My Reaction

Arizona was a milestone for me.  It was during that trip to NARAM 57 in Tuscon, Arizona that I realized that I channel myself through writing.  I sat down in the hotel room after a long day on the rocketry field and poured out all of my frustrations about "The B Division Problem" through the keys of my laptop.  I sat in the chair in the hotel room rapidly typing out what the generalized problem was and how it is unfair to expect high school juniors and seniors and college students to be as active in the hobby as they were when they were in A division.

Think about your last couple years in high school and your time in college.  How much free time did you really have?  Was there enough to take an entire weekend or week out of your schedule to go fly rockets?  Probably not if you had a part time job or had big projects or events coming up.  What about the time spent building the rockets, where would that come in?

I wrote an entire article about the expectations and requirements of this age group to show why B division contestants were "disappearing" for a couple years.  When I finished I showed it to my dad.  he read it and looked at me and said it was good.  It was what people needed to know, but he said, "So how do we fix it?"  I sat there for a minute and thought about it before spitting out a couple ideas before I realized, we can't fix the problem, not permanently.  We can't fix "The B Division Problem" with how competition flying is currently set up.  It's not possible or feasible in the long run.  Competitive model rocketry must evolve if it wants to last for another 58 years.

I settled into the firm, red chair beside my bed in the corner of the hotel room, took a deep breath... and dove back in where I left off.  The rest of my family napped as I tapped key after key brainstorming, planning, developing, creating, evolving.  The air conditioning blew over me as I reshaped my thinking, reworded my thoughts, developed new theories. I began to let my mind wander where it couldn't before.  I dared to break the status quot.  When I got stuck, I brainstormed out loud and Dad chimed in with new ideas, a different perspective, and new problems that could arise.

I revised what I had written just moments before.  Dad looked it over and made more recommendations.  I adjusted again and gave it back.  We repeated this over and over until finally, we had it.  It wasn't perfect.  It wasn't any where near ready to present to the national board, but it was ready for fresh eyes.  I was ecstatic.  I had created idea that could solve "The B Division Problem" once and for all, but would it ever make it out of my laptop?  Would it ever be anything more than just an idea?  I wasn't sure and I was excited and terrified to find out if anyone else thought my article was worth while.

Until next time, fly high, stay safe, and have fun!