Dave,

Just wanted to let you know that everything arrived in great shape, and I am very excited to get this build going. Thanks again for all your time and hard work getting this together.

Matthew Bond

L3 Build

On Feb 6, 2016 Phil & Will Hodges launched their Blue Phenix, a high power rocket kit from Always Ready Rocketry on an Aerotech I500T-14A to an altitude of 3595 feet. It was their 1st dual deploy attempt.

Blue Phenix Maiden Flight

Sir, I believe you are being conservative on your motor recommendations for the Basic Blues 3. I have a 54mm MMT version that just flew on a CTi L265 Mellow Yellow. At 11lb loaded, it left the pad with authority on its 10 second burn to 15304ft and around 1500ft/second. This is one helluva tough bird you have designed!

I am linking a Youtube video of the flight.

Thanks
Rob Appleton

Basic Blues 3 on a CTi L265 Mellow Yellow.

Hi Dave,

You may want to hear about a Blue Tube rocket I flew this weekend at Black Rock.  It is a minimum diameter 3″ tube-fin design that I optimized for versatility. Blue Tube is light enough for this rocket to fly on unregulated single-use G80 motors. Blue Tube is also strong enough to take an M650 and go over 14,000′. This is 7 impulse classes in one rocket and 7 flights in one day. Crucially, Blue Tube’s impact resistance allows the tube fins to survive harsh desert floor landings without fraying. I find it hard to imagine building a rocket light enough and strong enough out of any other material.  This rocket follows my experiments with a smaller, 38mm version of the same design which has flown on E through J motors–6 impulse classes.

You can find more information about the 3-inch version here: http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?67358-Bluefin-Tuba-3-quot

and the 1.5″ version here:

http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?60951-Bluefin-Tuba

Thank you for this exciting material.

Ari Krupnik

Oops I knew I forgot something.

This is a story and testimony to the strength and durability of the Blue Tube product.

As with most of us rocketeers out there at some point you make a mistake. On this flight I forgot to attach the D ring from the booster section to the AV bay the main chute charge went off but the chute was packed too tightly and did not deploy. Needless to say I was in trouble. This flight was on a 54mm L700 and achieved 11600′.  The buster descended under a 12″ drogue fairly quickly impacted with no damage. The forward section and the AV bay descended at 96 fps according to the perfect flight telemetry. The last four altitude points were 100′ 0′ 50′ 0′ witch tells me it hit the ground bounced 50′ in the air.

The pic above shows the only damage sustained from the impact.  A small crack in the AV bay and a FUBAR nose cone.(notice the shoulder is missing) The sled detached it self from the brass tubes.  I can’t say enough about this product other than I will continue building my rockets from Blue Tube.

I am currently in the preliminary design process of my level 3 project. 6″ dia 10′ long basic blue with 98mm motor mount.

Thanks Dave keep up the good work.

Carey Allen

Mega Phenix

I made a 6″ Mega Phenix with Blue Tube 2.0 with custom fins for a project made by Dave at ARR and it turned out beautiful.This tube is strong!How strong you ask,well let me tell you.On the second flight one of my altimeters fired early just after motor burn of a L900 Dark Matter at an estimated speed of about 400mph separating the rocket and deploying the drogue chute.The drogue chute shredded of course while putting so much negative G’s the upper section the nosecone sheared its three 4/40 shear pins and deployed the main chute.This all happened in about a second and a half.I expected to retrieve my rocket with zippers and no telling what other kind of damage from this.When I got to where it landed I was amazed that there was no zippers or anything wrong with the rocket at all,ready to fly again with only minor shock cord rash on the paint job!
THX Dave and ARR hats off for an amazing product!

Chris Nolen

Awesomeness! When I got my Blue Phenix Jr. for Christmas I was amazed how strong the tubes are!

James Orange, Ca

Thanks for letting me use and review your tube! The review can be read here. Photos of his rocket are on our “Customer Projects Page”

Cliff Oliver - EMRR

Hi Randy, got the BT today. That stuff is awesome! The29mm tube is a little oversized but I just need to sand the inside of my centering rings and it will work perfect. One of the off spec thin wall 38mm tubes was crooked but it will be used for motor mounts anyway and the other 38 is great. Nose cone fits great and it’s straight as an arrow. I will be looking out for more of these “not up to specs” specials. Cant wait to fly that bad boy! Thanks again!

Bill Koropsak - Oklahoma

Randall, I just received my October Special order! – Thanks to Alwaysready Rocketry I’ll be helping people certify with these motors. thanks again!

Tim Boschert - Prefect Tripoli Utah

Hey there, this is Chris from Regina Saskatchewan Canada, got a 4inch Basic Blues kit from you and I’m very happy with it, awsome fast shipping too! I can’t wait to order a Predator, lovin’ the BlueTube! Keep up the good work! Thanks!

Chris Issak, Canada

I forgot to mention. While painting my Predator Jr. I left it outside to dry and it rained that night. It was under an awning but got wet anyway. There were bubbles and the fiber was starting to separate. I took it inside patted it dry and left in a a table to finish air drying. It recovered perfectly. No bubble, smoothed down by itself, no sanding required. Still tuff as nails. I am thinking about my L3 project now, and blue tube will be my choice airframe.

Bruce Harris, Virginia Beach, VA

Just letting you know I flew the Predator Jr today twice once on a j350 and a baby H128 with great results great rocket!!

Wayne Schenk

Hello Randy, BLUE TUBE RULES THE SKY!!!!!!!!!

I got to fly one of the three days of West Texas Thunder rescheduled launch. I flew my scratch built Predator 7’2″s tall on the new CTI full K300. The Perfect Flight altimeter beeped out 14,972 feet, full dual deploy recovery about 3/4 miles away. That’s a personal record for me. I will get the data analyzed later to calculate the acceleration and velocity curves. It was a perfect flight. 100 + degrees temp, under 5 miles per hour ground wind, and humidity was under 20 percent.

Paul Mazel