26 May 2026 SLRA Meeting Minutes – DRAFT

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Attendees: (21) Chris Franklin, Charles Barnett, Doug Probst, Chuck Meckfessel, Emma Meckfessel, Molly Meckfessel, Jason Garbus, Oliver Garbus, John O’Neill, Don Hanson, Larry Hileman, John Buckley, Rob Benton, John Hilker, Henry Wright, Sydney Rice, Jack Oney, Charles Hunsaker, Dennis Turgalski, Dan Cella, Rob Chapie 

Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ; 11750 Gravois Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63127

Called to order at 7:00 p.m.

New Attendees:  None

Achievements and Contributions:

Thanks go to Charles Barnett, for recording minutes of this meeting in John Sullivan’s absence.

Thank you to Molly Meckfessel – made a new SLRA vinyl banner

28 April 2026 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

  • Current Balance $2,487.94
  • Deposits: $200 membership dues; $100 raffles
  • Expenses: $354.87

SLRA Memberships Total: 60 members (58 Senior, 2 Junior)

Launch Reports:

  • Buder Park – Good turnout according to Doug Probst.  According to Chuck everyone got to fly twice.  College students attending wanted to fly high power, but were denied.  2 new people + a family attended. (Clarification on Buder limits:  Maximum G total impulse, 1500 g liftoff mass.)
  • Mini-Midwest @ Princeton – Don Hanson flew high power and almost lost a rocket.

Upcoming Launches

  • Elsberry HP Launches – Fall/Winter 2026/2027.  Tentatively October/November, 2026 timeframe.
  • Buder Park – June 13, June 27, 2026
  • Mo-Kan (South Greenfield, MO)  http://tripolimokan.org  They generally launch the third Saturday of every month during the flying season.  Time: 12:00 CST-17:00 CST
  • Central Illinois Aerospace – http://www.ciarocketry.org  Contact Greg Smith, Director of Operations, at 217-820-1678, or via email to operations@ciarocketry.org  Directions to their launch sites can be found on their website under the ‘Reconnaissance’ link. 
  • Quad Cities rocket Club (Note: near Wildman Rocketry) https://qcrc.clubexpress.com  Email: Info@QCRC.us  Note they will be holding a mini Midwest Power weekend of May 23-24, 2026.
  • Goat Ranch – Springfield, MO – 3rd Saturday of the month
  • Kloudbusters, Argonia, Kansas.  Check their website for details on future launches:  https://kloudbusters.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=325948&module_id=566855 Note that they will be holding AIRFest September 4-7, 2026.

Old Business

  • Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  See below under New Business.  Costs for moving appear prohibitive for SLRA.  The website would contain information regarding club activities and serve as a site for maintaining records of club activities (i.e. Meetings, launch events, membership.  Photos and videos would be posted and maintained on the SLRA Facebook Page.  Joel will be contacting a Club Express Representative to obtain information on pricing and the process for transitioning the SLRA website to Club Express.  Note: Joel was not able to be present at this meeting.  This issue will be taken up at several meetings in 2026.  Will be revisited after high power flying season at Elsberry is finished for 2026.  Will require considerable effort on the part of qualified member(s) to make the changes.  Doug Probst checked into costs associated with Club Express.  Costs would be $450/month + $1000 to cutover from existing website to new Club Express site.  Will shelve discussion on this move to new website until next year.
  • GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members.  GSLMA disbanding, with funds to be distributed to member organizations.  Doug did not attend the most recent Zoom meeting.
  • Let Jason Garbus know if you are interested in pursuing a level 3 certification.  There is some new paperwork involved with the process.  Best to start early!
  • John Buckley noted that all NAR members should log onto the new NAR website and check their profile to be sure they are associated with the St. Louis Rocketry Association (Section #551).  This needs to be done manually by each user. 
  • It was also noted that we will have to hold to a ‘no membership card-no flight’ rule at our NAR/TRA launches.  However, a digitally downloaded membership card will be sufficient to allow a person to fly. Elsberry launch fees: Free for club members; $10 for high power, $5 for low power.
  • Nina Fischer noted that the Washington University team was still looking for a mentor but will still be going ahead with their plans.  They plan to attend as many Elsberry launches as possible to get as many of their members Level 1 and Level 2 certified as possible.  She noted that the mentor would only need to be present for the Saturday/Sunday launch days in Alabama. Nina Fischer is/has graduating/ed from Wash. U. and is outgoing President of the Wash. U. Rocket Club.  Incoming President will be Avery Boswell.  Nina noted that there will be a large turnover of club members (13-15) over the next year.  They would still be interested in any mentoring input that SLRA could provide.  The club did have about 10 members achieve L1 certification at LDRS.  The club has about 74 members at present.  They’ve also been participating in the NASA SLI (Student Launch Initiative) as well as attending Argonia.  They will look into participating in the America’s Cup in the future. 
  • Chris Franklin noted that the club would always like help with setup/teardown at the Elsberry launches. 
  • LDRS – Pence, Indiana – April 16-19, 2026 – The hosting group would like to borrow our monster pad and 2 launch controllers.  Jason Garbus is planning on going to the event and will possibly need to take the club trailer there a weekend earlier and will be custodian for the equipment.  The SLRA members voted in favor of making this equipment available for LDRS.
  • John O’Neill asked if there was any interest in the NAR Range Safety Officer training course.  Check out the NAR website for details. 
  • For 2026, St. Louis County Parks needs to be contacted to advise them of our scheduled Buder Park launch dates.  (Note: After the meeting, Doug Probst handled the scheduling requests.  Thanks, Doug!)  Subsequent to this effort, official club date reservations with St. Louis County Parks for the use of Buder were dropped by the club, because St. Louis County Parks required a $100 fee for each date reserved.  The club will pay daily use fees for rocket flyers instead.  For the night launch in October, official club reservations with St. Louis County Parks will be pursued.)
  • John O’Neill noted that the NAR has made available a guide for mentors.  This was forwarded to the club treasurer along with the club charter certificate and is available if anyone would like a copy.
  • Locks on trailers aren’t the original combination locks.  Mike Walsh might have the keys to them. 
  • Doug Probst had some contact with drone flyers at Buder Park.  He let them know that paying the daily use fees, as well as AMA membership, are required for use of the field.
  • The subject of paying a stipend to member(s) who haul the club trailers to launches was brought up and given a favorable review.  Further details to be discussed at upcoming meetings.
  • Wash U. and Chaminade rocket teams still looking for mentors if interested.

New Business    

  • GSLMA – the organization wants to dissolve, since little purpose for its existence remains.  Determination needs to be mas as to what to do with remaining funds the organization has on hand, which is approximately several thousand dollars.  Either redistribute to original groups forming the organization or keep for field maintenance work?
  • Any candidate alternate launch sites?  No new ones at this time.  John O’Neill may perform a search via airplane flight.  Possible use of RC airplane field near Eureka, MO?  Area near Riverport?  No progress on this item at this time.
  • Doug Probst and ____ will be helping out with flying at Buder for a Jewish group, who can’t attend regular Saturday club launches. 
  • Following a recent launch, Doug Probst fixed a broken part on club trailer hitch.  Club would be responsible for reimbursing his expenses related to the repair.
  • Jason Garbus asks that members associate their accounts to Facebook to facilitate mailings/housekeeping. (clarification?)

Adjourned 7:38 p.m.

Raffle items: No raffle following this meeting.