Fire in the Sky (FITS) is the Northwest's premier rocket launch. FITS 2012 will be held over Memorial Day weekend at the Sportsmen's Club in Mansfield, WA. This launch always attracts amazing rockets; from 1/2A to N motors, clusters, air starts, and multi-staged rockets, you'll find them flying at FITS.

The launch directors for Fire in the Sky 2012 are Carl Hamilton and Dale Woodford. If you have any questions that aren't answered by this page or comments you'd like to make, they can be sent to the directors at fits@washingtonaerospace.org.

Even if you've never flown a "big'un" before, bring your rockets out for the day or the weekend and have a fun, relaxing, and amazing time at Fire in the Sky 2012!

• Where
• When
• Flight Information
• Registration
• Fees
• Liability Waivers
• Volunteering
• Raffle
• Apparel
• Stickers
• Vendors
• Contest: Gone Daddy Gone!
• Big Projects
• Certification
• Tacoma Astronomical Society
• Food
• Amenities
• Things to Bring
• Other Rules

Where

As in years past, Fire in the Sky 2012 will be held at the Sportsmen's Club in beautiful Mansfield, WA. If you want a feel for how camp will be laid out, you can view a very rough map here. If you also want to see how the range will be laid out, look here.

When

Memorial Day Weekend, May 25th - 28th, 2012

• Friday, May 25th: Tripoli mixed launch, must be a Tripoli member to fly high-power; model pads open to the public
• Saturday, May 26th: Tripoli commercial launch, open to the public
• Saturday, May 26th: night launch, special flight rules apply
• Sunday, May 27th: Tripoli commercial launch, open to the public
• Monday, May 28th: Tripoli commercial launch, open to the public

Flight Information

• 8,000' AGL ceiling for flights from the racetrack and keyhole
• 14,000' AGL ceiling for flights from the away cell
• Simple "K", complex "J" impulse limit for flights from the racetrack
• Simple "M", complex "L" impulse limit for flights from the keyhole
• Simple "N", complex "M" impulse limit for flights from the away cell

Registration

While you don't need to register for Fire in the Sky, your check-in experience will be much more pleasant if you do. You can register using our online form. If you are a member that joined or renewed using our online membership form and you checked the "I plan to attend FITS" box, you are good to go.

Fees

• Washington Aerospace members and their families fly for free (join here)
• Non-member flyers: $40/weekend
• Non-member flyers and their families: $50/weekend
• Spectators: $10/weekend
• Spectators and their families: $20/weekend

Liability Waivers

In order to keep the lawyers happy, everybody that attends a Washington Aerospace launch must provide a signed copy of our liability waiver. If you joined the club, renewed your membership, or registered for Fire in the Sky online, your confirmation email will contain a link to a pre-populated liability waiver. All you need to do is print it, sign it, and bring it to the launch with you. If you can't find the email, you can create a new waiver by visiting our online waiver page. If you have already attended a Washington Aerospace launch in 2012 and delivered a waiver then, you are good to go.

Our launch site is owned by Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). As part of our agreement with the DNR to use the land, all attendees must sign a DNR-specific liability waiver in addition to a Washington Aerospace liability waiver. Blank DNR waivers can be found at the links below.

• DNR adult liability waiver (you only need page 1 of 2)
• DNR minor (under 18 years old) liability waiver (you only need page 2 of 2)

Volunteering

We can't run this launch without your help. Please visit our volunteers page and sign up for a job or two.

Raffle

As in years past, Fire in the Sky 2012 will include a raffle. Prizes will be donated by local vendors and flyers. Tickets are $1 each, and could lead to fabulous riches! The raffle drawing will be held Sunday evening, and you must be present to win. Good luck!

Angela "Red" Wright (angelawr@wrightholdings.com) has volunteered to run the raffle this year. If you have goods you would like to donate (preferably not the scraps from tubing you cut to length), please let her know what you have and arrange to deliver it to her at FITS. All proceeds go to the club and help us improve flying for everybody in the Northwest. Think about it, you could clean up your garage and benefit the club!

Apparel

Official Fire in the Sky 2012 apparel is available for pre-order. If you are interested in ordering a shirt or hat, please send email to fits@washingtonaerospace.org including your name and what size and quantities of each item you would like. Orders are due by 8:00AM on Monday, April 23rd. Items will be delivered at FITS with payment due upon receipt. Only cash and checks will be accepted; no credit cards.

There will be a small number of items available in addition pre-orders at FITS. However, if your heart is set on wearing one of these fabulous items to show the world how cool you are, don't wait; send mail to fits@washingtonaerospace.org now.

