2014 Fireworks with Rick

[displayfireworks1]

See my next video "2014 Fireworks with Rick" before its public release here on pyrotalk forums. If you have been following my videos you may remember Rick (Fireworks with Rick) in prior years. A few years ago Rick traveled from Harrisburg Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to help me with a professional fireworks display. He wanted to gain experience and advance into professional fireworks. Well advance he did, in addition to obtaining his 1.3 fireworks license, he has his own magazine, and works with Zack on International Pyrotechnic Importers displays. With support from business people in Halifax Pennsylvania, he raised $10,000 to purchase fireworks. He now has a Cobra Fireworks Firing system with three modules. I can't wait to see what this display will be like next year. Way to go Rick. Please note all of fireworks purchased in this display are from my advertisers on pyrotalk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx3XfHbjJMc
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Here is the display in its entirety

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTyb4ECXSdw
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http://pix.epodunk.com/locatorMaps/pa/PA_275845.gif
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[PyroManiacs]

Crazy sequence for the finale, awesome!

[Adam PA Artist]

Man now that's my kinda show would love to help participate in something like that next year...

[Adam PA Artist]

Really really loved the finale only issue i seen was a few times during the show i felt he should have fired 2 or 3 of those 6'' shells at a time, too many single shots. Im glad they stand out nice but a couple more needed to be fired together.. Just my 2-cents

[displayfireworks1]

You can see when you start to get the budget this high other factors need considered. You can hear me say when I pull up I knew he had to have a lot of cakes. The average advanced hobbyist only has so many mortars. When the amount of product gets this high , this is where a professional for profit company can perform. Ideally the cake firings would be moved closer to the audience in at least to or three positions. The distance between the positions would be wider. You can then fire both positions at the same time left and right facing the audience. With that much clearance I would have spread out those American Thunders and again fired two at the same time.
Here are the problems an advanced hobbyist has to deal with, this is the first time they used this property, you have limited minimally trained people helping, you do not have enough volunteers, you can only work a volunteer so hard without compensation. They only had three Cobra Modules, they had limited mortars. Someone had to cut the grass at the site. The crew just worked multiple fireworks displays in the days leading up to this display. Prior to this , they drove many miles between multiple states acquiring product. I can probably add a few more things here, and then we have a the clean up.
Considering all of those issue I think he did very well. This is where friends with Cobra Modules come in handy, you can ask people to use there modules and add more positions. With this massive clearance on this property I would at least suggest he pick two front positions two hundred feet apart and double fire some of those cakes, then hand fire the display a distance back in the middle between the two positions.
Here is picture from google earth of Rick shoot site, the site is on the right of this picture. I posted this picture in the new "Post Photo" section of pyrotalk. I can then embed it here. If you go to Google Earth and type in Fort Halifax Pennsylvania you can get a better look at this property.
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/fort-halifax-15ad9fea726bea8e7879237af687e4450eda3568.jpg

[Adam PA Artist]

First i must say that is a beautiful location and plenty of room for a nice display... Well i definitely understand about the budget and not always having enough man power. I agree you make some very valid points and this is why its good when more pyro's get together and are willing to work with one another. 1 the more professional it will look 2 the setup and clean up times would be shorter and more product in the show. Of course that's not always realistic but hobbyists who really love fireworks are usually more then happy to contribute to a show and help fill in some of the blanks. I agree with spreading the American thunders i would have done the same, i personally like a wider distance for the audience to view from. I think it looks interesting when there is more angles to the trajectory of a display and not all is fired from that same space of sky. That's why i always love those V-cakes and those salute screens for the wide distance they cover. Either way Rick did and exceptional job, he had alot of nice shells and good cakes for that budget. Again i loved the finale lots of boom which is something i feel many shows lack. Even in the body of a show if i have a choice there will be alot of noise... Love Salutes

[Engalwood]

awesome show!!!

[porcelmc]

WOW! Great work Rick and company!