The ROC Board of Directors has made some changes to our range duties policy.
The most important change is that we will be insuring we have one Range Safety Officer overseeing the launch and responsible for making the launch as safe as we can.
Instead of “Roving RSO” the folks in brightly colored vests will be “Flight Safety Reviewers” (FSR). They will still be inspecting rockets and signing flight cards.
The difference that the RSO will be in charge of safety for the entire launch.
We have also provided clear guidance for each position. Please review the Range Duty Positions an Procedures and launch information pages on this web site.
Why the changes?
In November of 2015 Tripoli Rocketry Association published an update to the Range Safety Guidelines, which is available on the TRA web site.
The ROC board was already conducting a review of our practices and procedures, and looking for way to improve safety at our launches.
Later that same month there was a fatality at another launch in Southern California, held the same weekend as ROCstock.
With the information from the new TRA guideline, a study of lessons learned the hard way by others, and review of our performance, the board has made some changes in our range practices and policies.
The policy document is posted on the board page, and the affected pages of the web site have been updated.
Rocketry Organization of California 