Quest MLAS Flies!

[Initiator001]

I attended the SCRA launch today (Saturday) in Los Angeles and brought my Quest MLAS model for it's first flight.

I prepped it following the kit instructions. I used a Estes B6-2 as I didn't have any Quest 'B' motors (Sorry, Bill :o ).

I flew the MLAS off my AeroTech Mantis pad with a 4' long 1/8" diameter launch rod. There was little/no wind.

The boost was nice and straight. It decelerated pretty quick at motor burnout. Recovery was okay, only one of the capsule parachutes inflated and the shroud lines on the booster became caught around one of the lower fins. Even so, the capsule was fine and the booster actually came down horizontally, cracking a fin fillet on landing.

The biggest problem was the amount of 'soot' around the upper section of the body from the ejection charge. Yeech. Fortunately, Wet-Wipes seem to clean it up pretty well.

Oh, did I mention I took pictures? :rolleyes:

It was cool to watch. :D

Bob

[rokitflite]

You are so cool Bob! And you always manage to have such minty fresh breath too! :p

[Gus]

Bob,

Beautiful pics!

I need to get working on mine.

[snaquin]

Oh, did I mention I took pictures? :rolleyes:

It was cool to watch. :D

Bob

Cool pictures Bob! I really like picture #3. After your other post about the MLAS I made a visit to the Quest website to downloaded the instructions to check out the parts and assembly details. MLAS is a really interesting model.

:)

[Shreadvector]

I was there and saw it. With the Estes B6-2, it lept off the pad very fast and it ejected while still slowly coasting. If it had been an Estes B6-4 it might have been fine with ejection just after apogee. Of course, that depends on the actual delay time the motor provides vs. theoretical/advertised delay time.

Zero wind and a long launch rod certainly helped. Of course, with a 4 foot rod in a Mantis pad, isn't at least 9 inches used up below the deflector in the rod-anchoring mechanism?

I look forward to seeing these fly with Quest motors. I had and still have plenty of Geman/Quest B6-2 motors in my motor box. Maybe a few German/Quest B6-4 motors as well.