Codes and Regulations

Safety regulations and codes to be followed:

Federal Aviation Administration:  Use of Airspace

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has regulations for air space usage.  Model Rockets enjoy relief from FAA regulations via Federal Aviation Regulations Part 101; see FAR101 at www.access.gpo.gov.  It states the following:

Rockets weighing less than one pound and flying on less than 4 ounces of propellant, FAR 101 rockets, do not require notification of the FAA. Large Model Rockets, weighing between 1 and 3.3 lbs and flying on not more than 4.4 ounces of propellant, while not requiring a waiver from the FAA, require a phone call to the nearest FAA tower or airport for notification of the planned activity. Model Rockets are also considered toys by the federal government and as such must meet Consumer Product Safety Commissions safety requirements.

Waivers from the FAA are required to fly High Power Rockets weighing more than 3.3lbs and/or flying on greater than 4.4 ounces of propellant. While anyone may apply to the FAA for a waiver, this process is normally handled by a rocketry club officer, often the Launch Director. When granting waivers, the FAA reviews the normal use of the airspace for which a waiver has been requested to determine the feasibility of rerouting airplanes while launches are being held. Waivers to high altitudes are most readily granted for airspace that is not heavily used therefore, launch sites with high waivers are often many miles from large cities and airline traffic patterns. Waivers are granted in MSL or altitude above mean sea level. Waivers are often referred to in AGL, above ground level, a figure determined by subtracting the elevation of the launch site from the MSL altitude. For more information on the FAA see www.faa.gov.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

The acquisition and use of rocket motors, specifically Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant, or APCP, is NO LONGER regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. An ATF license is not required to purchase or use APCP rocket motors.

All the above safety information  was acquired from www.access.gpo.gov.

National Association of Rocketry- High Power Rocket Safety Code:

Certification. I will only fly high power rockets or possess high power rocket motors that are within the scope of my user certification and required licensing.

Materials. I will use only lightweight materials such as paper, wood, rubber, plastic, fiberglass, or when necessary ductile metal, for the construction of my rocket.

Motors. I will use only certified, commercially made rocket motors, and will not tamper with these motors or use them for any purposes except those recommended by the manufacturer. I will not allow smoking, open flames, nor heat sources within 25 feet of these motors.

Ignition System. I will launch my rockets with an electrical launch system, and with electrical motor igniters that are installed in the motor only after my rocket is at the launch pad or in a designated prepping area. My launch system will have a safety interlock that is in series with the launch switch that is not installed until my rocket is ready for launch, and will use a launch switch that returns to the "off" position when released. If my rocket has onboard energetic  and firing circuits will be inhibited except when my rocket is in launching position. 

Misfires. If my rocket does not launch when I press the button of my electrical launch system, I will remove the launcher's safety interlock or disconnect its battery, and will wait 60 seconds after the last launch attempt before allowing anyone to approach the rocket.

Launch Safety. I will use a 5-second countdown before launch. I will ensure that no person is closer to the launch pad than allowed by the accompanying Minimum Distance Table, and that a means is available to warn participants and spectators in the event of a problem. When arming onboard energetic and firing circuits I will ensure that no person is at the pad except safety personnel and those required for arming and disarming operations. I will check the stability of my rocket before flight and will not fly it if it cannot be determined to be stable.  When conducting a simultaneous launch of more than one high powered rocket I will observe the additional requirements of NFPA 1127.

Launcher. I will launch my rocket from a stable device that provides rigid guidance until the rocket has attained a speed that ensures a stable flight, and that is pointed to within 20 degrees of vertical. If the wind speed exceeds 5 miles per hour I will use a launcher length that permits the rocket to attain a safe velocity before separation from the launcher. I will use a blast deflector to prevent the motor's exhaust from hitting the ground. I will ensure that dry grass is cleared around each launch pad in accordance with the accompanying Minimum Distance table, and will increase this distance by a factor of 1.5 and clear that area of all combustible material if the rocket motor being launched uses titanium sponge in the propellant.

Size. My rocket will not contain any combination of motors that total more than 40,960 N-sec (9208 pound-seconds) of total impulse. My rocket will not weigh more at liftoff than one-third of the certified average thrust of the high power rocket motor (s) intended to be ignited at launch.

Flight Safety. I will not launch my rocket at targets, into clouds, near airplanes, nor on trajectories that take it directly over the heads of spectators or beyond the boundaries of the launch site, and will not put any flammable or explosive payload in my rocket. I will not launch my rockets if wind speeds exceed 20 miles per hour. I will comply with Federal Aviation Administration airspace regulations when flying, and will ensure that my rocket will not exceed any applicable altitude limit in effect at that launch site.

Launch Site. I will launch my rocket outdoors, in an open area where trees, power lines, occupied buildings, and persons not involved in the launch do not present a hazard, and that is at least as large on its smallest dimension as one-half of the maximum altitude to which rockets are allowed to be flown at that site or 1500 feet, whichever is greater, or 1000 feet for rockets with  a combined total impulse of less than 160 N-sec, a total liftoff weight of less than 1500 grams, and a maximum expected altitude of less than 610 meters (2000 feet).

Launcher Location. My launcher will be 1500 feet from any occupied building or from any public highway on which traffic flow exceeds 10 vehicles per hour, not including traffic flow related to the launch. It will also be no closer than the appropriate Minimum Personnel Distance from the accompanying table from any boundary of the launch site.

