When did you get started in Rocketry?

In about 1968, found rockets at a local Member only Department store. My First rocket was an MRI (Model Rocket Industries) Wac Corporal.

How long have you been building model rockets?

Since about 1968. Built whatever my brother and I could afford to buy with our lawn mowing money, we even had to pool our funds to get the Big NEW Estes K36 Saturn V! You could fly it on a cluster of 3 C engines, or a single Mighty D! It cost a whole $13.95! Then after High School, my rockets were stored away, while I went into tech school, and found love and got married. So then in about 1982, I dug them back out, and dusted them off and returned to flying rockets, not knowing about any local clubs, until in 1990, when worked moved me from KS to Oklahoma City. In doing some searches, I heard about a club in Dallas area Texas and attended a couple of their launches. This was the first time I ever saw anything larger than a D engine! Then my brother called and said he was going to be at a club launch in Medford Oklahoma, and he had a new rocket, bigger than any of mine! I met up with him and his friend, and for the first time saw an L motor flight! It opened my eyes to newer rockets and kits outside of the Estes envelope!

What rocket did you fly (or plan to fly)  for your Level One?

While walking through a Toys-R-Us, my son spotted an 36in tall Crayon Bank, and said “Dad, we can make a rocket out of that!” So I spent the $7 for the bank, and then proceeded on converting it to flight. Buying hardware, and heavy Stretch cord from Ace Hardware, for the recovery system. Make a parachute out of an old Golf umbrella, and the fins from an old piece of clear plastic that was sitting in the garage. A friend helped me with some 29mm motor mount tubing as well. Buy the time it was built it came in too heavy for the G motors I had, so I realized I would have to join a group, and certify level 1 to fly it, so the trek begain. My friend was going to a launch up in Kansas, so I decided to meet him there. I joined Nar and  in 1999, I trekked to Argonia Ks, where my friend loaned me an Aerotech RMS motor case. Aerotech was offering a no cost raffle to give away a High power motor, for certification use, to 4 lucky winners, and I happened to win one. So with a $20 total in rocket costs and a Free motor, I was now a new level 1 rocketeer! After this I was contacted by a new friend in Piedmont about starting a new NAR section in the local area, and he was looking for enough NAR members to be able to create the section, so PARC, the forerunner of OKCRockety was formed!

What if any rockets are you working on now?

The next one, I have so many in the build pile, it is hard to decide. Currently I have one form a new company doing 3d printed builders kits, of the Thunder Birds 3 rocket, and an upscale of the Old Estes Black Hole Space Probe, from Dragon Rocketry.

What are your thoughts or goals for the club?

I would love to see the club grow, and more family and especially children involvement. I would like to find a local launch site for small to mid power rockety, where we can meet regularly, and help with scout groups and draw in new people to the hobby!