T' CiCi is a traditional canard-style boost glider. The canard be t' name for that smaller front wing, or horizontal stabilizer. Avast, me proud beauty! A canard-style glider is simply a glider where t' canard is forward o' t' main wing. Well, blow me down! A boost glider is a glider that boosts straight up like a rocket, matey, and then ejects some part, usually t' engine, to change into a glider. Ya scallywag! This is as opposed t' a rocket glider, matey, where no parts are jettisoned, but rather other changes are made (movin' t' wing surfaces, ya bilge rat, changin' t' angle o' elevons, etc. ) t' make t' transition from vertical boost mode t' horizontal glide mode. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Upon openin' up t' zip-lock-bag-style package o' t' CiCi, I be first surprised by t' fact that t' instructions consisted entirely o' a single 8 1/2 x 11 sheet o' paper, printed on one side only! This was particularly surprisin' for this rocket, considerin' that t' Deltie, also from Edmond's Aerospace, had a 10+ page booklet for instructions. Although sparse, me bucko, t' instructions here are obvious and straightforward. Aye aye! Unlike most rockets, t' order o' assembly for t' CiCi is largely irrelevant. Begad! T' instructions are fairly complete, except that they never mention trimmin' t' glider, me hearties, me bucko, arrr, or t' supplied lump o' clay and what t' do with it. Aye aye! Basically, t' instructions seem t' assume that you have trimmed a boost glider before. T' second thin' that I noticed about t' kit contents was that a piece be missing. Aye aye! Ahoy! T' instructions say that thar be a small, triangular piece o' wood, shiver me timbers, me hearties, curved on one side, that can be used t' mark a straight line on t' engine tube, but thar wasn't one in me kit. No big deal, there are o' plenty o' ways t' mark a straight line on a tube. T' third thing that I noticed was that another piece be missing: t' launch lug. Again, me bucko, nay a show-stopper, since I have some extras lyin' around, but a rather inauspicious beginning. Blimey!

T' kit itself is quite nice, with thick, sturdy balsa parts that have been precision cut. Begad! All parts fit well, and there was absolutely no confusion about how t' assemble t' rocket. Blimey! Construction was simple, quick and easy, me hearties, with no fuss. Avast! Full assembly took me about 1 hour, but could be done much faster. Avast, me proud beauty! Make no mistake, me hearties, t' quality o' t' parts is first-rate, and t' kit be well thought out. T' only time I deviated from the instructions be with t' clay. Ahoy! Ahoy! I added a small amount (about t' size of pencil eraser) t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' main (rear) win' and the left vertical stabilizer. Begad! T' purpose here was t' make t' CiCi tilt left a little bit in flight so that it would glide in circles, rather than in a straight line. Avast! You want it t' glide in circles so that it stays on t' flying field. Begad! (Note that these pictures were taken before I added t' clay. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! )

T' instructions don't mention it, but I attempted some hand-tossed glide tests prior t' flight. Begad! Ya scallywag! Hmmm. Well, blow me down! . . Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! it glides ok, but flies and lands in a rather nose-down attitude. Aye aye! Ahoy! Nose-down enough that t' balsa nose cone hits before the front edge o' t' canard. Begad! Perhaps a small amount o' weight in t' aft might help. Avast! I added a small amount o' t' supplied clay (again about t' size o' a pencil eraser) t' t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' fuselage and t' main wing. More hand-toss glide tests. Arrr! Arrr! Hmmm. Aye aye! . Blimey! . Begad! a slightly better glide attitude and landing, me bucko, but still noticeably nose-down, and thar be no discernible arc to t' left (so that it will glide in circles). Begad! I added just a tiny bit more clay t' t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' main win' and t' left vertical stabilizer. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! After a couple more throws, me hearties, I still couldn't discern any arc t' the left, matey, but I didn't want t' add too much weight for fear o' adversely affecting the flight characteristics. Time for some real flight tests.

