Eggloft 2006

Info for the 2006 annual Egg Loft.

Date: April 15, 2006

When: April 15th

Where: Parma Town Park

Time: 9:30am - till?

EggLoft time is near. As usual, it will be over Easter weekend (APRIL 15th OR 16th). Whether it will be Saturday or Sunday is still to be determined based on what the weather looks like and/or when out-of-towners can fit a Rochester visit into their schedule. The invite is open which includes any friends/family you would like to bring along and also anyone else.

This year will likely be a remix of last years rockets. Those that survived will return with perhaps some small improvements. Those that were fiery disasters (that weren't disintegrated) will be rebuilt.

Setup and breakdown between rocket launches can be time consuming. If you come before lunch bring some picnic food. And be ready to entertain yourself as though spending a "day in the park" (with the occasional need to "duck and cover"). This year though will be slightly scaled back from last year with fewer rockets. In addition, we'll probably be counting down liftoffs more efficiently and the whole event won't take as much time as in 2005.

Anyone is welcome to construct their own egg lofting rocket. If you're considering this, contact me.

If you come later, that's when we launch the larger rockets. Though exciting "rocket failure modes" are likely to occur throughout the whole day.

If all goes well and we get done in good time I think those who are up for it should accompany me to the Dinosaur BBQ.

Finally, I'm very interested to locate a new venue for the launch. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF A LARGE OPEN FIELD (where we can go without being arrested or being shot at for trespassing that is far away from an airport) PLEASE CONTACT ME. We have a decent standby location at a park which has worked for us in the past. Although it is a sizable open area, Greg still managed to bounce 2 eggs off of a neighbor's car on the other side of the highway last year.

P.S. To my estranged friends and massive invite list in general… I don't actually expect very many people to show up for EggLoft, but you're included on the invite list because perhaps you'll get a small amount of amusement keeping track of Egg Rocket shenanigans online.

Relevant Links:
Photos of previous year's EggLofts: Flickr
My Online Rocket Knowledgebase: eggloft-main

Invitees

Friends
Art D., Alex B., Alison W., Andrea M., Tim M., Angela S., Annette D., Cori W., David Y., Frank C., Jay H., John D., Jossi B., Karen T., Kate N., Michelle L., Michelle D., Mike T., Nicole P., Nicole S., Pam D., Pete K., Ryan S., Sarah C., Steve S., Susan E., Tom F.

Family
Art D., Frances D., George A., Gregory D., Jessica D., Lorraine D., Pete D.

Reflexiters
Art D., Bev A., Bryan P., Chris F., Dan C., David G., David H., Donna D., Fernando E., Frank G., Frank K., Gary G., George W., James M., Jay R., Jim S., Joe L., Joe M., John H., Julie W., Kevin W., Kirk S., Lou M., Martin A., Martin B., Mike F., Mike H., Pat M., Ray S., Scott C., Scott W., Steve L., Steve S.

Oldskool UR
Art D., Aaron G., Adam J., Brian C., Brian M., Craig H., Darrell A., Eric V., Jay N., Jerry S., Josh P., Justin V., Katie C., Lap, Lorna G., Jer G., Mat F., Pete W.

Fu
Clint C., Dave S., George R., Lorene D., Mark S., Tim O., Will L.

Oldskool Spectronic
Bill F., Curt B., Eric M., Jon P., Dave M.

Farmer's Almanac forecast

Region 6: Lower Lakes
Annual Weather Summary
November 2005 - October 2006

The season's wintry weather will be short but powerful. After a relatively mild November, December and January will be exceptionally cold, with frequent snowfalls, heavy in the east. Then, winter will break and February will be unusually mild. Temperatures in March will be a bit below normal, on average. Snowfall will be above normal in the east and below normal in most other parts of the region. The coldest periods will be in mid-December and from mid- through late January. The heaviest widespread snowfall will occur in late January, with other major snowfalls in early, mid-, and late December; in mid-January; and in early March.

April and May will be cool, on average, with above-normal precipitation and snowfall several times in the first half of April.

The summer season will be cooler than normal, with near-normal rainfall. June will be particularly cool, but hot weather will dominate from late August into early September. The hottest periods will occur in mid-July and late August.

Temperatures in September and October will average two degrees above normal, with near- or slightly above-normal rainfall.

Almanac weather courtesy Old Farmers Almanac

April 2006
Avg. Temperature: 43° (4° below avg.)
Precipitation: 5.5" (2" above avg.)
Apr. 1-12: Chilly, periods of rain and snow
Apr. 13-19: Mild, rain
Apr. 20-30: Cool, showers

Misc

"It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat." — Psalm 19:6 (it is Easter after all)

Wrap Up Results

Egg Loft 2006 has reaffirmed our motto: "all failure modes are interesting". Amidst all the wreckage however, we have finally broken the 1-dozen egg loft barrier.

