We had another little snow storm blow through Colorado this week, making it two weeks in a row. I was planning on doing some painting of the new Level-2 fiberglass rocket, but with the snow and cold, I had to postpone that. I'm so ready for Spring.

In other news, the public utilities department of Colorado Springs is replacing the water main on our street. They started digging up the road in mid-December, and they indicated they have three or four weeks to go. With the snow, they stopped working, which prolongs our misery, and makes it significantly more difficult for people to get in to visit us.

And as part of the processs, they gave us a temporary above ground water line (a garden hose) to supply water into our building. On the first night, it froze solid. So now we leave all the faucets running full-stream 24/7 to keep the hoze from freezing again. And because of the way the water comes into the building, we can't use our hot-water heater. So we're using ice-cold water to wash our hands in the bathroom -- know that, just in case you decide to visit our store.

But we did get some stuff accomplished. On Tuesday of this week, we released the final Experimental Gliding Parachute video in the how-to build series, which shows how to fold the parachute and get everything ready for launch. The packing of the parachute canopy is critical, because the way you pack it determines how fast it will open.

My next project is to get ready for the release of a small kit that we're calling the Feathered Flyer. We're waiting for the last component of the rocket to come in from a supplier, and then it will be ready to be released to you. It is so cute; you're going to love it.

RockSim Survey - Your Opinion Is Requested

I have a question for you. I've got the programmers working on the next version of RockSim, and I'd like to get your input. What new feature would you like to see in RockSim? Let me rephrase that... What would you pay for to use? Send me an email with your list of "desperately needed features" using our contact form here.

Tool of the Month: Last Chance!

This is the final week of the February Tool-of-the-Month deal. February has only 28 days, so the clock is ticking down quicker than normal. Don't delay if you want to exploit this opportunity.

Are you tired of spending countless hours sanding the wood pieces on your rockets? Then it's time to invest in a wood plane! This versatile tool is a must-have for anyone who loves working with wood, especially for rocket enthusiasts who use it to shape and smooth fins, wings, and other rocket components.

With a wood plane, you can effortlessly remove excess material and create intricate designs, without having to spend hours with a sanding block. Whether you're working with plywood, basswood, or balsa wood, this convenient wood plane gives you complete control over the shaping process.

And this month, we're offering a special deal! Purchase $150 worth of merchandise and get a Wood Plane and Replacement Blade completely free (a $15.95 value). This offer is only available until February 28th, so don't miss your chance to save on a valuable tool that will make your rocket building process a breeze. Act fast, as this offer will not be repeated!

What to Look Forward to Next Week?

Did you know that there are 16 different methods to either add stability to your rocket or to prevent it from going unstable? I bet you only thought there were just a handful of things you could do, like making the rocket longer, adding nose weight, or increasing the size of the fins. But you have a lot of options.

What caused me to write this article was a common question we get: "Where is the original balance point on the kit?" The question indicates that the modeler has modified the original design, and now wants confidence to fly it by adjusting the CG position back to the original position. If they knew more about stability, the question might have been different. That's why we'll go deep into the topic of rocket stability in the next Peak-of-Flight newsletter.

I'll see you in your email in-box next Tuesday.