Junior HPR Level 1 Participation Program
Formal Participation Procedure

DSCF0073Note: The NAR Board of Trustees passed a change to the NAR Junior HPR L1 Participation Program (JrHPP) that adds a written exam requirement. This change went into effect on January 1, 2020. All current Junior L1 certified members that were certified on or before December 31, 2019, will not be required to take the written exam. Any certification paperwork now submitted without the accompanying completed exam documentation will be returned as incomplete.

The change was made to help provide reciprocal access to our Junior L1 flyers at Tripoli-sponsored launches (where our Junior L1 certified members were previously not able to be present at HPR pads). Both organizations sought cooperation and reciprocity in HPR flying where it can help to provide access to flying for our members, in this case Jr L1 flyers.

The NAR Board held several discussions on the topic and after thoughtful input from the HPR Services, L3CC, and Safety Committees as well as Board liaisons, consensus was reached for the structure of revisions to our JrHPP process to include a written exam. The specifics of the exam and procedures include:

  • The exam is twenty five (25) questions
  • The exam consists of a master question bank available (with answers) for study
  • The exam will be distributed to NAR Sections and Certification Team members meeting the minimum requirements
  • The exam will be administered by Section Officers and JrHPP Certification Team members who are L1 or higher
  • The exam will be taken and passed prior to the certification flight
  • The exam may be re-taken immediately in case of a failure but may only be taken twice in a seven-day period
  • The exam will comply with any other details and processes as with the L2 exam
HPR Certification paperwork should not be mailed or emailed to NAR Headquarters.
Please do not contact NAR Headquarters regarding HPR Certification questions and issues.
All HPR Certification process questions should be directed to HPRCertifications@nar.org.

The NAR was created in 1957 as an advocate of the model rocketry hobby. Over the past four decades the hobby has grown to encompass rocket motor types and performance unavailable to the modeler at the NAR’s inception. In response to this growth the NAR offers a certification process which permits individuals to purchase and use rocket motors whose physical constraints and performance exceed traditional model rocket boundaries. Rocket motors which exceed model rocketry motor definitions and the models that use these motors are collectively referred to as high power rocketry.

In order to expand the opportunities available to Junior and Leader members of NAR, the following Jr. HPR Participation Program is offered to Junior/Leader members ages 14 through 17 so that they may fly H and I class motors. The Junior Level 1 High Power Participation Program (JrHPP) will follow the same basic procedure used for the HPR certification for Senior NAR members. However due to legal restrictions pertaining to the purchase and possession of high power rocket motors, ejection charges and related items, there are additional requirements, as outlined in this procedure.

The Junior Level 1 HPR Participation Program is intended to provide a measure of the modeler’s competence to avoid gross violations of good modeling practice and safe model operation. The program is not foolproof. A single demonstration of a modeler’s skills does not guarantee consistent safe performance. The participation program does not replace competent range personnel (note that high power range safety officers will require High Power certification of the sponsor per NFPA 1127) to provide assurance of safe models and operating practices.

Questions about any of the below content should be directed to the HPR Services Chairman.

