Rocketry Planet

WORLD WIDE WEB — In an announcement earlier today, the United Kingdom Rocketry Association (UKRA) has announced that it will no longer officially support the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge, or UKAYRoC, as it's known there.

The UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge is the U.K. equivalent of the U.S. Team America Rocketry Challenge held each spring for budding scientists and mathematicians who participate in the event while learning aerospace skills.

Joined by the French for the 2009-2010 TARC cycle, the international teams competed using the same criteria as the U.S. and the competition has been enjoying quite a bit of success, although UKRA has raised concerns that they felt weren't being addressed in any suitable manner.

Their news release was posted on their website earlier today at http://www.ukra.org.uk/:

The UKRA regrets to announce that, effective immediately, it must withdraw all official support from the UKAYRoC competition.

While UKRA recognises the excellent work UKAYRoC has been doing generally to encourage children in the fields of Science and Engineering, we have had long-standing concerns with several aspects of the competition - including the organisational safety of launches - which we feel we cannot continue to ignore.

UKRA believes it has given the UKAYRoC organisers ample opportunity to address these concerns, but as such remedial action has not been forthcoming we have been forced in to taking this action.

Of course UKRA members are free to continue supporting UKAYRoC on an individual basis, but we would recommend to those who wish to do so that they ensure they are covered by adequate insurance and safety procedures and that they adhere to all relevant legal requirements for such activities.

Finally, we would like to wish the contestants good luck for this and subsequent events.

In support of the UKRA and their decision, Rocket Store owner Richard Brown announced this evening that his business would also support UKRA's decision and pulled his business' support of the event as well.  Brown's announcement discussed some of the logistical issues facing international event participants such as motor availability issues, long an issue for overseas hobby rocketry enthusiasts.

"Rocket Store has always found it odd that the organisers don't talk to the vendors supplying the parts for the contest," Brown stated in his announcement. "As the only authorised dealer for Aerotech in the U.K. and the only rocket company able to legally ship many rocket motors in the U.K. we have always been bemused that the organisers don't liaise with us in order to ensure the motors are at least available."

This year marks the fourth year of the UKAYRoC competition.

Reader comments:

#1 Re: Article: UKRA withdraws support of UK TARC counterpart UKAYRoC

Does anybody know what the safety concerns are?

billspad on 02-03-2010 07:19 AM

#2 Re: Article: UKRA withdraws support of UK TARC counterpart UKAYRoC

Quote:

Does anybody know what the safety concerns are?

Bill, that is the $64 question. I'd like to know as well.

Could it be the handling of motors, and that this guy is the ONLY one, and is qvetching (sp?) about it as well?
Instead of crickets, I hear frogs croaking.

Rocketflyer on 02-03-2010 07:48 AM

#3 Re: Article: UKRA withdraws support of UK TARC counterpart UKAYRoC

With regard the legal aspects it wouldn't be right or correct for me to discuss that here. That is between UKRA and the UKAYROC organisers. My only comment would be that there was a list of assorted reasons, some of which were safety issues.

From my own perspective, Rocket Store we have tried for a couple of years to support the contest but it has been difficult. Rocketry in the UK, well lets face it anywhere outside of USA is still a niche market and therefore it places additional issues for us. The contest is possible with good planning and communication between vendors and the organisers, however that just didn't happen. I was told several times the organisers would contact us to discuss one of the commercial aspects of the contest but nothing happened. I have spoken to other vendors and there seems to have been no strategy whatsoever for ensuring the commercial aspects didnt restrict, hinder or put cost restraints on the teams.

I like many am desperate to see the UKAYROC contest work in the UK for the sake of the kids but there are just too many things wrong with the UK implementation of TARC and there seems a reluctance by some of the UK organisers to take on board expert advice from people that know what they are talking about.

Richard Brown
Rocket Store

rocketstoreuk on 02-03-2010 08:49 AM

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