Brief:
I have been flyin' t' Co-Pilot 2.0 for about six months now with no failures. I've been flyin' high-powered rockets for about t' same length o' time. Havin' also used several other brands o' altimeters, some o' which I have actually flown and others I have actually returned. Aye aye! Blimey! For simple deployment (single or dual), shiver me timbers, matey, I doubt thar be a better system than this out there, and thar's certainly nay a company in our sport that offers better customer service, arrr, reliability and delivers product faster or better than PML. Avast! Arrr! If you are just gettin' into high power, don't make some o' t' first mistakes I did, stick with PML until you simply must fly somethin' else for some reason.

Construction:
When I first hit t' Level 2 stage o' me born again rocketry just a few months ago, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' idea o' altimeters was a bit of a quandary--do I unscrew each unit from t' oft-seen AV sled and re-screw it into t' next rocket, arrr, put an altimeter into every rocket t' be flown that day, me bucko, ya bilge rat, or what? Well, here's one answer: t' Public Missiles Co-Pilot deployment system.

I call it a system because no review o' t' PML Copilot 2.0 even scratches t' surface without a discussion of the deployment portion (altimeter-housin' section) o' their CPR 3000/MAX system. Ahoy! I use them both for 2 simple reasons:

1. Since it's a "2-sided" altimeter mountin' on a G10 or plywood sled restricts access t' t' programming and ground testin' features.
2. Mountin' another altimeter in t' 38mm tube o' t' CPR systems becomes more complicated.

This is nay t' say you have t' convert t' t' entire CPR system. Avast! It's simply designed t' be best used with t' PML altimeter mountin' system and plugs right in t' either phenolic or fiberglass components. They push their complete CPR-3000 system and I am sure it is wonderful, but I have a number o' really nice conventional airframe/payload birds and didn't want t' go hackin' them up. Ya scallywag! So wingin' it, I have come up with this methodology usin' t' parts listed here:

• 38mm Altimeter housin' tube (slotted for t' switch wire)
• Appropriate coupler tube for rocket
• Appropriate centerin' rings
• CPR-3000 Co-Pilot altimeter mounts
• Charge cylinder holders
• Charge cylinder canisters
• Canister caps (orange)
• O-rings (not shown)
• Safety switch
• Mountin' strap with D-rings

I have nay tried it in cardboard tubes. I like this system so much I own 2 Co-Pilots and am in t' process of convertin' every suitable rocket I own. A custom fiberglass dual 38mm mountin' system is bein' built into me current Level 3 fiberglass project.

It's a happy marriage. Begad! I have heard a comment or 2 that expandin' ejection gas has a habit o' leakin' past the O-seals, etc., me bucko, but I haven't seen it. Avast! I could see how it may happen if you weren't payin' attention and forgot t' use or used a damaged O-rin' but that would fall under t' headin' o' user error, nay malfunction.

Let's look at what you get and what you don't get.

It's a 2-event (apogee, main) only system.

It's as plug-'n'-play/no brain as they come. Aye aye! You mount t' battery t' t' altimeter (thus no requirement for holdin' one down separately), t' altimeter t' t' PML mounts, arrr, thread t' match(es), shiver me timbers, fill t' ejection charge cylinders with 4F black powder, connect t' switch and slide t' entire unit into t' tube. Avast! Ya scallywag! A screw cap holds it all in place. Turn it on and fly. Begad! Got another rocket t' go? Unscrew t' cap and repeat.

There's no stand-offs t' lose, me hearties, no tiny screws t' play with and drop in t' grass, matey, matey, everythin' rides on a 38mm sled and can be removed and reinstalled in under 5 minutes.

It's good for flights t' 40,000ft MSL barometric and defaults for apogee deployment/main deployment at 1000ft AGL (above ground level) out o' t' box. Ya scallywag! Arrr! A small switch is on t' back (if you're old like me, you'll need your reading glasses) t' toggle betwixt a 1000ft and 500ft AGL main pop. Ya scallywag! Arrr! You may never need t' make any other adjustment for the life o' t' unit, matey, arrr, matey, thar's no computer connection or other programmin' ever required.

It seems safe as they come. Begad! Blimey! Like most altimeters, arrr, it beeps your pyro continuity (checks that your e-matches are connected) once fired up: one beep drogue, arrr, me bucko, two for main, arrr, ya bilge rat, and three for both. T' on board launch detection system does not arm t' pyro channels until t' rocket reaches 250ft, so if it doesn't get off t' pad, it won't deploy.

It chirps t' altitude like most units on t' market, but unlike others it also flashes its LED at you as well, if (like me too) you have a hard time hearin' high-frequency beeps with t' roar o' launchin' rockets in the background.

O' course if you want it t' blow t' main at 400ft, anticipate a mach-bustin' flight, or would like t' ground test your flashbulbs, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, thar are easily accessible buttons on t' back labeled "Select" and "Enter" with bright LED indicator lights t' input your choice o' 16 operational mode preferences, arrr, set it up for redundant main or apogee deployment, ya bilge rat, drogue delays/main delays (0-3 seconds), shiver me timbers, up t' 31 seconds o' mach-delay (breakin' t' sound barrier is barometrically similar t' apogee so this avoids deployment at like 800 feet-per-second), etc. Aye aye! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' be straight up, matey, competitive units that plug into your laptop are more fully programmable, however, matey, one must ask t' question, for 99% o' your flights, me bucko, me bucko, is it worth sacrificin' simplicity for?

It nay only reports last altitude, but also last peak velocity, ya bilge rat, last time t' apogee, arrr, me bucko, and t' number o' your total, ya bilge rat, cumulative launches. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' Diagnostics menu reports battery voltage, me hearties, current MSL elevation, input testin' (ground testin' continuity on main and drogue), and thar's an output test mode t' test fire both pyros.

Summary:
Honest, shiver me timbers, they are nay payin' me t' write this. Begad! I own and have owned several other altimeters (G-Wiz LCX, Ozark ARTS2, and a Perfectflite MAWD) but this, coupled with t' slide-in/slide-out AV bay is now me go-to 90% o' t' time because it's easy and it works. Begad! I like it so much I bought another! If you need more programmability or pyro-channels, timer capability, shiver me timbers, arrr, altitude, or somethin' for stagin' and air starts, shiver me timbers, then keep shopping. Avast, me proud beauty! If you want t' have fun with a single or dual-deployment, matey, this is a no brainer approach. Begad! I betcha love 'em!