Brief:
A skill level I rocket kit made with components o' higher quality than is typically seen in similar kits by other companies. Blimey! It teaches techniques that aren't seen in other skill level I rockets. Begad! Arrr! T' Apogee website has a newsletter archive that includes an article about buildin' a payload into this rocket. Begad! This (among some others) was a modification I did complete.

Construction:
I didn't realize that t' Avion wasn't in t' database until I wanted t' file a flight log, so I wasn't expectin' to do a review. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! As a result, I do nay have pictures o' t' individual components, just t' finished rocket.

Trust me when I say this is a quality rocket. Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! After a 30-year hiatus, me hearties, matey, I'm a "Born Again Rocketeer". This was t' fifth rocket I constructed in about a month, shiver me timbers, me bucko, so I feel I can justify t' statement regardin' quality. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

T' kit was shipped in a well-packaged box. Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' rocket itself is in t' standard plastic bag with t' flashy picture on t' front. Avast! Begad! All items in t' kit were in fine shape and accounted for.

As I was layin' out t' components, ya bilge rat, I did notice t' body tube seemed higher quality than other rockets I had built. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' fins were narrow/thin, ya bilge rat, but nay particularly flexible (a problem I've had with other kits). Well, blow me down! T' shock cord assembly was noteworthy in that it wasn't a strin' o' elastic that be glued t' t' sidewall o' t' body tube. Begad! Instead, it is a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® strin' that is fastened t' t' engine mount. Well, blow me down! Also noteworthy were t' spirals: they seemed shallower than other rockets.

This be a pretty easy rocket t' assemble. Blimey! I tend t' be meticulous, so t' extra time spent be my fault. Ya scallywag! I'd guess most people would assemble this in t' course o' an evening. Arrr! As mentioned above, me bucko, I did some modifications, which added significant time.

As for t' instructions, me bucko, shiver me timbers, thar was a minor "gotcha" or two I had t' re-read, arrr, though I don't recall what it was. Avast! Aye aye! T' pages begin with a nice introduction clearly geared towards people buildin' their first rocket. Well, blow me down! It is suggested, as with anythin' requirin' assembly, shiver me timbers, t' review t' instructions ahead o' time. Aye aye!

T' shock cord assembly is a technique that is unique t' a beginner's rocket kit in that it's nay glued (Estes-style) t' t' sidewall o' t' body tube. Instead, it is attached t' t' engine tube/mount and then passed through t' forward centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! This be t' first time I did this technique, and I had a little difficulty when I attached t' engine assembly t' t' body tube: I first smeared t' glue in t' body tube, then dropped t' shock cord in (as t' instructions stated), me hearties, then slid t' assembly into t' body tube. Avast! Glue got on t' shock cord and made it stick t' t' side o' t' body tube. Well, blow me down! I don't know if this is a big deal or not, but I did wonder if it would detract from t' full function/performance o' t' cord. Arrr! I also thought I read somewhere that glue on t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord isn't a good thing, arrr, but don't know if this is true. Begad! Aye aye! I did pull it from t' side o' t' tube because I thought it might dent t' body tube if ejection was forceful enough. Arrr!

I like taperin' t' fins, so I had taken t' time t' round t' leadin' edges and taper t' trailin' edges. Arrr! I don't recall if this be listed in t' instructions. Aye aye! Another modification involved gluin' "skins" on t' fins as opposed t' sealin' them as instructed. Aye aye! I like t' skins because I find them easier and maybe faster than sealing. T' one time I tried sealin' fins resulted in warped fins (too much liquid). Arrr! Begad! Blimey! Another mod I did was t' payload bay.

Apogee's website has a long archive o' previous newsletters that include everythin' from glue reviews (worth lookin' at, by t' way) t' t' physics behind why things work. Avast, me proud beauty! It has instructions on makin' a payload bay in a single stage rocket. Aye aye! T' payload bay be surprisingly easy modification but time consuming. Begad! I cut t' body tube a little less than 4" from t' top. Ahoy! I glued in t' coupler, which also were ordered from Apogee. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' bulkhead be constructed out o' cardboard-type centerin' rin' paper. It's easy t' cut but took a while t' sand down t' a nice fit. Begad! I smeared glue all over t' bulkhead t' make it stronger and was sure t' made a fillet on either side o' it when I attached it to the coupler.

This mod resulted in a necessary mod for attachin' t' chute. Avast! Instead o' attachin' it t' t' nosecone, arrr, arrr, I attached it directly t' t' shock cord betwixt t' aft section and t' payload bay. Arrr! Blimey! T' shock cord was then passed through a small hole in t' bulkhead and tied t' t' nosecone. I did all this after painting, as described below.

