From: Michael Klett <xsive.guy@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: roc-chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:23:43 -0700
Rick,
That looks like it would work very well. But this is the first time
that I recall seeing these rules or procedures. I've helped out as PM
and LCO and never known about these. Can they be posted on the
website if they aren't already? I want to be sure to be able to find
them before the next launch.
Thanks,
Mike
On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 12:03 PM, <rtd@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 2012-06-26 09:23, Richard Dierking wrote:
>>
>> Just a thought; do you think setting up 4 pads per bank instead of the
>> normal 6 would help?
>> Richard Dierking
>
>
> Richard,
>
> The number of pads is almost irrelevant. With a bit of discipline in two
> areas (PM and LCO), all of the speed problems go away. the problem is in
> enforcing that discipline.
>
> Here's what SHOULD happen at each position:
>
> PM
> ----
> Anyone under 18 MUST only be assigned pads on the front row, except for Jr.
> L1 flyers, who can fly off the middle row, but must be accompanied by a
> certified adult flyer.
>
> Assign up to "G" on the front row, up to "K" on the middle row, and up to
> "M" on the back row or the "away" pads (if any).
>
> (By preference, assign "M" motors to the left side, with the second choice
> being the right side; last choice would be the center "side". Doing it this
> way will minimize the number of banks that must be unoccupied when firing
> the "M" motor, and will also maximize the chance that the necessary banks
> will already be unoccupied when the LCO gets around to firing the "M",
> avoiding slowdowns.)
>
> Do NOT assign any pads unless those pads are already EMPTY. If there is a
> rocket on a pad, DO NOT ASSIGN THAT PAD to anyone else. If there are any
> people already heading out or loading rockets on a bank, DO NOT ASSIGN any
> more people to that bank, even if there are empty pads on that bank.
>
> As soon as a side is open to load, send out *one and only one* batch of
> people to each of the three banks to load their rockets, as a group. If you
> have Pad Helpers, send them out with any groups that might need help. NEVER
> send anyone else to a bank until it's been flown and is open again, even if
> it has open pads.
>
> If the LCO hands you a card for a misfire, put it back in the slot for the
> pad to remind you that the pad is still in use, so you won't assign anyone
> else there.
>
> When the LCO finishes launching a "side", hand him the cards for the next
> "side", arranged Front, Middle, Back. If there are any high altitude
> windows needed for that "side", notify the FAA contact. If there is anyone
> still prepping a rocket on that "side", have the LCO tell them to exit the
> range and come back to it after it's open again (pull their card out of the
> batch you hand the LCO).
>
> LCO
> ----
> Our pad distances allow for flying up to "K" motors even with all other
> banks occupied. To fly "L" motors (off the back row), the adjacent (middle)
> pad bank on the same control panel ("side") must be unoccupied. To fly "M"
> motors (off the back row), all three of the pad banks on the same side must
> be unoccupied, as must the back and middle banks on the adjacent side(s).
>
> Always launch and open for loading/recovery in the following order:
>
> Launch Left Front, Left Middle, Left Back.
> Open Left side for loading/recovery.
> Launch Center Front, Center Middle, Center Back.
> Open Center for loading/recovery.
> (Launch away pads, if any.)
> (Open away pads, if any, for loading/recovery.)
> Launch Right Front, Right Middle, Right Back.
> Open Right Side for loading/recovery.
> Make any necessary announcements.
> Lather, rinse, repeat.
>
> For each bank you launch, check for Red cards before starting the bank. Make
> sure you know why each card is Red: is it a cert flight? Is it a high
> altitude flight? Verify that the appropriate witnesses are watching any
> cert flights, and check with the FAA contact to ensure any necessary
> high-altitude windows are open before launching those flights. If necessary,
> SKIP a card, and hand it back to the PM to fly in the next round. DO NOT
> HOLD UP LAUNCHING A BANK BECAUSE OF ONE FLIGHT THAT ISN'T READY. Skip it,
> and give the card back to the PM.
>
> If you're flying an "L" or "M" motor, make sure that the necessary banks are
> unoccupied. Ask people to quickly move out of the way, if need be. (They
> can come back as soon as the rocket flies.)
>
> Check the sky for aircraft, and check the range for people who are where
> they shouldn't be. If both are clear, count down and launch the rockets.
> If you or your spotter see a rocket drift (or fly) over the parking area,
> call "Heads Up!" and point out the location of the rocket, repeating as
> necessary until the rocket is safely on the ground.
>
> In the event of a misfire, LEAVE THE ROCKET THERE, and hand the flight card
> back to the PM. The person whose igniter misfired will need to go out with
> the next group going to that bank of pads to replace the igniter.
>
> -------------
>
> If these procedures are followed by the LCO and PM, then there will NEVER be
> a slowdown, and rockets will fly as fast as the cards can be read and the
> buttons pushed. We've done it before, and it works VERY WELL.
>
> Unfortunately, we all get sloppy about enforcing these rules, especially
> when the range isn't busy. This leads to LCOs and PMs who don't know what
> to do when it DOES get busy, and who inadvertently cause slowdowns by doing
> these things:
>
> - Waiting until a pad bank is full
> - Allowing "one more" person to go load on a bank after other people have
> already finished
> - Assigning people to pads in advance (even though there's no way to
> predict misfires)
> - Requiring people to PULL their rockets off the pad after a misfire
> (consequence of previous mistake)
> - Waiting until slow people finish arming their rockets, after everyone
> else is done and the LCO is waiting on them, instead of asking them to leave
> it as-is and come back so the rest can fly
> - Launching sides and banks out of order
> - Not enforcing range access rules (too many people on the range)
> - Waiting until the LCO gets to a pad requiring a high-alt window before
> notifying the FAA contact. (The FAA contact should be notified AS SOON as
> the LCO gets the cards for that "side". Most high-alt flights are from the
> middle or back rows, so the window will probably be open by the time the LCO
> gets to it, minimizing waits.)
>
> Cheers,
>
> - Rick Dickinson
>
>
>
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