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24 March 2026 SLRA Meeting Minutes – DRAFT

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Attendees: (22) Charles Barnett, John Sullivan, Doug Probst, Chuck Meckfessel, Molly Meckfessel, Jason Garbus, Oliver Garbus, John O’Neill, Don Hanson, Larry Hileman, John Buckley, Dave Pape, Rob Benton, Dave Kovar, Josie Kovar (Corgi), Dave DeWeese, John Hilker, Chris Lageman, Henry Wright, Nina Fischer, Joe Bryant, Rob Chapie

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

Called to order at 7:00 p.m.

New Attendees:  Joe Bryant – Flying first rocket Saturday, March 28.  Welcome!

Dave Kovar and Josie visiting from New Mexico.  Good to see you again!

Achievements and Contributions:

At the March 21 Elsberry High Power Launch:

  • Molly Meckfessel – attained Tripoli Level 2 certification.
  • Jack Oney – Re-obtained Tripoli Level 1 certification. 
  • Tim Cippola – Attained Tripoli Level 1 certification.  Congratulations to all!
  • Larry Hileman – pulled club trailer to March 21 Elsberry high power launch – Thank you!  Much appreciated!
  • Jack Oney noted that he had recently taught a model rocketry class in Scotland, and is looking towards starting a rocket club in the O’Fallon, MO/Wentzville area.

24 February 2026 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

  • Current Balance $2,710.75
  • Deposits: $394.66
  • Expenses: None

SLRA Memberships Total: 51 members (49 Senior, 2 Junior)

Launch Reports:

  • Elsberry – March 21, 2026 – Much warmer weather than the Feb. 21 launch.  Had 32 flyers, 57 flights, with 2 certification flights.  There was a window open to 10,000 feet for 1 hour.  One flight reached 9700 feet.

Upcoming Launches

Old Business

  • Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  

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.

  • GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members.  Nothing new on this item at this time. 
  • 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.
  • 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 two night launches, typically held in June and 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.
  • Doug Probst noted via email that a scout group will be joining us for the April Buder Park launch
  • 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.
  • SLRA 501.c.3 tax filing?  Dan Cella will check to see what needs to be done.  Any required paperwork will likely be minimal.
  • 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?
  • The club decided to make a reservation for Buder Park for just the October launch to extend into the night. 
  • Jason Garbus noted that we had applied for a Tripoli grant and received $250, which was used to purchase fire extinguishers which are kept in the high power trailer.
  • For the March 28 Buder Park launch, start setup at 8:00 a.m. with trailer arriving around 9:00 a.m., with flying to start around 10:00 a.m.
  • John Buckley noted a postal NAR games competition, consisting of 4 events.  For more details, contact John:
    • Alpha w/B motor, and altimeter
    • Big Bertha duration w/B motor
    • A Streamer Duration
    • ½ A Rocket Glider
  • Dave Kovar was happy to see the meeting attendance.  His typical meeting has about 8 attendees.  There are 4 different NAR groups in his area, with all of them together being about the size of SLRA.  They are able to launch every month

Adjourned 7:40 p.m.

Raffle items:

Charles Burnett – Launcher set

John Sullivan – Hand glider kit

Dave Kovar’s items:

Rob Benton – Green chile sauce

Don Hanson – Hot sauce

Rob Benton – Hat

Jason Garbus – Mystery Box (V2 Kit)

April 28, 2026 SLRA General Meeting Announcement

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The Next SLRA Meeting/Build Session is next Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, at the Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ (11750 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63127) Coordinates 38.53096/-90.38616.

6:00 - 7:00 PM – Rocket Talk Social Hour/Dinner/Build Session
7:00 - ?:?? PM – SLRA Meeting
Post Meeting – More Rocket Talk and Build Session until 9:00 pm 

The meeting location is in the basement of the restaurant.  You’ll need to enter from the back of the restaurant.   We have lots of room to spread-out. There are lots of tables for enabling us to have a coincident Build Session. 

If you have a rocket project you’re working on, bring it to the meeting.  Be sure to bring a table cover (newspaper/poster board) and cutting board to prevent damage to tabletops.   

This is also a great opportunity to bring rocketry-related questions to ask seasoned Low to High Power Rocketeers who will be in attendance. Interested in Competition rocketry, those questions can be answered as well.

Schaefer’s Hobby is nearby as well.   They’re open till 6:00 pm. 

If you’re a member of SLRA and are registered on the website, you can view minutes of previous meetings from our website’s Meeting Minutes Page, the unresolved discussions from our previous meeting will be the basis of our “Old Business” discussion at Tuesday’s meeting.

Happy Rocketeering!!!

Secretary John

March 21, 2026 – ELSBERRY HIGH POWER ROCKET LAUNCH

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This is the last schedule high power launch for Spring 2026!

Launch Director: Jason Garbus 314.779.7419

Contact info: jason.garbus@outlook.com

Date and time: 03/21/2026, pending landowner permission due to weather forecast for the week leading up to the launch. The waiver will be active between 10:00 AM CST and 4:00 PM CST.

****PLEASE FOLLOW THE BELOW MAP TO ENTER THE FIELD INSTEAD OF CROSSING THE  WODDEN BRIDGE****

If a cancellation is made, we will do our best to communicate as early as possible, but no later than Friday evening. Cancellation announcements will be made via the website and Facebook webpage.

