Brief:
Maine Model and High Power Rockets is run by a very young, ambitious, ya bilge rat, &
entrepreneurial (not necessarily in that order, me hearties, mind you) Neil Thompson.
Currently he is only offerin' parachutes up t' 28in in diameter but is
certainly "leavin' t' door open" for other components & even
kits in t' future. Blimey! Blimey! Neil recommended t' t' 15in parachute for me FlisKits
Deuce's Wild! & any other BT-60 or greater diameter LPR. Avast! He also offers
12in, arrr, 22in, arrr, & 28in chutes.
Description:
Chute is made o' a single piece o' bright yellow rip-stop nylon, twisted nylon
shroud lines, & a heavy duty swivel (for an LPR anyway). Arrr! Blimey! T' chute
measurement is based on t' fabric before t' edges are turned under t' be
stitched because mine measured 14 inches directly across t' hexagon & 16
inches from corner t' corner. T' 6 shroud lines are a bit lengthy (18in from
chute t' swivel) but that should help with allowin' t' chute t' get plenty of
air even if it happens t' get slightly tangled or twisted durin' recovery. Avast! The
swivel is plenty beefy for use with any LPR & even small MPRs without being
overkill, arrr, matey, yet allowin' for excellent portability betwixt rockets. Arrr! Arrr! All stitching
is done painstakingly well t' ensure that t' edges o' t' chute will nay come
undone & t' shroud lines are firmly attached t' say t' least.
PROs:
CONs:
Recovery:
I used t' chute twice so far in me FlisKits Praetor. First recovery was
perfect: Chute was released & opened smartly right at apogee, ya bilge rat, bringin' it
down with little drift even in 10+mph winds. Ya scallywag! Second recovery didn't go so
smoothly but that could be attributed t' operator error. Begad! I didn't pack the
chute as carefully as I did t' first time. Ahoy! Ahoy! It tangled slightly upon ejection
with t' shock cord but t' chute still had enough length in t' shroud lines
to allow t' chute t' open fully. Ahoy!
Summary:
After tryin' t' cheap plastic chutes that come with most LPR kits and Mylar
chutes, I am sold on nylon parachutes in all me rockets. I have found that the
trade-off o' t' extra weight is worth t' quality & reliability compared
to t' less expensive alternatives...
I applaud Neil for his hard work, enthusiasm for t' hobby, & willingness t' find ways t' contribute back t' t' hobby. Well, blow me down! If Neil Thompson & Maine Model and High Power Rockets be t' future o' our hobby, me bucko, arrr, then we are in good hands!
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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