It occured to me since deciding to document this build as a blog (still don't know what blog means), there may be people who take a look at this and have no idea what I'm talking about, and really don't know rocketry.  So I've decided to back up a step.


Level 3 Certification is a milestone challenge by just about any measure for a  model rocket enthusiast.  Commercially available hobby rocket motors are regulated, and each certification from 1 through 3 allows you to obtain more powerful motors.  Earning a Level 3 certification allows someone to buy, possess and fly the biggest motors available legally.  The subject rocket for this blog will stand over 10 feet tall and weigh between 25 and 30 lbs.  By most peoples standards, that's a big model rocket.  The motor for this flight will accelerate the rocket from 0 to 932 mph in about 3.5 seconds.  That gives you a rough idea of the power we're talking about. 

This is a picture of the parts I'm starting with.  That's an Alpha 3 standing in front, or for you non-rocket geeks, a bottle of Molson for scale.  Obviously, as the build progresses, you'll see the whole thing in it's 10+ feet of glory.