Definition of Active Recovery

Definition of Active Recovery Approved

NAR Sport Services would like to announce the approval by the NAR Board of Trustees of the Definition of “Active Recovery”; it had been approved earlier this month by the TRA Board of Directors and this was the last step to conclude what should be the first of several joint projects between the NAR and TRA. We worked closely with our counterparts at Tripoli Rocketry Association to develop a definition that serves the entire rocketry community. Moreover, we continue to work with the TRA to close the gap on other HPR procedures so there is a more common ground for those wishing to pursue high power rocketry.

The definition officially goes into effect on 7-30-2006 for the NAR and reads as follows:

DEFINITION: Active Recovery is the deployment of a primary recovery device that actively changes the physical configuration and dramatically reduces the vertical descent rate of the rocket model when deployed. This device must be of sufficient size, based on the weight of the model, so that the device is capable of safely recovering the rocket. The active recovery device can include parachutes, streamers, helicopter devices, R/C control and any other devices that are physically deployed to provide safe recovery of the model. In the event that dual deployment and secondary recovery devices are used, the deployment of a secondary recovery device must actively change the configuration of the model in order to inhibit ballistic recovery and slow the decent rate so as to allow for safe deployment of the primary recovery device.

Passive Recovery methods such as airframe drag recovery do not actively deploy a recovery device that changes the physical configuration of the model. In the event that dual deployment is used, passive secondary recovery methods such as ballistic recovery do not change the physical configuration of the model. For these reasons, Passive Recovery is not permitted to be used as a valid method of recovery for certification flights in HPR models.

While we tried to word the definition to make it as clear as possible, we will also be posting some common Q&A’a that may arise. If you have questions about this new policy, please feel free to contact me by clicking here. Also, please feel free to distribute this announcement and pass the word to our fellow NAR rocketeers.

Best Regards,

Carl Tulanko, Chairman
Sport Services Committee
National Association of Rocketry