    1.  Junior High Power Level 1 Participation certification is required to:
      1. Launch rockets containing multiple motors with a total installed impulse of 320.01 Newton-seconds to 640 Newton-seconds, or
      2. Launch rockets containing a single motor with a total installed impulse of 160.01 Newton-seconds to 640 Newton-seconds, or
      3. Launch rockets that weigh more than 53 ounces (1500 grams), or
      4. Launch rockets powered by motors not classified as model rocket motors per NFPA 1122, e.g.:
        1. Average thrust in excess of 80.0 Newtons
        2. Containing in excess of 125 grams of propellant and are limited to only H and I motors
    2. Junior High Power Level 1 Participation Program
      1. A JrHPP Member may fly single or multiple motor rocket flights with motors having a maximum total impulse of 640.00 Newton seconds.
      2. The JrHPP Members certification flight and all future flights must be single deployment only. This is due to regulatory requirements of ejection charges used in dual deployment systems. On board electronic devices are permitted as long as they are not used for deployment via pyrotechnic ejection charges (i.e., non-pyrotechnic chute releases are allowed).
      3. As models with hybrid motors require regulated ejection methods, they are not permitted to be used by the JrHPP Member at this time.
      4. The JrHPP Member must continue to have a certified adult sponsor for all subsequent flights and the sponsor is required to follow the same rules listed for certification flight (i.e., the sponsor must continue to handle the motor). This requirement will expire once the JrHPP Member reaches the legal age of 18, as long as provisions are met regarding other applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
    3. Minimum Requirements
      1. The JrHPP Candidate must fall in the age range of 14 through 17 years old at the time of certification.
      2. The JrHPP Candidate must be a member in good standing of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). Evidence of NAR membership will be requested prior to the certification attempt. Acceptable evidence of membership includes but is not limited to the NAR membership card, a canceled check or email receipt indicating payment of membership fees, or participation in a NAR event where membership status is verified and indicated on the event materials.
      3. The JrHPP Candidate must take and pass a NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Participation Program Written Exam prior to their JrHPP Level 1 certification flight attempt. The JrHPP Written Exam will help demonstrate their knowledge of the laws and regulations pertaining to high power rocketry. Questions concerning basic rocket technical knowledge, e.g., center of pressure and center of gravity relationships, are also included on the exam.
      4. All HPR flights performed by the JrHPP Candidate, including the JrHPP Level 1 flight attempt, must be directly supervised by an adult who is HPR certified Level 1 or greater, and can legally purchase and possess the motor or reload kit used for the flight. The adult will be the Flier of Record for the JrHPP Level 1 certification flight attempt. The Flier of Record cannot participate as one of the required Certification Team members identified in Section 5.
      5. Motors used for certification flight attempts must be currently certified by the NAR, or by another organization (e.g., Tripoli) with a recognized certification program. Manufacturer’s designations, not certification test data, will be used to identify suitability for the certification level being attempted (e.g., an H128 is an H, a G75 is a G). NOTE: Models propelled by Hybrid motors require deployment charges external of the motor and these charges are currently regulated. For this reason, Hybrids cannot be used for JrHPP certification flights.
      6. NOTE:These procedures do not supersede any requirements imposed by the authorities having jurisdiction. Other requirements may be imposed by state, or non-USA authorities.
    4. NAR JrHPP Written Exam
      1. NAR JrHPP Written Exams shall be administered by one of the following:
        1. A Level 2 or Level 3-certified NAR member, who is also a NAR Section officer (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Section Advisor).
        2. A designated Section Member who is Level 2 or Level 3-certified.
        3. A NAR L3CC member.
      2. Requests to take the NAR JrHPP Written Exam shall be made by the JrHPP Candidate to one of the above qualified administrators.
        1. Sections that meet the criteria in 4.1.1 will be identified on the NAR website for ease of contacting no later than April 15, 2022. Prior to that date, requests shall be directed to the Section Activities Chairman.
        2. A list of current NAR L3CC members can be found on the NAR website HERE.
      3. The examination contains 25 questions in the multiple choice and true/false format.
      4. The exam questions come from a 50 question pool found in the JrHPP Written Exam Study Guide.
      5. In addition to the Study Guide, there are JrHPP Online Practice Exams:
        1. Section A – NAR Jr. HPR Level 1 Participation Program
        2. Section B – FAA Regulations; FAR 101 Subpart C
        3. Section C – NAR High Power Rocketry Safety Code
        4. Section D – Technical
      6. The passing grade is 88%; i.e., the JrHPP Candidate must have at least 22 or more correct answers out of the 25 questions in the exam.
