[BLT] BLT-20 - Double Success!!

[MacAllister, Andrew [EPM/HOU]]

Greetings!
 
Yes, We Flew BLT-20 on Saturday, August 21, 2004!
 
This was Truly a Double Success Story!
 
We launched a little late, i.e. around 10:38, but that's typical.  ALL of
the gear worked well, and the launch was very easy.  We have a bunch of good
photos that I will be posting to the website later this week.  The wing
glider was a real treat!  Tony did a stellar job building it, and it flew!
Tony released it from the main package just as we went into the clouds @~5K
feet.  The video from the glider was breathtaking and was all Tony needed to
see the airport and aim for the runway.  If we had had a little more lift,
or a shorter path, he would have brought it in at our feet.  However, he
landed it just short and in the grass - fully intact and still sending GPS
data and what had become a close-up view of the grass in front of the
camera.
 
The main payload continued on to @~83K feet with great video, GPS data and
cross-band repeater activity.  Mike and Charlie continually debated the
Corpus Christi and Lake Charles wind data, but the final result was an easy
recovery only 0.5 miles from the BBQ restaurant!  We ate and then watched
the wing-glider flight tape provided by George.
 
WOW!  Can we top this??
Time for a break!
 
Watch for updates to the website http://www.qsl.net/w5acm
<http://www.qsl.net/w5acm>  .
Check out this pre-flight photo of the wing glider
http://home.swbell.net/s4us/BLT20-wing.jpg
<http://home.swbell.net/s4us/BLT20-wing.jpg>  .
 
BLT-20 T-shirts ARE still available for $17.
If you want it mailed, add $3.
 
To The Edge of Space!
 
Andy W5ACM
 


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