T' rest o' t' construction was fairly straightforward. T' directions show how t' make straight lines for the fins (another technique nay all other companies show). Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! This rocket included me first experience with liquid 10-minute epoxy, shiver me timbers, arrr, I had previously used 5-minute clay epoxy. I like t' liquid stuff better because I found it easier t' smooth and feather. Ahoy! I put on 2 glue fillets then 1 epoxy fillet that extended 1/2-3/4 inch up t' fin and onto t' body tube.

I'm nay a fan o' rockets that won't stand on their own. Arrr! T' engine mount in t' Avion prevents t' rocket from standing. I do wish t' picture on t' Apogee website would have depicted this more clearly.

Finishing:
Finishin' be pretty straightforward. Blimey! Arrr! T' nosecone required sandin' t' scuff it. Arrr! Aye aye! I then did 2 coats o' Krylon primer and wet sanded with 220 grit after it cured for 2 days.

I made this kit with me 5 year old son, and it be our fifth rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! So far, matey, we followed t' paint recommendations once. Instead o' white with blue and red, matey, me hearties, me bucko, we painted Avion all red then sprayed on a coatin' we got from an automotive parts store that made it look "sparkely". Ahoy! Avast!

I didn't fill in any o' t' spirals durin' construction. Begad! Begad! If you're more than a few feet away, they pretty much disappear. Aye aye! I used 3 layers o' primer and 3 layers o' paint.

I didn't put on t' decals but still may. It's nay that they look cheesy or overly flashy, ya bilge rat, but I feel they're too big (see picture). Aye aye! Blimey! Also, some o' t' decals had lost their stickiness and were peelin' from t' backin' o' t' decal sheet. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Since everythin' else about this kit felt sturdy and had quality, I'd expect t' decals t' nay curl/warp and to remain on t' sheet until I remove them.

This rocket looks really good on t' pad no matter what color it's painted.

T' only reason this is a 4.5 and nay a 5, me hearties, me bucko, is that a 5 implies perfection. Blimey! Ahoy! T' issue with t' decals, t' thin fins, arrr, t' little "gotcha" that I don't recall, matey, me hearties, and t' rocket nay standin' on its own (not depicted in the website photo or description) is what made this a 4.5 instead o' a 5.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Because t' rocket doesn't stand on its fins, flight preparation was a hair trickier than other rockets because it needed somethin' t' hold it up. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! When I launched rockets as a kid, I remember wrappin' tape around t' launch rod. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! I didn't want t' do this because it can be a pain t' take it off. Blimey! Blimey! So I used a little stone... Begad! No big deal.

I used a B6-6 for t' first flight even though t' delay is longer than recommended by Apogee. Ya scallywag! It was a still evenin' so I didn't want t' start with an A as I often do (I wanted t' see some altitude). I also knew drift would be minimal, I hoped. Blimey! Plus, I'm too cheap t' go buy more engines if it isn't necessary, so I tried t' B6-6 because I had them on hand. Avast! Last, matey, t' field was small so t' extra delay was helpful. Ahoy! Ahoy! And I wasn't certain o' t' winds at altitude. Begad!

T' Avion took off just as fast as any other rocket I've built this month. However, me bucko, matey, it went surprisingly high. Avast! Blimey! I don't have an altimeter yet, so don't know how high, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but several people were certain it went over 1000' on t' B engine. Arrr! Blimey! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! Apogee's website predicted 730, shiver me timbers, but that's without airfoils, skins, etc., shiver me timbers, which will improve t' performance of the rocket.

T' extra 2 seconds for t' ejection seemed t' drag on forever, I started yellin' t' t' rocket "C'mon, matey, matey, pop! C'mon, pop!", and then she popped just as she did a perfect arc (only visible due t' t' smoke trail). Aye aye! Blimey! The ejection seemed t' happen just as t' nosecone began t' point down. So t' B6-6 was a fine substitute. Begad! Blimey!

Recovery:
Recovery went smoothly. T' chute was easy t' pack, matey, and t' diameter o' t' body tube be easy t' work with. Aye aye! I used 3 sheets o' waddin' because I've been havin' difficulties with me recovery items singein' from t' heat o' t' ejection charge.

I expected a high flight so had cut a spill hole in t' center o' t' chute. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' rocket seemed t' hover more than it should, me hearties, and I recall somethin' from High School physics that made me wonder if t' spill hole wasn't big enough and therefore contributed t' t' "hovering". Avast, me proud beauty! I'll make t' hole bigger or cut some slits into t' chute. I may even read up on some physics t' learn why t' descent seemed slower than expected.

Because o' t' altitude, arrr, t' rocket drifted a little bit even though t' wind was very light. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! There be no singein' and no other damage t' t' rocket. There were no marks on t' tips o' t' fins from t' engine.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This was a great rocket t' build. Well, blow me down! Begad! It was nice t' build somethin' with a slightly larger diameter than t' Starlight I built previously and with higher quality parts than some others kits I recently built.

I liked t' assembly o' t' shock cord as well. Begad! This is somethin' I'll try t' do on future rockets.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5