It was a pretty nice day for launchin' rockets. Aye aye! Blimey! Moderately windy, but not too bad. Arrr! I was anxious t' try out t' CiCi, so it was first in line. Arrr! I figured the light weight o' t' rocket, arrr, combined with t' moderate wind and t' fact that this was t' maiden flight, me hearties, dictated usin' an A8-3. Ya scallywag!

It was a good, me hearties, quick boost, as you can tell from t' blur it gives in this photo, even with 400 speed film. Aye aye! In spite what this photo o' t' early flight path might indicate, it was, matey, me bucko, overall, shiver me timbers, a fairly straight boost to, oh, maybe 150 feet or so (I didn't measure it). Ahoy! Aye aye! Even though it arced over on its back after burnout, me hearties, it make a smooth, controlled transition t' right-side-up glide. Avast! The glide be ok, but still with a bit o' nose-down attitude, ya bilge rat, and it definitely falls faster than a Deltie. It made about 1 3/4 circles before landing. . Begad! . with a crack. Begad! Uh-oh. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag!

As you can see from this photo, shiver me timbers, me hearties, it snapped clean in half on landing. Begad! Note that although it's photographed here on cement (for clarity), it did land in t' grass when it broke. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Disappointing, me bucko, but not the end o' t' world. Aye aye! A bit o' thin CA, and she'll be good as new.

Also visible in this photo be t' slight blackenin' in t' forward half of the center o' t' main wing. Aye aye! This is just soot from t' black powder, not scorchin' o' t' wood. Well, blow me down! A bit dirty, but nay a safety concern.

Unfortunately, t' second flight, under nearly calm wind conditions, was an exact duplicate o' t' first. Begad! T' A8-3 gave a good, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, straight boost, me bucko, with a nice transition t' glide, ya bilge rat, a decent but slightly too rapid, ya bilge rat, nose-down descent, and a landin' with a crack. Broke clean in half again, this time about 3mm further rearward (CA is strong stuff). Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

Warning! Do nay try t' followin' with your model!Bein' a bit o' a tinkerer, I thought I'd make a more serious attempt t' fix that nose-down attitude. So, shiver me timbers, prior t' t' third flight, I sanded an airfoil into t' top o' t' canard. Aye aye! I left t' bottom o' t' canard completely flat. Arrr! Begad! Blimey! I left t' bottom o' t' canard completely flat. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! T' idea was to have this canard generate more lift, and thereby lift t' nose in flight, givin' a flatter glide. Hand-tossed glides didn't show any visible difference, but I was confident that it would be noticeable at speed. Avast! Ya scallywag! Blimey! DO NOT TRY THIS WITH YOUR MODEL! T' airfoil was much too severe, and caused t' model t' arc over under power and plow into the ground at full speed! Ironically, matey, t' damage be only slightly worse on this flight, me bucko, ya bilge rat, with a small piece breakin' off o' t' canard as well as t' model snappin' in two at t' usual spot. If your model also breaks on landing, shiver me timbers, and you want t' try t' airfoil t' canard t' help that situation, start with a very slight airfoil, shiver me timbers, and perform actual launches before sandin' any further.

Overall, arrr, I give t' CiCi a 3 out o' 5 points. T' kit itself gets a 4 out o' 5 points, arrr, havin' high quality parts, but missin' a couple minor pieces. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' instructions should include trimmin' instructions, but were otherwise adequate, matey, despite their brevity. Begad! T' construction gets a ratin' of 4. 5 out o' 5 points bein' simple and straightforward. T' flights (before the airfoiling, arrr, at least), were both excellent, ratin' a 4 out o' 5 points. Begad! Avast! O' course, me hearties, matey, t' big downer was t' recovery, particularly t' landin' damage, which is easily fixed, ya bilge rat, me hearties, though nay easily avoided. Well, blow me down! T' recovery gets a 1. 5 out o' 5 points. Well, blow me down! Arrr!

I'll probably repair t' CiCi again when I get a chance. Blimey! Avast! If you're looking to buy your first boost glider, I'd have t' recommend t' Edmond's Aerospace Deltie. Aye aye! Arrr! But, matey, me bucko, t' CiCi certainly has t' potential t' be a great boost glider, perhaps as your third or fourth boost glider model. Blimey!