Check it out:
http://artdavis.wikidot.com/eggloft-2006
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artdavis/sets/72157608572678488/
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E3950D1D9F44998F

We launched many eggs, and we scrambled many eggs. There was a great turnout of friends and I want to thank everybody, especially those of you who helped take pictures and assisted with equipment setup and breakdown.

In addition, some special recognition:

  • Greg, for best last minute rocket construction with his "Nest Egg" design which simultaneously set the record for most eggs (four) ever lofted with a D-engine.
  • Justin, for adding a whole new dimension to Egg Loft this year by accelerating stuffed Easter critters.
  • Dave, for the most entertaining running commentary.
  • Jess, for her most outrageous boots.
  • Ryan, for owning the vehicle that was most nearly smashed by Spruce Goose (on his first Egg Loft visit no less).

Finally the scorecard for the event:
Justin:

  • Number of rockets: 6 (Tiny, Mach, Scrambler, Cheney, Avenging Bunny, Carrot)
  • Total eggs lofted: 3
  • Eggs that survived: 2
  • Eggs destroyed: 1
  • Survival percentage: 67%
  • Annihilation percentage: 33%

Greg:

  • Number of rockets: 3 (AE1B, Nest Egg, Shells Angel)
  • Total eggs lofted: 16
  • Eggs that survived: 0
  • Eggs destroyed: 16
  • Survival percentage: 0%
  • Annihilation percentage: 100%

Art:

  • Number of rockets: 5 (Sunny, Eggo, Stem Shell, Heggsagon, Spruce Goose)
  • Total eggs lofted: 19
  • Eggs that survived: 5
  • Eggs destroyed: 14
  • Survival percentage: 26%
  • Annihilation percentage: 74%

Event totals:

  • Number of rockets: 14
  • Total eggs lofted: 38
  • Eggs that survived: 7
  • Eggs destroyed: 31
  • Survival percentage: 18%
  • Annihilation percentage: 82%

As a postscript, here's the evite voting results:

What Homeland Security violations do you forsee occurring during this event?

5 - Exceeding altitude
5 - Maltreatment of unborn chicks
5 - Thoughtcrime
4 - Obliterating a park

Describe an effective means for causing an egg to achieve supersonic velocity. Now, demonstrate it.

jonathan.pundt: Concorde Airplane- I'll demonstrate it as soon as they deliver my order for one.
dan.church: Compressed air gun.
eric_murphy: Feed the chicken Mexican food?
Bioadam: Let it lay upon our earth which already spins at supersonic velocities.
Mflt: Anytime Justin cautions someone on the size of their engine, it is wise to at least stand a few yards further back…
Arthur Davis: Say to me: "I bet you can't make an egg achieve supersonic velocity".
Susan Elizondo: attach it to something
george.woodruff: Drop a frozen hard boiled egg from 14,483 feet
lornagovier: sneak into airforce base 1 mile away. sneak into cockpit. drop from plane when achieving supersonic speed. Too chicken to demonstrate.
Michelle deCastro: It probably has something to do with "slow light."
steve.scott: Due to SPCA regulations, I can't do this to a chicken.
Angeshek: I'd tell you, but then I'd be violating home land security.
Frances Davis: Not sure of an exact procedure to achieve this. But I envision an easter bunny on steroids involved.
Ryan Swift: I think the good, old-fashioned Trebuchet is highly underrated

What is the mass of Neptune?

jonathan.pundt: 13.45 reallybigograms
gray515: 3
eric_murphy:1.0247e26 kg, give or take a few pounds. (I hear Neptune is suffering from water weight!)
bioadam: If I remember correctly it is 17.15 Earth-Masses or 1.02 x 1026 kg
mflt: Errr…. ow. My head hurts.
Arthur Davis: One Nep-Ton
Susan Elizondo: I refuse to answer
george.woodruff: The roman god? 0.00 g!
lornagovier: billions and billions of launched eggs. I am suddenly hungry for an omlette.
patrick mullen: I am qualified to weigh in on this item because Connecticut is a hotbed of Neptunism. The mass of Neptune is quite unlike the mass of Pope Benedict. But it does involve ahcoholic beverages.
Michelle deCastro: Sun>Neptune>Opera
steve.scott: I did not know they held mass on Neptune? Probably high or Saturday but I am not the correct religion to comment.
Angeshek: The net sum of tunes
Frances Davis: Neptune weighs 234 miles…….oh wait….DUH! That's not what I meant. I meant 377 Kilometers.
Ryan Swift: >2 mass-units

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