Article: 0199
by Krausert, October 2009

Ariel Level 2 Certification flight under Tripoli Rocketry Association in October 2005 at Rocketober in Brothers Oregon
ArielFlight

For my Level 2 certification flight I chose a PML (Public Missiles LTD.) kit titled Ariel. This was a complete kit and capable for supporting 29mm, 38mm and 54mm motors with PML’s special quick change adapter system. First thing to go was the piston assembly. I’ve never used a piston and never plan to use one. The kit also came with eye bolts, which I also will never use. Those were out too.

Started by deciding where the electronics bay would be located. Determined the maximum length motor I would ever use and began sizing the airframe components to meet those specifications.

Motor section was a 22 inch piece of Quantum tubing. One thing about Quantum tubing is adherence to epoxy is limited. It seriously requires something inside the tube for the epoxy to grab a hold of, so it was necessary to score up the inside of the motor airframe. I used a piece of 10 guage copper wire that was grinded to a point. Then fitted to a 14 inch piece of rod and chucked into my drill. This allowed me to create nice grooves into the Quantum tubing for the epoxy to bite into for strength. Next I took that piece of 1 caliber coupler intended for the piston and used it as a forward pressure plate for the forward most centering ring. Basically I created the motor assembly ready to mount into the airframe. Epoxied up the ariframe using a 20 inch stick with a dozen Q-Tips taped on. Dipped into the epoxy, slid the rod into the airframe and coated circular sections where the centering rings will reside. Before I slid the motor mount into the airframe I first inserted the 1 caliber coupler tube and then the motor mount. That piece of coupler should add more strength as an additional push point for the motor mount against the airframe.

Added a 2 caliber section of coupler to the forward most of the motor assembly. Added a forward and aft bulkplate and ran two 6×32 threaded rods between the two. The forward bulkplate was setup with a 3/4 inch U-bolt with steel plate inside. The shock cord would need to rip the threads or the entire coupler out before that assembly couple break.

E bay was built using a 2 caliber coupler and two bulkplates, with tapers added so I get a nice fit inside and outside the coupler. Held together using two 6×32 threaded rods, and a 3/4 u-bolt with inside steel plates on both ends. Included a Black Sky Altacc2 altimeter and wired so that matches can be connected outside the e-bay without opening to make connection to the terminals. Unfortunately I kept the battery section inside the e-bay, thus requiring me to disassemble the e-bay completely for each flight.

More to come another day