Eggloft Duration

OVERVIEW

Eggloft Duration must loft an egg, return it safely, and get a long duration. Typically, very large parachutes are used in Eggloft Duration models.

For the full set of rules see The Sporting Code

SCORING

The contestant’s score is the duration of the best flight (of two possible flights). Longest duration wins.

GENERAL TIPS

Egglofters for altitude tend to follow the design which is an egg capsule on a small diameter body tube. Egglofters for duration are usually different. To achieve a long duration, you need a large parachute. To pack a large parachute, you need a large body tube. So egglofters for duration are typically “stocky” designs with a large body tube.

A compromise between a stocky design and an altitude design is the Two Minute Egglofter design by George Gassaway. This model uses a long conical boattail to provide an aerodynamic shape. The cone also provides a large internal volume for storing a reasonably large parachute. Protecting the parachute from the hot gas from the ejection charge can be challenging, but achievable.

One challenge of eggloft duration is to make sure you get the model back. To have a qualified flight, an egglofter must be recovered so that the egg can be checked. If a duration egglofter catches a large thermal and drifts away, the duration of this flight cannot be used.

Traditional competition style parachutes are often not strong enough for eggloft duration. A common parachute construction technique is to run shroud lines over the top of the canopy as used in Gassaway's Two Minute Egglofter design.

KITS

Apogee EggTosser

Previously available kits:

ASP Eggstravaganza

Custom Rockets Elite Egg

QCR No Break 2

NARAM 68 Beginner Tips

B Eggloft Duration will be flown at NARAM 68. In general, this motor class is more challenging for an egglofter than a C or D motor to lift the relatively heavy egg. The EggTosser kit is a currently available options for B Eggloft Duration. A launch lug is likely adequate on the EggTosser for a duration event. Previously available kits for this motor class are the ASP Eggstravaganza (which is likely still available for sale online), the Custom Rockets Elite Egg Lofter, and the QCR No Break 2.

The Two Minute Egg built from plans is a classic egglofter design and has been built by younger and inexperienced modelers.

Plans for Aero-Owl are included below, however the specific components called out in the plans are no longer readily available, and for that reason this design may be more useful as a reference for a scratch built egglofter.

Egg capsules like ones sold by Pratt Hobbies or the Apogee Egg Capsule may be used for a scratch or plans-built egglofter.

Documents and Links

2 Minute Egg Plus American Spacemodeling July 1990.pdf

Two Minute Egg Plan.pdf

Aero-Owl American Spacemodeling Oct 1987.pdf

Egg Lofting Sport Rocketry March 1995.pdf