Rocketry Planet

WORLD WIDE WEB — The New U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ruling regarding hobby rocketry went into effect yesterday, reducing the notification requirements for most hobby rocketry enthusiasts nationwide.  The new ruling was published in the Federal Register on December 4, 2008 with an effective date of February 2, 2009.

The new ruling merged two previous classifications of model rocketry, model and large model rockets, into one class, identified as Class 1 Model Rockets.  This class, defined at 14 CFR 101.22(a), identifies a Class 1 Model Rocket as an amateur rocket that uses a slow-burning propellant, is made of paper, wood or breakable plastic, contains no substantial metal parts, and weighs no more than 1,500 grams, or 53 ounces, including propellant.

The old rules for large model rockets, requiring notification of the FAA, no longer apply as long as the operating limitations of 14 CFR 101.23 are followed:

• Is launched on a suborbital trajectory;
• When launched, must not cross into the territory of a foreign country unless an agreement is in place between the United States and the country of concern;
• Is unmanned; and
• Does not create a hazard to persons, property, or other aircraft.

The FAA may specify additional operating limitations necessary to ensure that air traffic is not adversely affected, and public safety is not jeopardized.

For enthusiasts that participate in high power rocketry, the new FAA Class 2 category provides for those rockets which operate with up to 40,960 N-s of total impulse, or what is considered an "O" impulse motor.  In addition to the considerations above, Class 2 rockets must also operate under these considerations:

• In addition, you must not operate a Class 2 High Power Rocket
• At any altitude where clouds or obscuring phenomena of more than five tenths coverage prevails;
• At any altitude where the horizontal visibility is less than five miles;
• Into any cloud;
• Between sunset and sunrise without prior authorization from the FAA;
• Within 8 kilometers (5 statute miles) of any airport boundary without prior authorization from the FAA;
• In controlled airspace without prior authorization from the FAA;
• Unless you observe the greater of the following separation distances from any person or property that is not associated with the operations applies:
  i. Not less than one quarter the maximum expected altitude;
  ii. 457 meters (1,500 ft.);
• Unless a person at least eighteen years old is present, is charged with ensuring the safety of the operation, and has final approval authority for initiating high power rocket flight; and
• Unless reasonable precautions are provided to report and control a fire caused by rocket activities. 

To assist their members with FAA waivers, the National Association of Rocketry has prepared a page on their website to assist with waiver application filings.  You can read more about this at: http://www.nar.org/cabinet/waiverinst.html.

Two other classes also become effective: a Class 3 Advanced High Power rocket class, which includes any amatuer rocket that exceeds 40,960 N-s of total impulse, and a Class 4 Other category which includes any unmanned rocket that is not an amateur rocket.  The new Class 3 is the most controversial new classification for hobby enthusiasts, in that all Class 3 flights have to apply for their own FAA waivers individually, making it much more difficult for participants of these larger amateur rockets to get past the regulatory red tape.

Reader comments:

#1 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

What does "slow burning propellant" mean in this context?

UncleVanya on 02-03-2009 02:21 PM

#2 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

Does that mean one cannot fly warp 9 motors?

Chrisn on 02-03-2009 02:28 PM

#3 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

It is not defined. CPSC defines it as action time over 0.05 seconds. The whole point is to eliminate "function by explosion" as propellants. Typical APCP burns 0.08-1.5 ips. The slow burning or deflagration threshold is considered to "generally be meters per second". Since it says meters and a single meter is 118 inches, under 236 inches per second is deflagration. If anything but an "explosion" is a deflagration, then it is "effectively all the contents in a sudden event". Burning is not sudden, even if it is fast, like for example zinc-sulfur.

Just Jerry

Okay I should have said 39.4 and 79.8 inches per second. Hi tmacklin.

Just Jerry on 02-03-2009 02:55 PM

#4 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

Quote:

It is not defined. CPSC defines it as action time over 0.05 seconds.

So to be clear. Any motor that is UNDER this action time is a potential regulation issue for this particular regulation. Did I get this right?

UncleVanya on 02-03-2009 03:36 PM

#5 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

A meter is 118 inches? Maybe with your girlfriends, but down in Texas it's only 39.4 inches.

tmacklin on 02-03-2009 04:07 PM

#6 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

LOLops: Must have looked at the Peter Meter

rcktnut on 02-03-2009 04:34 PM

#7 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

Quote:

So to be clear. Any motor that is UNDER this action time is a potential regulation issue for this particular regulation. Did I get this right?

Yes. And sorry tmacklin for the obvious math error! I think I will leave it and your correction so you can laugh at me.

Just Jerry

Just Jerry on 02-03-2009 04:52 PM

#8 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

I was looking for additional info on this.
The FAA linked me to a great search engine.
It gives you all the comments.

Seems only one guy was responsible for the 40,960Ns limit.
Here is a link to them:
http://tinyurl.com/aajp4x

And here is the one comment I found asking to lower it.
http://tinyurl.com/camrch

Thank you Mr Littmann for asking it be lowered.

Robert

rdh8 on 02-03-2009 05:05 PM

#9 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

Quote:

Yes. And sorry tmacklin for the obvious math error! I think I will leave it and your correction so you can laugh at me.

Just Jerry

Tanks JJ! Accuracy is my motto: I mever nake mistakes!

tmacklin on 02-03-2009 05:11 PM

#10 Re: Article: New FAA regulations now in effect

Quote:

What does "slow burning propellant" mean in this context?

Excellent question but one that the FAA ignored. I raised it in my comments and suggested that it either be dropped or an objective standard, something like the CPSC uses, should be used instead. The FAA chose to not even discuss it in the final rule.

UhClem on 02-03-2009 08:40 PM

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