FAA Waiver Table

  

Waiver Table

The tables predict the maximum altitude for a particular rocket and motor class to ensure that a rocket will remain under the waivered altitude and/or cloud deck.

The tables do NOT predict the altitude for a specific rocket and motor.

The tables will work for "typical" rockets. The tables may not apply to rockets with a very low coefficient of drag (Cd) such as rockets with boattails. Find the matching motor class and airframe diameter. Rocket weight is with the motor.

Example:

A rocket with a 25% I motor will have a lower apogee than the same rocket with a 50% I motor, but the table for a 50% I will provide a maximum altitude that the rocket should not exceed with either a 25% or 50% I motor.

  • 5,000' Waivered Altitude
  • Clouds at 4,000'
  • 4" Diameter, 4 pound rocket
  • Aerotech I195 motor - 426 Newton-seconds total impulse (33% I)

Use the 50% I table. According to the table the rocket will go less than 2900' and can be flown provided other factors are safe (thrust-to-weight ratio).

1/4 pound = 4 ounces
1/2 pound = 8 ounces
3/4 pound = 12 ounces

Use at your own risk. Dean Roth, the creator of the tables, assumes no liability for use of this data, and recommends that RSOs require a flight simulator for large rockets, large motors and minimum diameter rockets.

100% F (80 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50
1.625" (38mm) 3000 3300 3000 2600 1700 1200 900
2.25" (54mm) 2000 2200 2100 2000 1500 1100 800
2.6" 1700 1900 1900 1800 1400 1000 -

50% G (120 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00
1.625" (38mm) 3200 4000 4100 3800 2900 2100 1600 -
2.25" (54mm) 2500 2900 3000 2900 2400 1900 1400 -
2.6" - 2300 2400 2400 2100 1700 1400 -
4.0" - - - 1500 1400 1200 1100 1000

100% G (160 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
0.50 0.75 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00
1.625" (38mm) 4700 5000 4800 3900 3000 2300 1800
2.25" (54mm) 3500 3600 3500 3100 2600 2100 1700
2.6" 3000 3000 3000 2800 2300 1900 1500
4.0" - 1800 1800 1700 1600 1400 1200

50% H (240 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
1.50 2.50 3.50 4.50 5.50 6.50 7.50 8.50
2.6" 3100 2800 2100 1600 1100 - - -
4.0" - 1800 1600 1300 1000 - - -
6.0" - 1100 1000 900 - - - -
7.5" - - - - - - - -

100% H (320 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
1.75 2.75 3.75 4.75 5.75 6.75 7.75 8.75 9.75
2.6" 4000 3900 3300 2600 1900 - - - -
4.0" - 2400 2200 1900 1600 1300 - - -
6.0" - 1500 1400 1300 - - - - -
7.5" - - - - - - - - -

50% I (480 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2.6" 5000 4500 3800 3200 2600 - - - - -
4.0" 3200 2900 2600 2400 2000 1800 1500 1300 1100 -
6.0" - - 1700 1600 1500 1400 1200 - - -
7.5" - - 1400 1300 - - - - - -

100% I (640 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
3.2 4.2 5.2 6.2 7.2 8.2 9.2 10.2 11.2 12.2 13.2
2.6" 5500 5500 5000 4300 3700 - - - - - -
4.0" - 3500 3300 3100 2800 2500 2300 2100 1900 - -
6.0" - - 2200 2200 2100 2000 1800 1700 1600 1400 -
7.5" - - 1700 1600 1500 - - - - - -

50% J (960 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
4.75 5.75 6.75 7.75 8.75 9.75 10.75 11.75 12.75 13.75
2.6" 7400 6900 6200 5400 4800 4100 - - - -
4.0" - 4400 4200 3900 3600 3300 2900 2600 - -
6.0" - 2800 2800 2700 2600 2300 2200 2100 - -
7.5" - 2200 2200 2100 - - - - - -

100% J (1280 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
2.6" 8000 8000 8000 8000 7000 6000 - - - -
4.0" 4600 4900 4900 4800 4600 4300 4100 3800 3500 3200
6.0" - 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 2800 2700 2600 2500
7.5" - 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2300 2200

50% K (1920 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
4.0" 6600 6800 6800 6600 6400 6100 5800 5500 5200 4900 4600 4300 4100
6.0" - 4300 4300 4300 4300 4100 4000 4000 3800 3600 3500 - 3200
7.5" - - - 3400 3400 3300 3300 3200 3100 3000 2900 - 2800
9.25" - - - - - - - - - - - - -
11.5" - - - - - - - - - - - - -

100% K (2560 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31
4.0" - - - - - - - - - - - -
6.0" - 7000 7000 7000 7000 6000 6000 6000 5000 4000 4000 4000
7.5" - 5000 5000 5000 5000 5000 4000 4000 4000 4000 3000 3000
9.25" - - - 4000 4000 4000 4000 3500 3000 3000 3000 2500
11.5" - - - - 3000 - 3000 - 2500 - 2500 -

100% L (5120 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39
4.0" - - - - - - - - - - - -
6.0" 7600 7800 8000 8100 8300 8300 8100 8000 7600 7300 7200 6800
7.5 6200 6400 6500 6600 6600 6500 6300 6200 6100 6000 5900 5700
9.25" - - - - 5600 - - 5400 - - 5000 -
11.5" - - - - 4300 - - 4200 - - 4000 -

50% M (7680 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
4.0" 17000 13000 - - 5500 - 3300 - 2100
6.0" 13000 10000 - - 5000 - 3200 - 2100
7.5" 10000 8400 - - 5000 - 3100 - 2000
9.25" 7700 6900 - - 4200 - 3000 - 2000
11.5" 6100 5500 - - 3800 - 2800 - 1900

100% M (10240 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
4.0" - - - - - - - - -
6.0" 14000 14000 13000 11000 10000 8000 7000 6000 5000
7.5" 11000 11000 11000 10000 8000 8000 6000 5000 5000
9.25" 9000 10000 9000 8000 7000 7000 6000 5000 4000
11.5" 8000 8000 7000 7000 6000 6000 5000 5000 4000

100% N (20480 Newton-seconds)
Airframe
Diameter 		Weight with Motor (lb)
70 90 110 130 150 170 190
6.0" - - - - - - -
7.5" 15000 15000 14000 13000 11000 10000 7000
9.25" 11000 12000 12000 11000 10000 9000 7000
11.5" 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 8000 7000

Submitted by Dean Roth
 

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