PerfectFlite miniAlt/WD

PerfectFlite - miniAlt/WD {Component}

Contributed by Drake "Doc" Damerau

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Manufacturer: PerfectFlite

Brief:
T' PerfectFlight Mini ALT/WD is a peak reportin' and recordin' dual deployment barometric altimeter. Arrr! It measures 3.0" L x 0.9"W x 0.7"H, arrr, and weighs 0.7 oz without t' required 9V alkaline battery.

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Construction:
Main deployment is selectable with deployment from 300' t' 1,700' in 200' increments. Begad! T' peak altitude on this model is 25,000 feet MSL.

T' altimeter reports peak altitude after each flight. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' beeper also provides an e-match continuity check when it's first turned on.

Once t' flight is over, me bucko, it stores over 5 minutes o' flight data for later download t' a computer. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This data is stored in nonvolatile memory and is preserved even if power is lost. A small computer program and download cable is offered with it so t' entire flight can bee seen on your computer. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I use this feature extensively by downloadin' t' data onto me lap top after each flight.

Mach delay is adjustable from 0 t' 14 seconds for those neck snappin' flights.

T' power supply is supplemented by a capacitor. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This allows it t' lose battery contact for up t' two seconds without loss o' operation in flight.

Although I have never used this feature, shiver me timbers, it has an In-flight telemetry output for real-time data. Begad! This would have t' be done with an RF link device that you would provide.

There is nay a battery mount on t' board like some altimeters. I like this feature because it allows me t' use whatever battery I want and put it wherever I want. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I usually use a standard 9v battery, me hearties, but I have used a stack o' watch batteries in a 38mm diameter bowlin' ball rocket. Well, blow me down! Begad! For armin' and disarmin' [for every altimeter I use], I use t' push on / push off switches that PerfectFlight sells. Avast, me proud beauty! I like t' mount all me altimeters with plastic PC board stand-offs and stainless steel screws, me hearties, shiver me timbers, onto a ¼" aircraft plywood board.

Flight:
I have flown these altimeters more times than I can count, me hearties, without ever havin' one fail. Ya scallywag! This may be due t' t' large on-board capacitor. Battery and switch contacts can be momentarily disconnected durin' t' boost phase, ya bilge rat, or if t' rocket gets knocked around durin' ejection or descent. Although I only use altimeters in big rockets, matey, its small size allows it t' fit in 38mm airframes.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Other:
This is a fairly easy altimeter t' use. Arrr! I think t' two best features are t' capacitor for keepin' it powered up and t' download capabilities and software that comes with it. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' software even allows you t' adjust some settin' such as t' low battery alarm level

Comments:

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J.C.P. (September 16, 2005)
I've used many different brand altimiters, and have had trouble with all of them. I've been useing two PerfectFlight altimeters for several years now for a total of 96 flights in rockets ranging from BT-55 to 6" dia. They have worked flawlessly. I trust them with any flight.
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J.R. (November 7, 2005)
Great alt, my first and only alt. It has a reasonable price and while it doesn't have an accelerometer for speed it does give you a nice flight profile. I have used it once in a 4" J380SS powered rocket, it flew twice in a 5" nike smoke with K motors and also flew last month in a large project with a central L and multiple J motors. I also used their mini timer with G-switch for the J motor air-starts on the larger project. Great stuff, reliable and easy to use. The timer and alt will be going into a high performance (well compared to my other rockets, this one will go over 9K' and close to mach on the maiden flight) and I trust it more then anything else I have seen. The capacitor is awesome!

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