Location: Elsberry, MO.

Our waiver will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The range may or may not remain open until 4:00 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we have to fly.
Our waiver is 6,000′ AGL with call-in windows to 14,000′ AGL.

Note: We would like to try to minimize impact to FAA traffic, so please email Jason Garbus if you will need a window for your flight so we can try to group the flights together.

The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 9:00 am for us to begin setup. We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please plan to arrive early if you can.

There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a ten minute drive into town for fuel, food and restroom.

For current SLRA members, there will be no launch fee 

If you’re not a current SLRA member, low power rocket fees are $5, and high power fees will be $10.

You must be a current Tripoli or NAR member in order to enter the range. You will be required to provide proof of current membership prior to being admitted to the event. Membership is not required for spectators.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PROOF OF MEMEBRSHIP YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO FLY.

All flight will be conducted under the current Tripoli Safety Code: https://www.tripoli.org/safetycode

All participants will be required to sign a hold harmless agreement. A copy may be filled out prior to arrival to save time in the field. THIS WILL BE REQUIRED AT EACH FLIGHT

We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8′′ model rocket rods up to 1515 rails.

If you are wanting to make any of the following flights, please reach out to Jason Garbus (contact info above) as soon as possible:
● A certification attempt, whether with NAR or TRA. Please include details such as Name, Certifying Agency, What level you want to attempt, and if you are wanting to do a L2 attempt. Tripoli testing is available online and should be completed prior to the launch. Please bring your passing result report.
● A multi-stage flight attempt that is not black powder (i.e. using composites and electronic staging) with details of your flight.
● As mentioned above, in need of a window for your flight ( Flights > 6,000′, and less than 14,000′)

As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including driving slowly on all farm roads. Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive and park. Do not attempt to drive on the field.

Launch site location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3

From the St. Louis area, take MO highway 79 north to its intersection with JJ. (If you get into the town of Elsberry itself, you’ve gone too far.) Turn right onto Old Highway 79, which is a gravel road. Old 79 will turn right again, but do not follow it – continue straight onto the farm road, across a wooden bridge. From that point, follow the signs. Please refer to the following two maps: the first map is the “usual” way; the second map is an alternate route we may be asked to use due to field conditions. When we confirm the launch, we will send another announcement telling you which route to use.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE BELOW ROUTE TO THE FIELD. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ACCESS THE FIELD FROM THE “WOODEN BRIDGE” ENTRY.

24 February 2026 SLRA Meeting Minutes – DRAFT

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Attendees: (16) Chris Franklin, Charles Barnett, Dan Cella, John Sullivan, Doug Probst, Chuck Meckfessel, Emma Meckfessel, Jason Garbus, Oliver Garbus, John O’Neill, Don Hanson, Larry Hileman, John Buckley, Dave Pape, Rob Benton, Michael J. Thomas

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

Called to order at 7:00 p.m.

New Attendees:  Michael J. Thomas (3rd. Meeting) Welcome!

Achievements and Contributions:

  • John O’Neill attained NAR Teacher certification. Congratulations!
  • John Sullivan re-obtained Tripoli Level 1 certification at the February 21 Elsberry launch.  (Others that I missed?  There were other certification flights that day.)

27 January 2026 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

  • Current Balance $2,271.85
  • Deposits: $209.66 from PayPal (member dues)
  • Expenses: None

SLRA Memberships Total: 40 members (38 Senior, 2 Junior)

Launch Reports:

  • Elsberry – February 21, 2026 – Had three certification flights – two Level 1 and one Level 2 certifications.  The land owner was present to observe several of the flights, with an overall favorable impression given to them.

Upcoming Launches

  • Elsberry HP Launches – Fall/Winter 2025/2026. (Note: Subsequent to the October, 28 SLRA meeting, official dates have been announced and posted to the club website.  Remaining ones are: March 21/22.) 
  • Buder Park – March 28, 2026
  • Don Hanson noted that the Thunderstruck group (Pence, Indiana) will be hosting the next LDRS. 
  • 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
  • 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

Old Business

  • Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  

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.

  • GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members.  Nothing new on this item at this time. 
  • 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.
  • 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 two night launches, typically held in June and 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.
  • Doug Probst noted via email that a scout group will be joining us for the April Buder Park launch
  • Locks on trailers aren’t the original combination locks.  Mike Walsh might have the keys to them. 

New Business    

  • SLRA 501.c.3 tax filing?  Dan Cella will check to see what needs to be done.  Any required paperwork will likely be minimal.
  • Trailer titles?  Will check on what is available in the files and forward relevant info to Dan Cella. (Completed early March, 2026.)
  • 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.
  • Note: Dave Kovar will be in town and is planning to attend the March meeting (24 March, 2026).

Adjourned 7:36 p.m.

Raffle items:

John O’Neill – Night Wing Kit

Charles Barnett – Tandem-X Kit

Chuck Meckfessel - ______

Launch is a GO

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Just updating the launch status to "GO" for Saturday the 21th.
Updated weather forcast for Elsberry, MO via Weatherbug:

Sunny all day
10:00am 32 degrees - NNW 8MPH wind
Noon 37 degrees - NW 9MPH wind
2:00pm 40 degrees - NW 10MPH wind
4:00pm 40 degrees - NW 10MPH wind