On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 08:32:38 -0700, Pierce Nichols <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> So here is an interesting question that comes out of that -- is the FAA >willing to write waivers for running a non-hybrid vehicle that can >operate outside the amateur exemption inside the amateur exemption? I.e. >if ERPS built a big follow-on to POGO, capable of more than 200k >lbf-sec, could it do envelope expansion testing under the limit? Good question. Per http://ast.faa.gov/lrra/about_lrra.htm: Applicants proposing to launch unguided suborbital launch vehicles, such as for amateur rockets, require a license unless the launch is exempt. To be exempt under the regulations (14 C.F.R. � 400.2), a launch must take place from a private site and involve a rocket that meets all three of the following conditions: * Has a motor or combination of motors with a total impulse of 200,000 pound-seconds or less; and * Whose motor or combination of motors have a total burning time or operating time of less than 15 seconds; and * The rocket has a ballistic coefficient - i.e., gross weight in pounds divided by frontal area of rocket vehicle - less than 12 pounds per square inch. Clearly written for solids, which have a fixed amount of propellant. Applicability to liquids is debatable. Looks to me like if you have a non-exempt vehicle with a partial fuel load, it would be exempt if it met the above numbers. But hang on: this is talking about unguided SLVs. Not applicable to a POGO follow-on. (It was written for the CATS Prize.) OK, looking at the actual regs: 14 CFR 400.2: The regulations in this chapter do not apply to amateur rocket activities or to space activities carried out by the United States Government on behalf of the United States Government. 14 CFR 401.5: Amateur rocket activities means launch activities conducted at private sites involving rockets powered by a motor or motors having a total impulse of 200,000 pound-seconds or less and a total burning or operating time of less than 15 seconds, and a rocket having a ballistic coefficient�i.e., gross weight in pounds divided by frontal area of rocket vehicle�less than 12 pounds per square inch. Reads the same but not limited to unguided SLVs. Looks OK to me. >did Jay talk about how willing the FAA is to write burn-time waivers? A bit, yes, in response to a post-panel question. Ron Gress was lukewarm about that, you'll recall, though he gave Tripoli a two year blanket waiver to 60 seconds when they asked for it in writing, and extended it for two years when they asked for that in writing. (They don't seem to have asked for a second extension, but I heard at SFF that they currently have a blanket 30 second waiver.) Jay was a little more enthusiastic; he wanted to get a waiver request, and gave the impression that he would approve it if there was a good case for it. -R -- Tip Of The Day: Never Pet A Burning Dog. --Lance M. Bryant, Capt USMC _______________________________________________ ERPS-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
