Article: 0853
By Yanecek, November 2009

Yanecek, Bob
TRA #1292 Certified November 1990
NAR #79405 Certified Level 1 June 2001

Flew my first rocket as part of a 5’th grade science project. Continued sporadically with just about everything D powered and lower.

Worked as a Design Specialist performing Missile System testing and Flight Analysis on the Navy’s Standard Missile (SM1 BLK V & VI and SM2 BLK I, II, III, IV, & IVA (aka LEAP for Lightweight Exoatmospheric Projectile)). My primary area of expertise was the SM-2 Block II Extended Range Terrier version.

• Became introduced to high power in the late 80’s.
• Regularly attended Octoberfest, Winterfest, Springfest, and Summerfest launches at Lucerne until 1993.
• During that time, I was flying disposable nozzle-less H impulse motors and early vintage reloadable K motors.
• My initial certification flight was a minimum diameter plugged K445 motor with a homebuilt 555 based timer for ejection at Lucerne in 1990.
• First trip to Black Rock in 1991.
• Moved to Spokane in 1993.
• Flew scratch built C, D, and G powered vehicles on an occasional basis.
• Joined SPARC in 2000.
• Re-Certified L1 in June of 2001.
• Certified L2 in April of 2002.
• Joined WHIP in 2002.
• Joined OROC in 2003.
• Joined WAC in 2004.
• Certified L3 in September of 2006.
• Became President of SPARC in November of 2006.
• Accepted to TRA’s Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) in 2008.
• Current focus is minimum diameter vehicles between 18mm and 98mm.
• Last two aggressive 75mm pushes resulted in shreds due to fin flutter.

In addition to building and flying, I have been assisting several local schools with rocket related activities.