      7. In the event of an initial exam failure, the member may immediately re-take a different exam version. If the member fails a second exam, the member must wait a minimum of seven (7) days to attempt the exam again.
      8. The exam must be completed prior to the flight attempt. The flight attempt should be made as soon as reasonably and safely possible after successful exam completion. The written exam will not have to be repeated if the initial flight attempt(s) fail, or if a successful flight is completed within one year of taking the written exam.
      9. Graded and signed Exam Answer Sheets must be retained by the JrHPP Candidate until the completion of their certification flight. The signed, completed Exam Answer Sheet shall be attached to the back of a NAR Junior HPR Participation Program Application either by staple or paperclip. Loss of the signed answer sheet will require the JrHPP Candidate to retake the exam before making the certification flight attempt.
    5. Certification Teams (required for flight)
      1. The Certification Team consists of two individuals who are a minimum of 18 years old and are members in good standing of the NAR. The Certification Team members must be unrelated to the applicant. The Flier of Record for the JrHPP Level 1 flight attempt cannot participate as one of the Certification Team members. Members of Tripoli, unless they are also members of the NAR, also cannot participate on a Certification Team.
      2. At least one of the Certification Team members must be already certified to a level equal to the certification level being attempted, e.g., a Certification Team member must be certified at Level 1 to judge a JrHPP Candidates Level 1 certification attempt.
      3. JrHPP Level 1 certifications may be administered by a single NAR Level 2 certified individual; the two certified individuals’ requirement in Section 5.1 is waived in this case.
      4. Certification attempts must be witnessed in person by the Certification Team. Video recordings of a certification flight are not acceptable.
    6. Certification Process and Documentation
      1. The JrHPP Candidate must take and pass a JrHPP Written Exam prior to their JrHPP Level 1 certification flight attempt.
      2. The certification flight may be accomplished at any launch where sufficient individuals meeting the requirements of Section 5 are available.
      3. FAA regulations requiring notification or waivers must be complied with and the launch site must have a FAA waiver for high power models (greater than 3.3 pounds launch weight and/or 4.4 ounces of propellant) in effect at the time of launch. All conditions and restrictions imposed by the FAA must be satisfied and followed.
      4. The JrHPP Candidate must build the rocket that they wish to use for their certification attempt. The model may be either scratch built or a kit and the rocket must be constructed in such a manner that it will perform safely under the additional stress of a HPR motor. Youth Teams attempting to certify cannot use the same rocket, but rather are required to each build their own model. In addition, the member must use an active recovery system for their certification attempt, which usually includes parachute recovery; details of these recovery methods are described in the Definition of Active Recovery.
      5. The JrHPP Candidate must demonstrate their ability to build and fly a rocket containing at least one H or I impulse class motor. Cluster or staged models used for certification may not contain over 640.00 Newton seconds total impulse. In the case of a cluster or staged model, at least one of the individual motors must be an H or I impulse motor. Combinations of smaller impulse motors that add up to meet the impulse requirements do not qualify as the model does not contain at least one H or I impulse motor. Single use or reloadable motors are permitted (no hybrids). Due to regulations, the JrHPP Candidate MUST NOT HANDLE THE MOTOR. The motor must be handled by the certified Flier of Record at all times. However, it is encouraged that the JrHPP Candidate instruct their certified Flier of Record in the assembly of a reloadable motor, if one is used for the certification flight. The JrHPP Candidate can install the motor retention system once the Flier of Record has placed the motor inside the motor mount of the rocket.
      6. The JrHPP Candidate and their recognized Adult Guardian must complete the Applicant Information portion of a NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application prior to the certification flight attempt.
      7. The certified Flier of Record must understand that they are assuming full responsibility and liability for the flight as if it were their own and complete the fields in the Flier Information box on the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application. The JrHPP Candidate can be listed on the flight cards and announced as the owner of the rocket.
      8. The Flier of Record must be present when the JrHPP Candidate delivers the rocket to the RSO for pre-flight inspection and placement on the launch pad. The model will be subjected to a safety inspection prior to flight. A Junior HPR Participation Program Checklist is located on the back of the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application. The Certification Team will ask the JrHPP Candidate the checklist questions and mark the boxes as appropriate. Also during the safety inspection, the JrHPP Candidate will be expected to provide oral answers to technical questions related to the safety and construction of their model. The questions may include (but not limited to) identification of the model’s center of gravity and center of pressure, methods used to determine model stability, and interpretation of the rocket motor’s designation. Once satisfied, the Certification Team will fill out/check the appropriate blocks under the Certification Checklist prior to flight.
