My jobs entails that I am often working abroad. Mostly with a team, a few people from my company, but also a few of the costumer. We work hard, but there is always some time for some distraction. We usually eat out together and naturally we have a drink at dinner. I have been with a client in Belgium for almost a year now, so we are running out of conversation subjects: women (those we have had and more importantly: those we never could get). politics, ambitions and dreams. Some evening the subject was hobbies and over the following weeks I gave some people a rocket kit. Soon after that, mostly due to their children's urging, the idea was born to organize a launch day. A date was set...

Launch day

In January we found ourselves unexpectedly on a field, property of the company, while all local authorities had given permission. We discovered the five of us had some 11 children, all boys. I had brought a few nice Estes rockets along, the UFO, a two-stage rocket, a rocket with gliders and a small rocket for an F motor. Daniel meanwhile had build a rocket car, which was also to be propelled by an F, because the 24mm adaptor was not finished yet.

Launching the rockets was great fun, especially because the field was very muddy and the children were determined to recover the rockets, even if they were on the other side of a ditch. Highlight was the "Smiley" rocket on an F20 Econojet. It flew very well and we decided to sign it all. A great memory.

Rocket car

Then it was the rocket cars turn. It was very well build, with bearings on the axles. Daniel had brought along a laser to determine the direction. The road was closed and the countdown began. The car accelerated very rapid and in a straight line, but after 5 meter the unfortunate car had a flat tire, which caused a sudden turn to the right, hit the roads shoulder and lifted off. At an altitude of about one meter (3 feet) it made some loops in the air, whereupon it landed in the grass almost undamaged. But I am sure Daniel does not throw in the towel, this is certainly to be continued...

To be continued!

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