The CGL policy we have does cover meetings, and accidents (non-rocketry) which occur at a launch site to spectators and non-participants, including the landowner (i.e. someone trips over a wire, or maybe starts a fire with a static test or shavings burn, etc). Members are covered to the extent they get sued for above accidents, but not for damage they themselves might sustain. What a CGL policy does; by definition is to exclude bodily injury/property damage to employees, (Our participating members). As an example, in the "company/employer" scenario, bodily injury to employees is covered by workers compensation and property damage by the business property insurance policy. If you were a contractor on a job site, your CGL covers bodily injury and property damage to OTHERS (in our case spectators and landowners), subject to exclusions of course.

A) If you have a rocket related incident with another participant at a launch neither you nor the other participant will be covered under anyone’s policy. This includes the both the national organizations or MDRA’s insurance. Both participants are there at their own risk.

B) If there is a "rocket related incident" between you and a non participant the MDRA insurance will not cover you. Depending on the type of incident the non participant may be covered under their insurance. Some examples are as follows:

1) You hit a car with your rocket. The non participants’ car insurance should cover the incident. You would have to work out the particulars with the non participant, as you are responsible for your actions.

2) You hit a house or building with your rocket. The same philosophy holds true. The home owner should be covered with their insurance and once again you would have to work out the particulars with the home owner as you are responsible for your actions.

3) You hit power lines with you rocket. You are responsible for any costs associated with retrieval and potential damaged caused by you actions.

The bottom line is that YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS first and foremost. An Umbrella Policy will help mitigate the potential costs associated with an incident. It is highly recommended that each member seriously consider this, if you haven't already.

Consider that if a rocket slams someone's car on the flight line, they are there at their own risk. No ones insurance will cover that. That would be a car insurance issue and they should be covered if they have comprehensive. If a flier injures another participant, no insurance will cover that. They are both there at their own risk, but depending on the extent of the injury there could be a law suit regardless. That would come under the offender’s home owner policy or umbrella policy. Basically you are covering the owner from being sued as a result of a non rocket related incident such as someone falls in a ditch and breaks their leg.

Secondly, anyone in this hobby that has something to loose should get an umbrella policy through their homeowners insurance. Suggest that your fliers have one. This is individual decision for each flier. They run between $200.00 and $300.00 per year depending on the coverage and your area of the country. Needless to say there is some inherent risk with what we do and each individual should have them selves covered first and foremost. If you protect the landowner as an organization you are one giant leap forward to becoming an autonomous group like MDRA. The question is where is your comfort level? Ours is high, we believe that we have a good thing going and are covered to the maximum extent that we can afford and our members can afford. You first have to change your way of looking at insurance. It is not to cover the individual but to protect the land owner. The individual is responsible for protecting themselves.

The third thing is to incorporate your organization. You are volunteers and are providing a service for all those members that simply show up, fly, and then leave. But as we know, someone has to do it. The officers and landowners must be held harmless and the members have to sign off on that fact.

It is suggested to have someone in your group that is familiar with insurance and speaks the language check with a broker and tell them that you are a hobby rocket group that is looking for insurance to cover your activities. Tell them that you launch once a month or so and have (X) number of members. At that point STOP TALKING!!!!!!!! Rocketeers are our own worst enemy; we love to talk about rockets. Let them ask the questions and you answer them. You are not recruiting new members, don't scare them off. Let them present something to you. Then you have to decide what your group can live with based on coverage and price. What we have found is that you need to typically be insured with in the state that you fly. Local contacts and friends in the business are a good thing.

There are two types of forms that you should be keeping. The first is the Acquisition Log. This can be accomplished in one of two ways or our recommendation, do both. You can simply keep your Vendor Receipt with all of the pertinent information required by the following sections, Date of Acquisition 555.125 (b)(3)(i), Name or Brand of Manufacturer 555.125 (b)(3)(ii), Manufacturers Marks of Identification 555.125 (b)(3)(iii), Date Shift Code 555.109, Quantity 555.125 (b)(3)(iv), Description 555.125 (b)(3)(v), Name 555.125 (b)(3)(vi), Company 555.125 (b)(3)(vi), Address 555.125 (b)(3)(vi), License Number 555.125 (b)(3)(vi). You can also create a separate log to track this information in addition to keeping your receipts. This is the recommended procedure.

