Target Altitude Competition

Contest Director: TBA

Contest Goal:  1,600ft

Target Altitude Event Rules

1. A team may consist of one to any number of individuals.

2. Any rocket may be used as long as it complies with these rules.

3. Rockets may be modified as long as mods approved by RSO.

4. May be single deploy, dual deploy using commercial altimeter or deploy using jolly logic chute release.

5. Parachutes and streamers are permitted.  

6. Tumbling to ground is not permitted.

7. The vehicle must carry a commercial altimeter. 

8. The vehicle must safely recover and be in condition to be flown again. 

9. Attempt is based on a single flight only. Must be notified as such on the flight card and advised to the RSO and announcer.

10. The team with the closest altitude to the specified target altitude wins.

11. In the event of two teams with the same altitude the team using the lowest impulse motor wins.

12. In the event of further tie the result is recorded as a tie.

13. NZRA flight card must be provided to the contest director before the flight.

Common Rules for All Events

Item Rule

1. All competitors must follow the NZRA High Power Safety Code. The code can be found on the NZRA website. www.nzrocketry.org.nz

2. The rocket must have been flown before. No first flight rockets are allowed.

3. All rockets shall use a single motor: no clusters or staging allowed.

4. Composite materials are allowed.

5. Launch lugs, rail buttons, or flyaway guides are allowed.

6. Competitors can provide their own launch pad but NZRA will provide controller.

7. A positive motor retention is required. Motor retention must pass RSO approval before the flight will be allowed.

8. Friction fit of motor is not allowed.

9. Manufacturers that allow modifications to the delay charge as part of standard assembly is allowed.

10. Only commercial motors sold in New Zealand allowed.

11. Average thrust to weight ratio must be at least 5:1. 

12. Any of the commercially available altimeters are allowed.

13. Electronic deployment devices are allowed.

14. Electronic deployment devices must be disarmed until the rocket is placed on the launch pad. 

15. Recovery aids such as radio beacons/trackers and audible beacons are allowed.

16. Maximum descent rate must not exceed 20 feet/sec for last 100 feet to ground. 

17. A recovery system is required so that the rocket lands and is immediately flyable without the need for any repairs or alterations. Rockets not meeting this definition will be disqualified.

18. Any structural part of the rocket recovery system, or motor that free falls will result in a disqualification. Pop off rail guides are considered part of the ground support equipment. Any components that are supposed to be released or discarded for launch purposes are allowed. The competitor must specify what gets released or discarded for launch purposes before the launch.

19. The word of the competition director and range safety officer is final. The director and/or RSO are the ultimate judges in determining a safe or unsafe flight.

20. Rockets are not to exceed 9,500 feet due to waiver limits. Launch attempts stop at 4pm. It is up to the competitor to manage their time.

21. Rockets may not use any externally-generated signals such as radio or computer control for any purpose, including flight termination, after liftoff. Autonomous on-board control systems can be used.

22. No guidance systems are allowed.

23. Boosted darts are not allowed.

24. Recovery electronics must be turned on before the igniter is inserted.

25. The igniter is to be installed at the launch pad when the rocket is in the vertical position.

26. Competitors attempting unsafe recovery from trees or power lines will be disqualified. If a rocket lands in a tree or power line, an official must be notified to make a safe recovery.

27. The altimeter used for altitude measurement must not be removed from the rocket or turned off until in the presence of nominated judges on the day. 

28. All electronics power must support up to an hour delay on the launch pad.

29. If the rocket uses a level 1 or level 2 motor, at least one team member with the appropriate certification level must be present at the launch, handling the rocket and inserting the igniter.

30. The range safety officer has the right to refuse any rocket deemed not safe.

Launch Systems

Launch pads will be provided by NZRA and have six foot long 1 inch (1010) aluminum rails. 8 foot 1.5 inch (1515) aluminum rails will be provided. The rails are to be vertical. They cannot be angled at all. 

Disqualifications

A team will be disqualified for any of the following reasons:

1. Recovery system does not deploy and the rocket free falls or comes in ballistic.

2. One or more parts of the rocket free fall from the rest of the rocket.

3. Rocket motor separates from the rocket during any part of flight.

4. Rocket is damaged beyond field repair after flight.

5. Team acts in a dangerous manner.

6. Team misbehaves and or interferes with other team’s progress.

7. Team does not launch before the end of flying.

8. Team attempts an unsafe recovery. An unsafe recovery is defined as attempting to remove any part of a rocket out of power lines or trees that require climbing. Rockets can be pulled out of trees or other vegetation if the team member can reach any part while standing on the ground.

9. Team argues with contest director