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March 20, 2007 - 11:12 PM
Dave Proffitt
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Boy this really bowled me over! I think each of us has had our special moments with Alex. I'd venture to say knowing him, that 99.9% were all great moments too. My best recollection is when I painted Punch Drunk. When I got Punch Drunk it looked pretty rough. Alex and Dave spent a couple of days sanding and filling it to my specs, without any bitching and lots of laughs, Coke and chips. I remember looking at Alex standing there in a pair of shorts, totally disheveled from sanding his rocket, sanding dust all over him on his forehead and in his hair. He reminded me of a great big kid.
When we finally got it all in primer I remember that Alex was so excited to just see it all one color, no matter that it was primer! As the work progressed we all finally decided to just do it all in blue marbleizer. It turned out really stunning, and Alex had the good taste to do the Punch Drunk logo in gold. Yeah it was a killer looking rocket. He was so excited and pleased with it that it made the entire experience magical. I felt so good for him. I am thankful that I made him feel this way. He was a great friend of mine, and a champion to my ideas and projects besides his own. I am honored to have known such a human being. When Alex got motivated about something he was so contagious that it most times rubbed off on me.Then I felt like going home and tackling my unfinished projects.
He asked me to help him mount the rail on his newest launcher. So I proceded to weld it up for him. He was so pleased with the way that part of the launcher turned out, that it made me feel good inside to be able to help him to that extent.
I guess my "motor moment" with Alex was the day that he couldn't attend the one launch that I made that year. I picked up his N4800 for my old L3 bird ASP63. Watching that rocket come to life with one of Alex's beautiful Aqua Flame motors left me at a loss for words. Watching it accelerate upwards had the temporary effect of going from a high power rocket to the real McCoy. His motor made that rocket perform like the real ASP probably did.
I guess Alex was the one person in my entire life that I would have probably done anything for because he so much appreciated even the littlest things. I loved his enthusiasm for rocketry, and research motors, reminds me of myself when I started playing guitar.
I will miss his humor, his larger than life presence, his rockets, and him. I think a poem and/or a story is in order from me to him.
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22
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March 20, 2007 - 11:56 PM
Bill Nelson
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Like everyone else, I am shocked by the loss of Alex.
I met Alex when he first started flying hobby rockets and I mentored him because his father was busy with his own projects. In the early days, I had fun teasing him about his "hemorrhoid rockets", where he would stuff a motor too long for the mount into the rocket and tape it into place. Even as a youngster, he was pushing the limits with what was available.
As the years went by, Alex progressed far further in the hobby that I managed. His own motors equaled or exceeded the performance of commercial motors and many of his rockets were beauties to behold.
I will miss him as a long time friend and occasional traveling companion. No other individual will ever come close to replacing him.
Rest in Peace, Alex.
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March 21, 2007 - 4:42 AM
Don and Brenda Harris
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I've been remodeling my kitchen for the past month and haven't been on my computer lately. When I finally do, I read this news that just doesn't sit too well with my wife or me. This is indeed a great loss to the rocket community especially us here in the NW. If you knew Alex, you know what I'm talking about. This guy could make motors like no one else, he was a true master of research. I still can't believe this and now I have to go to work and think about this all day. My sympathies to Alex's mom, family and friends. He will dearly be missed.......
Hell, we miss him already.....
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March 21, 2007 - 6:29 AM
Ray Stoner
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Alex has been on my mind since I heard of his passing...I've been trying to find something to say that doesn't sound trite...I just can't come up with the words, so I'll just say;
Goodbye friend, you'll be missed.
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25
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March 21, 2007 - 06:59
Kimberly Harms
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I've been reading all the emails about the passing of Alex.
Can one of the web people create some simple way we could all post comments that go into some big text file that can be sent on to his mother? An online book of remembrances. With a geographically diverse community a lot of us will not be at whatever sort of event is held.
It would have been nice to have this in place before all the comments already posted but I just thought of this idea. I hope those of you who have posted comments can find them in your sent messages and feed them into whatever the web folks come up with.
I don't know how hard this would be but with all the webby people out there, something shouldn't be too hard and could be done quickly.
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March 21, 2007 - 07:09
Robert
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How about the creation of some photo montages for his mother, too?
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March 21, 2007 - 7:26 AM
John Cox
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March 21, 2007 - 7:40 AM
Andrew MacMillen
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March 21, 2007 - 11:08 AM
Dustin Brown
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I'm so bummed.
I learned a lot from Alex. He pushed envelopes in rocketry I'll probably never get close to.
Regarding commercial motor memories: During an OROC commercial flight day a few years back I was going for my L1 cert. and I asked Alex and Dave about the recent threads regarding positives and negatives of certing L1 and L2 the same day. I remember them both suggesting I first fly the CRAP out of my L1 rocket with every type of L1 motor I could get my hands on, and learn everything I could in the process. Then go to L2 I followed that advice and, (partly due to time constraints), I haven't started on L2 yet. With no regrets (other than the missed launches).
Last time I saw Alex was at a Sheridan commercial launch last fall. He was having a blast launching some staged or (cluster?I forget) Estes motors, and talking about his upcoming Q motor launch.
Regarding Ex motors: He came to one our local sugar propellant pour nights, several years ago, and showed us how to make AP. And even though he didn't win me over to the dark side .. He was quite interested and polite as we did the sugar pour portion of the evening. It wasn't till the launches when he would get the "cotton candy fart motor" jokes/ribbing going. LOL
We had very different goals in rocketry and some disagreements, but I'd gladly have more discussions, and arguments, with him if I could. I would often learn a lot in the midst of those.
And I was looking forward to hearing about another possible Ex "RRRRRR" motor. Dang Pirate anyway!
Some one on another list said he'd probably like people to "fly'em high and loud" for a memorial... ....My L1 bird just doesn't seem adequate..... Guess I better start that L2 cert project.
Miss ya Alex,
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30
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March 21, 2007 - 1:28 PM
Bob Yanecek
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I mentioned Alex's passing to one of our local (SPARC) members and his reply of "Who was Alex McLaughlin?" gave me a grin as I remembered the first time I wondered the same thing.
Fred Azinger had come up to one of our local launches and managed to lose a rocket. A friendly neighbor returned the rocket to our next launch.
So, Fred asks me to deliver his rocket to Alex McLaughlin at an upcoming Mansfield launch and there I was wondering "Who is Alex McLaughlin?".
Arriving at Mansfield I got someone to point Alex out tome and I headed over with Fred's rocket thinking "what a dorky looking guy".
From the second he shook my hand I've been grateful to having been befriended by him. I was forever amazed at how quickly he would answer e-mails. His presence at a launch was a sure fire guarantee that something exciting was going UP.
Who was Alex McLaughlin?
An extraordinary rocketeer....and a friend.
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