Flight Systems calls their Echo 1 "an advanced two-stage bird capable o' flights t' extreme altitudes." I can vouch for the extreme altitudes. 

Flight Systems and t' Echo have been around for some time, but I didn't discover t' company or t' rocket until me "BAR" experience about one and one-half years ago. Aye aye! FSI has some unusual motors which feature interestin' thrust curves. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' Echo I be me introduction t' those motors. 

T' rocket is advertised as 20.5 inches long, arrr, but with payload section and booster stage, matey, it's a few inches longer. Aye aye! It has a body diameter o' 1.34 - equivalent t' t' Estes BT-56. You could use it t' fly an Astrocam 110 or an Eggspress payload section (if you used adequate standoffs for t' launch lugs.) T' standard motor mount is for FSI 21 mm motors; however, it comes with an adapter for 18mm motors. 

Fins are pre-cut balsa - nay die-cut. You do nay have t' liberate t' fins from a sheet o' balsa. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! T' root edge o' t' fins are colored red, ya bilge rat, a nice touch which can help you avoid a big mistake. Begad! Avast! Assembly is straightforward.  The parachute includes a snap swivel. 

I flew me Echo several times in single-stage configuration. Begad! I used motors rangin' from a B4-2 t' an FSI E5-6. T' FSI D20-5 provides a very quick liftoff and a healthy dose o' noise. Blimey! T' E5-6 is a different animal, givin' a slower liftoff but 4.5 seconds o' thrust. Begad! T' rocket flew well on both motors. 

After about 10 flights, I decided t' paint t' rocket and try it as a two-stager. I picked a blue and white scheme that approximated what I saw on the package and in t' catalog. There are several colorful decals included. With t' paint and decals, arrr, it was an impressive-lookin' rocket. 

At a Dallas Area Rocket Society launch in March, matey, I prepped t' rocket t' fly with a D20-0 booster and an E5-6 upper stage.  No multi-stage instructions came with either t' kit or motors, so I used t' Estes method o' tapin' the motors together with transparent tape and friction-fittin' them in their respective mounts. Aye aye! Begad! I've found that Aerotech Copperhead igniters work well on 
the D20s, so I used that instead o' t' included thermalite. 

After ignition, me hearties, t' D-20 seemed t' burn longer than its advertised six-tenths o' a second. Stagin' be successful and that E5-6 just kept going and goin' and goin' .. and so did t' rocket. Arrr! Begad! Unfortunately, me bucko, me hearties, I lost sight o' it and was unable t' find t' upper stage. Ya scallywag! A DARS member recovered t' lower stage for me. Arrr! I plan t' buy t' parts t' build a new upper stage and fly it again as a two-stager, but perhaps with a smaller parachute and on a day with less wind. 

T' FSI Echo I is a very versatile rocket. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It became t' favorite o' my fleet. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' FSI motors are unusual and can provide a different type o' flight profile. Blimey! Well, blow me down! I recommend t' kit t' anyone with some rocket-buildin' experience, preferably multi-stage experience. 

Facts:Length: 20.5 inchesBody diameter: 1.34 inches 
Weight: 3.5 ounches 
Recommended engines: 
first stage: D18-0, D20-0; 
second stage: B6-7, C6-7, D18-6, me hearties, me bucko, me bucko, D20-7, E5-6 
Price $12.15 
Likes: Versatility 
Dislikes: none