Are you really 'GO' to use your full FAA waiver?

Greg Young shares his experiences with this topic, and what he learned is an eye opening education for all rocketeers!

About our guest...Greg shares his background in rocketry...

My rocketry experience started in 1961, at the ripe old age of 10years, when I ordered, built and flew rockets from Estes Industries. Try as I may, I was not successful at getting local hobby shops to carry rocketry supplies at that time, as the owners felt they were dangerous fireworks. 

My flying continued until taking a hiatus during my college, and then post graduate years. When my oldest daughter expressed an interest in rockets (while in 3rd grade) my flying resumed. I joined NAR, and TRA at that time and formed a local rocketry club, the Southtown's Amateur Rocket Society (STARS).

When my youngest daughter left middle school for high school, I wound up taking another hiatus, and the club disbanded.

My flying hiatus ended when my grandchildren expressed interest in rocketry. I rejoined NAR and TRA, and decided to go through the official high power certification program (something not required back in the 1980's when I flew) and am currently a level 3 flier.

I have been involved in 2 NY rocketry groups, one in Geneseo, the other in Penn Yan, and have served from 2016 through the end of 2022 as a member of board of directors, the VP, the waiver holder, the RSO and also served the Prefect of the former for part of that time. I have served on the planning committees for LDRS 34, NSL 2018, and NARAM 62, and during those launches was involved on the field running the range safety operations.

Currently I have been involved with local youth (high school and college age primarily), and officially have mentored several school ARC teams which have gone to nationals, and most recently a high school team who was chosen to participate in the 2023 NASA student launch initiative and went on to the nationals in Huntsville.

I am hoping to get time to be able to fly more, and mentor more student groups going forward. They are, after all, our future...