Theses requirements are described as follows:
Date of Acquisition 555.125 (b)(3)(i), This is the Date on your Receipt. Technically if your Vendor puts the date you ordered the motor on the receipt and you don't pick it up for 2 months you may be considered responsible for that motor. Be sure he puts the Date you pick it up at the field on the receipt.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Name or Brand of Manufacturer 555.125 (b)(3)(ii), This is simply either Aerotech, Loki Research, Cessoroni, Ellis Mountain, Animal Motor Works, etc.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Manufacturers Marks of Identification 555.125 (b)(3)(iii), This is what the motor is called such as J-350, J-528, etc.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Date Shift Code 555.109, This is something that has always been a requirement and overlooked by many people. It is a multi-digit code number that is typically located on the label of the product. Record this in its entirety. If you are unsure ask the Vendor as this should be included on his receipt information or call the manufacturer.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Quantity 555.125 (b)(3)(iv), This is the number of the same motors with the same Date Shift Codes. For example if you bought three J-350’s on the same day and they all had the same Date Shift Code then you would enter this as 3 to fulfill this requirement. Or if you bought three J-350’s on the same day and they all had different Date Shift Codes then you would have to have three different entries to account for the different date Shift Codes. If the motors are different types such as J-350 and K-550 then they would have to be entered separately.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Description 555.125 (b)(3)(v), This should be entered as Hobby Rocket Motor. Nothing more, nothing less.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Name 555.125 (b)(3)(vi), This is the full name of your Vendor.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Address 555.125 (b)(3)(vi), This is the full address of your Vendor.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

License Number 555.125 (b)(3)(vi), This is the BATFE License of your Vendor.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

All of the above information is required to be on your Vendor Receipt and it is recommended to be kept on a separate Acquisition Log.  See the example Acquisition Log forms.

Special Note: The separate Acquisition Log must be recorded by hand, in pen. This considered a permanent record by the BATFE. If you would like to keep it on your computer then you have to apply for a variance with the BATFE and they will examine your computer.

The second form of record keeping is the Magazine Log. The real name of this document is the DSMT or the Daily Summary of Magazine Transactions. That is what you want to call it. It is a separate form that must be maintained as a permanent record. That means that you must hand write it and fill it out with Pen. The requirements for this document are found at CFR 555.127. They are: Manufacturer or Name Brand 555.127, Date 555.127, Amount In 555.127, Amount Removed 555.127 and Balance 555.127.

Theses requirements are described as follows:
Manufacturer or Name Brand 555.127, This is entered as by the Manufacturer of the product, regardless of the types such as I-211 and J-350, entered into the Magazine on a specific date. As an example, if you entered in three Aerotech motors, an I-211 and two J-350’s on the same day there would be only one line entry. It would say "Aerotech Hobby Rocket Motor". That is all the code requires. Anything else, no matter how well meaning and clarifying is not required and may cause you issues down the road on further inspections.  See the example DSMT forms.

Date 555.127, This is the Date of the Transaction in or out.  See the example DSMT forms.

Amount In 555.127, This is the total quantity of a single manufacture put in on the same day. Per the example above the one I-211 and the two J-350’s would be entered on the log as “3”. Do not enter each motor individually, regardless of how much sense it seems to make. It is wrong. If you enter different manufactures then you would use a separate line item.  See the example DSMT forms.

Amount Removed 555.127, This is the total quantity of a single manufacture put removed on the same day. Per the example above of the one I-211 and the two J-350’s would be entered on the log as “3” under this column if all three were removed. Do not enter each motor individually, regardless of how much sense it seems to make. It is wrong. If you remove different manufactures then you would use a separate line item.  See the example DSMT forms.

Balance 555.127, This is the running total of what is in the Magazine at any given time. This must match exactly what is in the magazine.  See the example DSMT forms.

It is important to note that the purpose of these logs is to track the "Explosive". No matter what your personal opinion is concerning the technical interpretation of the word “Explosive”, be forewarned that the BATFE sees our Hobby Rocket Motors as exactly that and will enforce the requirements of CFR 555 by the book. The above listed suggestions are by the book, however the BAFTE does not subscribe or endorse to this publication or this description.

If I receive a quantity of Regulated Hobby Rocket Motors at the field and do not fly them what should I do?

You have a couple of options. 1) Pre-arrange with your Vendor to place the motor (s) back in his Magazine until the next launch date. This will require you to begin filling out your DSMT, since you are now the owner of the motor. The Vendor should be filling out his DSMT and his entries should correspond to yours. 2) Have your own pre-approved Magazine and follow the requirements above. 3) Pre-Arrange with a friend who has a Magazine and follow the requirements above. 4) Free burn the propellant at the field, (not likely).

Once you start entering motors in the DSMT you must comply with the requirements of entering motors in and removing motors per 555.127. The worst thing you can do is not to record the transactions and stay in step with the magazine owner. If the numbers are off at the next BATFE inspections both parties are responsible.