FlisKits – Nothing Flies Like a Flis!

In today's episode, The Rocket N00b talks about FlisKits, the independent model rocket company started nearly 18 years ago by Jim Flis. We take a look back at an annual tradition of CMASS - the Central Massachusetts Spacemodeling Society - known as the FlisKits Anniversary launch.
Since we cannot currently hold public launches, due do the COVID-19 pandemic, here's your chance to listen back to some fun launch audio and dream of the day when we're all let outside again!
One of the unusual rockets showcased during the day was Claude Maina's Streaming UFFO - a saucer made of foam cups, carrying long rainbow streamers into the sky with it.


The Streaming UFFO lifts off. Photo courtesy Jim Flis
The highlight of the annual launch was always the Frick-N-Frack drag race. In this episode, you'll hear the last drag race, featuring 11 two-stage saucers.


Multiple Frick N Frack two-stage saucers take flight at once. Photo courtesy Jim Flis

 

 

 

 

 
A number of FlisKits upscales also flew that day. Here's a large, high power Deuces Wild, flown by Curtis Heisey. If you are a NAR member, you may have seen one of these in the pages of Sport Rocketry Magazine.

We also hear from Jim Flis just before he retired from the company, all about how he got started, why he moved on, and what he loves about rocketry and rocketry education.


Jim Flis holds a prototype Saturn V - a potential FlisKits release. Photo courtesy Curtis Heisey
In the second half of the show, we hear from Ray DiPaola, one of FlisKits' new owners. Sounds like FlisKits is in good hands, and has plans for the future.


The N00b's own FlisKits Tres in progress - a large, 3-motor cluster with canted motor tubes.