May is always a difficult time for the children. Too much homework. Too much revision. Exams coming up .... and just as the weather is getting better and better. So, in a break between History revision and Geography revision (Yuk!), its off to the hills for the maiden launch of Stratosphere.

We'd been putting off this flight for some time, waiting for the right weather so that we could try a Double-Stage launch to, approx 2000 feet. On arriving at the site the wind had got up something rotten .... so we decided to cut our losses and go with a Single-Stage launch.

Stratosphere is an elegent rocket. Very light. Very streamlined. We expected it to do well even in Single-Stage. We were not disappointed.

PARS RECORD BROKEN

STRATOSPHERE SCREAMS OFF THE HELLFIRE PAD REACHING, WE ESTIMATE, 1100 FEET ON A SINGLE D12-7 MOTOR

Stratosphere's maiden flight, May 22, 2004
Video

Stratophere (also known as Estes CC Express) amazed us. Flying straight and true as an arrow, it soared almost out of sight. We had not witnessed a more perfect flight. Seconds later, the parachute opened flawlessly and the wind carried the rocket 500 yards down field where it was retrieved by Oliver with absolutely no damage.

When everyone got back to the launch pad we agreed that we needed a bigger field for a Double-Stage flight. This is going to be something to behold.