Recovery System. I will use a recovery system such as a parachute in my rocket so that all parts of my rocket return safely and undamaged and can be flown again, and I will use only flame-resistant or fireproof recovery system wadding in my rocket.

Recovery Safety. I will not attempt to recover my rocket from power lines, tall trees, or other dangerous places, fly it under conditions where it is likely to recover in spectator areas or outside the launch site, nor attempt to catch it as it approaches the ground.

                                            MINIMUM  DISTANCE  TABLE

Note: A Complex rocket is one that is multi-staged or that is propelled by two or more rocket motors.

Use of Airspace

Sec. 101.21-Applicability.

This subpart applies to the operation of unmanned rockets. However, a person operating an unmanned rocket within a restricted area must comply only with Sec. 101.23(g) and with additional limitations imposed by the using or controlling agency, as appropriate

 Sec. 101.22-Special provisions for large model rockets.

Persons operating model rockets that use not more than 125 grams of propellant; that are made of paper, wood, or breakable plastic; that contain no substantial metal parts, and that weigh not more than 1,500 grams, including the propellant, need not comply with Sec. 101.23 (b), (c), (g), and (h), provided:

(a) That person complies with all provisions of Sec. 101.25; and

(b) The operation is not conducted within 5 miles of an airport runway or other landing area unless the information required in Sec. 101.25 is also provided to the manager of that airport.

Sec. 101.23-Operating limitations.

No person may operate an unmanned rocket--

(a) In a manner that creates a collision hazard with other aircraft;

(b) In controlled airspace;

(c) Within five miles of the boundary of any airport;

(d) At any altitude where clouds or obscuring phenomena of more than five-tenths coverage prevails;

(e) At any altitude where the horizontal visibility is less than five miles;

(f) Into any cloud;

(g) Within 1,500 feet of any person or property that is not associated with the operations; or

(h) Between sunset and sunrise.

Sec. 101.25-Notice requirements.

No person may operate an unmanned rocket unless that person gives the following information to the FAA ATC facility nearest to the place of intended operation no less than 24 hours prior to and no more than 48 hours prior to beginning the operation:

(a) The names and addresses of the operators; except when there are multiple participants at a single event, the name and address of the person so designated as the event launch coordinator, whose duties include coordination of the required launch data estimates and coordinating the launch event;

(b) The estimated number of rockets to be operated;

(c) The estimated size and the estimated weight of each rocket; and

(d) The estimated highest altitude or flight level to which each rocket will be operated.

(e) The location of the operation.

(f) The date, time, and duration of the operation.

(g) Any other pertinent information requested by the ATC facility.

 Sec. 101.25-Notice Requirements

 When operating Class 2-High Power Rockets or Class 3-Advanced High Power Rockets, you must comply with the General Operating Limitations of §101.23. In addition, you must not operate Class 2-High Power Rockets or Class 3-Advanced High Power Rockets—

(a) At any altitude where clouds or obscuring phenomena of more than five-tenths coverage prevails;(b) At any altitude where the horizontal visibility is less than five miles;(c) Into any cloud;(d) Between sunset and sunrise without prior authorization from the FAA;(e) Within 9.26 kilometers (5 nautical miles) of any airport boundary without prior authorization from the FAA;(f) In controlled airspace without prior authorization from the FAA;(g) Unless you observe the greater of the following separation distances from any person or property that is not associated with the operations:(1) Not less than one-quarter the maximum expected altitude;(2) 457 meters (1,500 ft.);(h) Unless a person at least eighteen years old is present, is charged with ensuring the safety of the operation, and has final approval authority for initiating high-power rocket flight; and( i) Unless reasonable precautions are provided to report and control a fire caused by rocket activities.

Code of Regulation Part 55

 -High power rocket motors, as defined above, must be stored in a Type IV or equivalent magazine (See 27 CFR 55.210).

-These magazines may be located in an attached garage of a single family residence provided that the magazine is separated by a wall and is not part of the living quarters. Indoor storage will not be permitted in multi-family dwellings such as condominiums, apartments, duplexes, etc. Indoor storage of low explosives must not exceed a quantity of 50 pounds as required by 27 CFR 55.210(b) (1).

-Any person who stores explosive materials shall notify the authority having jurisdiction for fire safety in the locality in which the explosive materials are being stored of the type, magazine capacity, and location of each site where such explosive materials are stored. Such notification shall be made orally before the end of the day on which storage of the explosive materials commenced and in writing within 48 hours from the time such storage commenced.

-The Consumer Product Safety Commission has define toy model rocket motors under 16 CFR 1500.85(a) (8), as those motors containing a propellant weight of 62.5 grams or less and which produce less than 80 Newton-seconds (17.92 pound seconds) of total impulse. ATF will consider any model rocket motor containing a propellant weight greater than 62.5 grams and producing a total impulse of more than, or equal to, 80 Newton-seconds, a high power rocket motor, placing it under the provisions of the Federal explosives laws, 18 U.S.C. Chapter 40. Furthermore, motors containing a total propellant weight of 62.5 grams or less, intended to be used as a segment for installation into larger motors, and which cannot be used individually, will also be regulated.

NFPA 1127-Motors.

 I will use only certified, commercially made rocket motors, and will not tamper with these motors or use them for any purposes except those recommended by the manufacturer. I will not allow smoking, open flames, nor heat sources within 25 feet of these motors.