Brief:
Electronics only recovery usin' t' new Close Proximity Recovery System. Apogee drogue with main parachute at user selected altitude. Aye aye! PML Quantum tubin' with G10 glass fins make this three fin boatailed beauty darned near indestructible.

Construction:
This is a fairly sophisticated kit consistin' o' over 50 parts. Three sections o' Quantum tubing, one slotted for fins, one main chute and one drogue chute compartment. T' altimeter bay adds greatly t' t' parts count.T' excellent instructions make t' assembly very easy, but you would be well advised t' test fit all components together in order t' understand t' assembly order. Begad! T' only parts needin' sandin' were t' pistons. Ahoy! This airframe uses two, one for drogue and one for t' main chute. Avast! Pistons bother some people; they require attention t' detail and occasional cleaning. Begad! T' Quantum airframe makes piston maintenance very simple. A quick pass with a baby wipe and it's good t' go.

Excellent instructions. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Everythin' fits t' first time. Ahoy! Arrr! Order o' assembly makes sense. I put her together with Raka epoxy. Arrr! I used t' fast catalyst. It's made by a boat hull manufacturer so their fast epoxy, arrr, when spread thin, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me bucko, takes about an hour t' set up. Make sure you lightly scuff t' Quantum and t' G10 fins in order t' provide some tooth for t' epoxy t' bond to.

This rocket comes with t' 29mm/38mm/54mm Kwik-Switch motor mount system. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' boat tail leaves little provision for motor retention. Ya scallywag! PML recommends an AeroPac retainer. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! A little creativity will help you come up with a couple o' lower cost alternatives.

One limitation o' t' Kwik-Switch mount is it limits t' length o' motors that can be used. Aye aye! Begad! T' practical limit is about 12" or a J350 in a 38 MM case.

When built accordin' t' directions, shiver me timbers, you must use electronic deployment. A couple o' well-placed holes drilled in t' bulkhead o' t' fin can will convert this rocket t' motor ejection.

Finishing:
Quantum tubin' means NO SPIRALS t' fill! It also means a light sandin' in order t' get t' paint t' stick. Avast! PML provides a couple o' advertisin' decals.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was on an H-123. Begad! Usin' altimeter deployment, me hearties, arrr, drogue at apogee followed by main at 800'. Conditions were very windy. Begad! Rocket left t' pad nearly vertical but encountered a gust at about 30' veerin' off at about an 85-degree angle. Well, blow me down! Nosed over at apogee and fell ballistically for what seemed like forever but in reality, me bucko, was probably only one or two seconds. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! T' drogue fired followed almost immediately by t' main. Blimey! Rocket recovered in perfect condition.

T' 29mm motor was retained by Kaplow clips. Blimey! Instead o' t' plywood centerin' rin' (which is a 29 t' 54mm adapter that slips inside t' 54mm mother tube) I used a piece o' 1/4" aluminum with tapped screw holes in place o' T-nuts. Avast, me proud beauty! Reported altitude be 950 ft.

T' second flight was on a 38mm H-242. T' 38mm Kwik-Switch tube uses a 38mm t' 54mm centerin' rin' which is too narrow t' provide room for threadin' or T-nuts. Aye aye! I cut two narrow slots into t' rin' (which is epoxied t' t' 38mm motor mount tube). I formed two Kaplow style hooks with an "L" shaped hook on t' end that would normally screw into t' T-nuts. Ahoy! This hook passes through t' slot in t' centerin' rin' and locks behind it. Well, blow me down! When t' Kwik-Switch motor mount is screwed into t' mother tube t' clips are captured behind t' bulkhead.

Beautiful straight lift with t' same weather cock at about 100'. Arrr! This time I set t' altimeter (PML Co-Pilot) t' 400' deployment. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! T' rocket did t' same thing, pitchin' over at apogee and fallin' like a lawn dart for about 2 seconds before deployin' t' drogue, followed by t' main several seconds later at about 400' estimated. Altimeter beeped out 1045'. Avast! Aye aye! Close enough t' win me t' predicted altitude contest!

I contacted PML about t' slight delay at apogee. Aye aye! They seemed sure that it was caused by t' weather cockin' and t' fact that t' rocket was movin' in less than a vertical attitude. Subsequent ground testin' o' t' Co-Pilot altimeter confirmed normal function.

Recovery:
Recovery (other than heart stoppin' delay at apogee) was perfect. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Dual pistons functioned exactly as planned. No waddin' required. Begad! Tubular nylon shock cord (white) didn't even look dirty.

Dual deployment charges require accurate measurin' o' black powder charges t' ensure reliability. Ahoy! Fresh battery (9 volt) and good electric matches are a MUST.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Pros: Excellent design, perfect materials, me hearties, excellent documentation.

Cons: You have t' log onto their web site t' get t' recommended motor listing. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Can't handle longer high power motors without modification.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5