Sport Rocketry

2 NAR MEMBER GUIDEBOOK, January 2020 Edition A Welcome Message from NAR President John Hochheimer On behalf of the National Association of Rocketry Board of Trustees, vol- unteers, and members, I welcome you to the fun, excitement and challenge of the world's oldest and largest sport rocketry organization. Our organization is growing rapidly, with over 7,700 members located throughout the U.S. and in several other countries. Whether you are a new member or a renewing member, I hope you'll find our Membership Guidebook useful. We've tried to provide a mix of technical and "how to" articles covering all aspects of the hobby, along with informa- tion on NAR membership services. We have supplemented many of these articles, and added others, to the members only section of our website at nar. org. If you haven't done so, please set up your user account and check it out. This Guidebook is one of many benefits that you receive as a NAR member. Others include: • The hobby's only regularly printed magazine, Sport Rocketry. Every other month you'll receive 56 (or more) full-color pages filled with event coverage, photos, how-to articles, news, and more. Sport Rocketry is also available for online viewing in our member area at the same time it hits the streets in the print edition. • Over 200 local NAR clubs (called "Sections") across the US. Sections are a great resource for new mem- bers. A current NAR Section list awaits you at http://www.nar.org/find-a-local-club/nar-club-locator/, or you can use our handy map at http://www.nar.org/find-a-local-club/nar-map-locator/ . • High power rocketry (HPR) user certification and the facilities to fly high power rockets. You'll challenge your rocketry skills, experience powerful rocket flights, and fly with motors not available to the general public. Visit http://www.nar.org/high-power-rocketry-info/ for details. • Excellent liability insurance coverage for your personal rocket-flying. Our $5,000,000 insurance policy with which we provide members with coverage, helps protect you from liabilities arising out of NAR rocketry activities, provided your flying complies with the NAR Safety Code. We also provide $1,000,000 of fire insurance to our Sections' flying sites. Visit http://www.nar.org/safety-information/insurance-questions/ for details. • A self-paced rocketry skills-development program called NARTREK. Full details can be found at http://www.nar.org/model-rocket-info/nartek-skills-program/. • A wide array of rocketry-teaching resources for teachers and youth group leaders. These resources are all listed in one place on our website, http://www.nar.org/educational-resources/ . • Dozens of technical reports, plans, and scale data – including the extraordinary scale reference book Rockets of the World -- through NAR Technical Services (NARTS). These are not available from any other source. You can shop NARTS online at https://blastzone.org/nar/narts/ . • Three big national events every year. In early spring, our NARCON national convention brings rocketeers indoors to attend workshops and discussion groups. In early summer, our National Sport Launch (NSL) provides a three-day launch opportunity for NAR sport flyers. In late summer, the National Association of Rocketry Annual Meet (NARAM) and rocket festival celebrates rocketry and crowns the NAR's annual national competition champions. • A huge national rocket competition for students called The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC). This annual event for 6th through 12th graders is co-sponsored by the NAR and the Aerospace Industries Asso- ciation and has become the world's largest rocket contest. See the event website at www.rocketcontest.org. The NAR's first president and the founding father of the sport rocketry hobby, G. Harry Stine, used to say "Pay forward, not back." Most NAR work is done by dedicated volunteer members, who give up their time to "pay forward" by applying their efforts to NAR projects or outreach efforts for young people. We have many opportunities for you join us in these efforts. Indeed, this Guidebook is the product of a number of volunteers. Thank you, Mark Wise, for the editing work you did this year to contribute to and maintain this important NAR resource and membership benefit. My years of service to the NAR membership and rocket flying have helped me appreciate how diverse the in- terests and skills of our members really are. You range from youth group members and leaders to competitors to recreational flyers to Levels 1 ,2 and 3 high-power flyers aiming for extreme altitudes and velocities. It's all good, and it all belongs in our NAR, as long as we do it safely and have fun doing it. Be safe, have fun, pay forward and inspire our future with your own rocketry. Welcome to the NAR! John N. Hochheimer NAR 74537 L3 NAR President

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