| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2020-11-25 |
| Diameter: | 1.31 inches |
| Length: | 20.25 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Quest  |
| Skill Level: | 2 |
| Style: | Payload |
Brief
Picked up at Hobby Lobby durin' t' Quest clearance "just because." T' Courier would become me first competition egglofter by default. (It be t' only one I had that met t' single engine criteria.) Despite a lack o' enthusiasm for t' project at first that wound up causin' t' construction time t' be measured with a multi-year calendar, arrr, I must admit t' a grudgin' respect for t' Courier. It does what it needs t' do and doesn't require a boatload o' smarts t' get it t' work right. I'm livin' proof.
Components
- Plastic two piece nose cone
- T-35 body tube
- 18mm engine mount
- balsa fin stock
- Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
- sewin' elastic shock cord
- launch lug
Construction
Havin' built several Quest kits in t' past, I was familiar with what I found when I opened t' kit. If this was your first Quest kit, arrr, you'd likely balk at t' way t' centerin' rings feel. They're paper, and feel like a step above typin' paper. Nay confidence-inspirin' by any measure, they still work. My fin stock had a major warp that gave it a left t' right whoop-de-do, me bucko, me hearties, but once t' fins were punched out and allowed t' sit under a stack o' books for a few days, they worked fine. Keelhaul®©™ is a nice touch, shiver me timbers, but I subbed out t' elastic for a longer piece o' me own stash.
Finishing
I followed me normal finishin' regimen with t' Courier, primer, thinned Fill & Finish, shiver me timbers, sanding, more primer. It looked passable at this point, shiver me timbers, me bucko, so t' whole body was sprayed with two coats o' gloss white and looked good enough t' allow t' stickers t' adhere. I left t' black plastic nose cone as it was, figurin' that since they suggested electrical tape as a method o' securin' t' egg payload for flight, t' paint might give way as t' tape was pulled off.
Flight
First flight be at B6-4 Field on a night when I took a bunch o' unflown birds t' t' field. T' Courier flew in bare balsa, which was t' theme o' t' night for most o' t' rockets that went t' t' field with me. T' B6-4 load was perfect for conditions that night. T' Courier arced back over me head toward t' big trees on t' hill t' about 350'. Ejection came as it tipped over and it recovered on t' infield betwixt first and second base. I be impressed enough with t' flight t' move it up in t' paint queue.
Flight #2 was again on B6-4 Field on a beautiful sprin' evenin' shattered by t' loss o' me Amraam t' a tree. T' Courier, by now in full livery, me bucko, again flew on a B6-4. Flight was arrow straight t' 350' on t' calm night with a drift over toward t' trees on recovery.
Third flight would be at eRockets Field in Dayton with t' Wright Stuff Rocketeers at a competition where egg loft was a category. I'd built a couple o' purpose built competition birds t' night before, me bucko, Oscar t' Grouch for t' streamer and chute duration events and Big Slick for Super-Roc. Oscar did fine. Slick never flew. No way I be goin' t' build somethin' else for C eggloft when I had t' Courier ready and waiting. Loaded with a C6-3, me hearties, t' Courier boosted t' egg t' 350' and successfully protected t' egg despite strippin' one o' t' shroud lines on t' chute. Egg #35 recovered without incident and I hope someone enjoyed it at breakfast t' next day.
Recovery
Summary
Pros: Excellent choice for a first egglofter. Won't compete with t' specially built birds, but a good step toward workin' with them.
Cons: None. An all around likeable bird.
Other Reviews
- Quest Courier By Jerry Nishihira
Brief: I upgraded the motor mount to a 24mm, 1/8" balsa fins, epoxy glue joints, Aerotech 24" rip stop parachute for payload and 18" for booster. Construction: The new motor mount is exactly the same design except that I used bigger centering rings and a bigger body tube. PROs: great idea and flight concepts easy to follow instructions great Kevlar ...
- Quest Courier By Andy Hobbs
The Quest Courier kit is a single stage egg-lofter with the egg housing/nose cone as a slip together unit. Overall, a good looking and effective egg-lofting rocket. The kit comes with a 18mm motor mount assembly that's glued into a Quest-T-35 (1.378 diameter) tube, a set of pre-cut fins, and two 14" 'chutes. The 'chutes were pre-cut and very brightly colored. A piece of 18" Kevlar thread ...
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Flights
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