Washington Aerospace Club Joins National Effort to Save Model and Sport Rocketry

Washington Aerospace Club - National Association of Rocketry (NAR) section #578 - is joining the national effort to amend the Safe Explosives Act/Homeland Security Act (SEA/HSA). Current provisions in the bill will eliminate most if not all model rockety.

Washington Aerospace Club President Scott Bowers announces that the Board of Directors of Washington Aerospace, National Association of Rocketry (NAR) section #578, unanimously declare full support for the efforts of Wyoming Senator Michael Enzi for "technical corrections" to the Safe Explosives Act to enable the transportation and storage of model rocket motors. Language in the bill, scheduled to take full effect May 24, would require every employee of every shipper who handles model rocket motors to be certified, fingerprinted and have background checks. As a result of the increased expense United Parcel Service has ceased transporting model rocket motors and FedEx is poised to follow suit. Model rocketry enthusiasts would also be required to undergo the same background checks to buy, transport or store model rocket motors.

Despite having one of the best safety records of all recreational activities, the lack of motor deliveries, including the Estes, Aerotech, Public Missiles, and Apogee motors many thousands of children have grown up using for decades, may mean the death knell of the hobby and adversely affect many hobby related businesses. Senator Enzi's bill will add an exemption to the Safe Explosives Act for model rocket motors. A phone, fax, email and letter writing campaign will be coordinated nationally asking rocketry enthusiasts to contact their Senators for support of this legislation. For more information go to:
http://www.space-rockets.com/congress.html

Drawing members and enthusiasts from all over Oregon, Washington and Idaho, Washington Aerospace, along with many other National Association of Rocketry Sections and Tripoli Rocketry Association Prefects sponsor many rocketry related activities throughout the Northwest. Last year over 1000 individual rocket were launched by Washington Aerospace members and guests ranging from the smallest scale models to complex rockets taller than a person. The majority of these rockets were launched by children in a fun and educational environment. In addition, Washington Aerospace provides educational services for schools, science organizations and youth groups throughout Puget Sound.

Please find additional information in the following article on Space.com: http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/rocketry_security_020325.html
(The same article was reprinted on MSNBC.com, and has remained in the top 10 reader interest stories for 2 days)

The next launch of the Washington Aerospace 2003 season will be Saturday March 1, 2003 at our site near Orting, WA.

For more information about Washington Aerospace, visit the web site at:
http://www.hawkfeather.com/wa-aero/
or
call Scott Bowers at 253.572.4929