      9. The JrHPP Candidate will fly their model. The flight must be witnessed directly by the Certification Team. Stability, deployment of the recovery system, and safe recovery will be considered when evaluating safety of the flight. Models experiencing a catastrophic failure of the airframe, rocket motor, and/or recovery system (e.g., shock cord separation) will not be considered as having a safe flight.
      10. The model must be returned to the Certification Team directly after flight for inspection to verify engine retention and for evidence of any flight-induced damage. The Certification Team will check the appropriate blocks in the HPR Level 2 Checklist indicating that a safe flight was made and that the post-flight inspection was satisfactory. In general, the guideline for acceptable flight damage is that the model could be flown again without repair. It is left to the judgment of the Certification Team to differentiate between flight damage and “normal” maintenance to assure reliability (e.g., shock cord replacement to prevent future flight problems). “Zippering” of the body tube is another area of flight damage left to Certification Teams judgment for acceptability.
      11. The Certification Team will fill out and sign the Certification Affidavit to indicate that the certification attempt was successfully completed. One of the Certification Team members will also fill out the NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Temporary Certification card at the bottom of the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application. Both the certification sheet and the certification card must be signed. Except as noted below, the completed NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application and the JrHPP Level 1 Exam Answer Sheet will be returned to the JrHPP Candidate after the flight.
        1. NOTE: It is up to the JrHPP Candidate and the Certification Team to ensure that the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application is correct and complete. Incorrect/incomplete applications will delay completing the certification process by NAR HQ on the JrHPP Candidates NAR account.
      12. The JrHPP Candidate must now fill out the Digital Junior Level 1 HPR Certification Form. The digital form is basically an electronic copy of the NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application and is meant to ensure the information submitted is both complete and legible. The JrHPP Candidate will include scans/photos of both sides of the completed NAR Junior High Power Participation Program Application as well as the signed, completed Exam Answer Sheet as directed on the digital form.
        1. NOTE: If the JrHPP Candidate does not have a computer and/or access to the internet, it is up to them to get a Certification Team member to complete the digital form on their behalf.
      13. Upon submission of the digital form, NAR HQ will receive the information required for processing the certification as well as the backup scans/photos.
      14. NAR HQ will email the Certification Team member(s) to confirm the successful certification attempt by the JrHPP Candidate. Upon confirmation, NAR HQ will complete the certification processing and update the members NAR account with their JrHPP Level 1 status.
      15. The release of a new NAR membership card will be initiated showing the members new JrHPP Level 1 Certification.
        1. NOTE: Please allow 4-5 weeks for delivery before contacting NAR Headquarters about missing cards.
      16. The NAR Junior HPR Level 1 Temporary Certification card is valid for 60 days after the certification date or until the end of the NAR member’s membership, whichever comes first. The temporary card is recognized as proof of the certification level. The temporary card should be destroyed upon receipt of a new NAR membership card which shows the JrHPP Level 1 Certification status.
      17. When the JrHPP Member turns 18 years of age, the adult supervision requirements are lifted and the HPR Participation level converts to that of a NAR Senior member with a HPR Level 1 Certification. At that time the member also becomes eligible to attempt their NAR L2 HPR certification.
    7. Administrative items
      1. Falsification of data or statements by the JrHPP Candidate will result in revocation of the high power certification. Falsification of data or statements by the Certification Team, e.g., failure to secure a FAA waiver, can result in revocation of the team members’ NAR memberships.
      2. NAR JrHPP Members may fly at Tripoli launches as long as the Prefect and RSO/LCO team agree to allow the JrHPP sponsor’s acceptance of liability.
      3. Lapses in the NAR membership over one year will void all JrHPP Member certifications. The Junior/Leader member will have to repeat the JrHPP certification process as described above (both the written exam and certification flight) to regain their JrHPP Member status.
HPR Certification paperwork should not be mailed or emailed to NAR Headquarters.
Please do not contact NAR Headquarters regarding HPR Certification questions and issues.
All HPR Certification process questions should be directed to HPRCertifications@nar.org.

Revision of January 1, 2022

Related Documents:

NAR JrHPP Written Exam Study Guide PDF December 16, 2019, 7:24 am 334 KB
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