T-shirts

T-shirts are available in sizes from S to 5XL for $16/shirt. They will be Gildan Ultra-Cotton 100% cotton shirts in indigo blue with the official FITS 2012 logo embroidered on them. A sample of what they will look like can be found here (no, the guy doesn't come with the shirt).

Hats

Hats are available in two sizes, S/M and L/XL, for $22/hat. These are Port Authority Flex-fit garment washed caps in khaki with the official FITS 2012 logo embroidered on the front. The S/M size fits hat sizes from 6 3/4 to 7 1/4 and the L/XL size fits hat sizes from 7 1/8 to 7 5/8. A sample of what they will look like can be found here.

Stickers

Stickers with the official FITS 2012 logo will be available for $5/sticker. Dave Randall will be cutting a limitted number of them, so if you really have your heart set on one, please contact him directly and let him know what you want: dmrandall@gmail.com.

Vendors

What great launch would be complete without rocket vendors? The following businesses will be on-site serving your rocketry needs:

• Bellevue Hobby Center
• Don's Hobby Shop
• Sunriver Nature Center
• Tragic Little Aerospace
• What's Up Hobbies

Contest: Gone Daddy Gone!

This year's FITS contest: Gone Daddy Gone! Stuff the biggest motor you dare into an Estes Big Daddy (or at least a rocket that looks just like a Big Daddy). The rocket flown and recovered on the largest Newtwon-second motor(s) earns its owner bragging rights and 10 raffle tickets. The rules are simple:

• Rocket must be flown and recovered prior to the raffle Sunday evening
• Rocket must be recovered in "immediately flyable" condition
• Rocket must of approximately the same dimensions as a stock-built Big Daddy kit
  • Fiberglass or other reinforcement of a stock kit is allowed
  • Construction of a rocket from other materials is allowed
  • Upscaling and/or stretching the rocket in any way is not allowed
  • If it looks like a stock-built kit, you're OK; if it doesn't, you're not

Big Projects

Bryan Whitemarsh is working on a 24" diameter upscale Big Daddy that he calls Super Big Daddy. It's scheduled to fly on an M3400 and then a central N5800 with four outboard L's airstarted during flight. Holy smokes! Along with the Gone Daddy Gone! contest, how much more Big Daddy goodness could you possibly want?

If you have a big project you plan to fly at Fire in the Sky, please let the launch directors know at fits@washingtonaerospace.org.

Certification

There will be plenty of opportunity to certify level 1 or level 2 at Fire in the Sky this year. Obviously, level 3 certification flights are also welcome, but we assume that you are already working through those details with your L3CC or TAP team.

Despite the fact that Fire in the Sky is a Tripoli launch this year, certifications through both TRA and NAR will be allowed.

If you would like to take a level 2 written exam, please contact the launch directors at fits@washingtonaerospace.org before arriving at the launch so that we are sure to have the necessary paperwork.

Tacoma Astronomical Society

As in years past, members of the Tacoma Astronomical Society will be at the launch with their telescopes. In the evenings, you will have the opportunity (clouds permitting) to view the stars and planets in Mansfield's beautiful night sky.

Food

On-site food service will be provided by Mansfield Mercantile. For details on service hours and menu please visit our menu page. Shave ice will also be available on-site from Cascade Concessions.

Amenities

• There is plenty of room at the launch site for tent camping, trailers, RVs, and day parking
• Port-o-potties will be available on-site
• Showers will be available at Mansfield High School in the evenings for $2/shower
• There is also lots of full-featured lodging in the Mansfield area

Things to Bring

In addition to your rockets and motors, there are a few things that you should consider bringing to the launch that will make your life a little easier.

• Sunscreen - it's going to be sunny; be prepared
• FRS radios - used for launch announcements and recover coordination

Other Rules

Kids

This is a family event. Children of any age are welcome, however; they must be supervised by their parents or guardian. When children are present, please watch your language and conversation topics to keep them appropriate to the nearby audience.

Pets

We don't encourage pets at FITS. Dogs must be under their owners' immediate control in the camping area, through the launch control area, all the way out to the launch pads. Aggressive dogs will be confined by their owners' vehicle or campsite.

Alcohol

There shall be no alcohol consumption during flying hours. You are welcome to bring your own alcohol, but please use it in a controlled manner. No underage (under 21) alcohol consumption will be tolerated. This is illegal and, among other things, will void our insurance coverage.

Fireworks

No fireworks, period.