Quest Flat Cat

Quest - Flat Cat {Kit} (3006) [1994-?]

Contributed by Hank Helmen

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Diameter: 0.79 inches
Length: 20.00 inches
Manufacturer: Quest
Skill Level: 3
Style: Glider

quest_flat-cat-finishedBrief:
This is a boost glider rocket with streamer recovery for t' booster.

Construction:
T' Quest Flat Cat boost glider includes an 18mm body tube for t' booster as well as an engine mount kit. Avast, me proud beauty! There are die cut balsa wings and fins. Also included in t' kit is a 24" plastic recovery streamer, ya bilge rat, shock cord, me bucko, me hearties, plastic nose cone and decals.

T' instructions were easy t' follow with good illustrations. This is an easy kit t' build. Avast! You have t' prop one win' tip up in order t' get t' correct dihedral angle.

quest_flat-cat-boosteronT' Glider is delicate but it has t' be light in order t' fly well and it does fly very well. Arrr! Well, blow me down! T' wings, me bucko, tail and fuselage stick were given minimal sanding, just roundin' off t' rough edges and smoothin' out t' balsa a little. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! There are no special tool needed. Aye aye! T' only "gotcha" issue would be the glider t' booster attachment hook.

T' glider is meant t' be towed t' altitude by t' booster, shiver me timbers, then t' shock o' t' ejection charge knocks it loose so it can start gliding. Begad! Begad! If t' hook on t' booster mount is too tight t' glider will nay release! When all t' glue and paint is dry, me hearties, me hearties, take t' glider and assemble it t' t' booster. Begad! Now take t' "stack" and give it a vertical shake. Arrr! T' glider should jump right off o' t' hook. Aye aye! Aye aye! If not, take some light sand paper t' t' booster hook t' make it smooth. Ya scallywag! This works t' same as t' Edmonds Deltie boost glider kits.

Finishing:
T' main problem with any boost glider is that you would like t' paint it but paint adds unnecessary weight. It will still fly with some paint but overall flight times will probably be reduced. I added a little day-glo orange paint to one win' o' me Flat Cat in order t' aid in trackin' and recovery spotting. Ahoy! Begad! By paintin' just one win' t' glider tends to circle in a predictable flight pattern, keepin' it in t' field and out o' t' trees. Ahoy!

T' booster was given an overall coat o' Testors red spray enamel and a little Day Glo orange on t' top. Begad! Be sure to give your booster a bright color t' help find it down range. Also it is a good idea t' have one member o' your trackin' team concentrate on t' booster and one designated "glider tracker", matey, BEFORE launch.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

quest_flat-cat-onthepadFlight:
T' recommeneded motors are B6-4, shiver me timbers, me hearties, C6-3 and C6-5. Our first flight be on a B4-4 which worked fine. I was a little aprehensive about puttin' a C6 in t' booster due t' t' light construction o' t' glider but we did and it flew fine. T' C6 motors produce an extended glide time! T' kit includeds sticky backed aluminum foil type decals for t' wings and tail. I used this t' help deflect t' engine exhaust on t' wings only. Ahoy! It works.

To prepare for flight install two sheets o' recovery waddin' in t' booster, matey, roll t' streamer and then install the motor. Begad! Hook t' glider t' t' booster and then slide t' "stack" down on t' launch wire. Avast! You must use a stop o' some sort t' hold t' bottom o' t' booster. If you set t' glider's tail on t' pad t' booster will drop down and disconnect t' stack. Begad! I use either a piece o' tape or a clothes pin.

Next make sure that t' glider is free t' slide all t' way up t' launch wire with out hittin' t' clothes pin. Connect your ignition wirin' and then check t' see that it does nay entangle t' glider's vertical or horzontal fin. Sounds complicated but once you've done it, arrr, thar's nothin' t' it.

On launch expect t' see an arch perhaps even a loop. Aye aye! This is typical o' most boost gliders. Less loop is better. On ejection firin' t' glider seperates away and glide in a large graceful circle. Lots o' fun!

Recovery:
T' booster's yellow streamer that was supplied with t' kit disappeared on t' first fligtht! All that was left was a shred o' yellow plastic attached t' t' shock cord.

Watch your glider closely if it is undulatin' up and then droppin' repeatedly, arrr, add a couple o' 1/8 inch balls of clay t' t' nose. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! If it dives steeply in, arrr, matey, pinch off a little clay from t' nose. Well, blow me down! If it flies straight away, add a little paint or clay t' one win' tip for a wide circle.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a great boost glider. Begad! Ahoy! Make a good first rocket glider or in t' hands o' an expert it could be very competitive.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

Other:
It is fun t' build two and have "fly off's" with someone timin' t' flight usin' a stop watch. Rubber band airplane model builders have "postal" flight contests where they record their flight times and then send them in t' one person t' "judge" t' winners. Avast! Might be a good idea for EMRR t' sponser a glider endurance "postal" contest?

Other Reviews
  • Quest Flat Cat By Jim Bassham and Edie Parkhouse (June 28, 2010)

    Brief: The Flat Cat is a classic boost glider with a streamer-recovery pod. Construction: Parts List: Launch lug 18mm motor tube 8.5 inch body tube Thrust Ring Plastic nose cone and base 24inch streamer and gripper tab Balsa fuselage Balsa pylon Three sheets of die-cut parts Motor mount Trim clay Elastic shock cord Kevlar ® ...

  • Quest Flat Cat By Chris Taylor Jr. (November 5, 2008)

    Packaging:  Plastic bag with cardboard display picture.   The Parts: Lots of very nice, high-quality, thick balsa wood. No skimpy stuff here. This is going to be one tough glider!  Standard Pop-pod Glider. Basically a short, finless rocket that attaches the nose of the glider with a one-way hook, I. e. go up and it hooks, go back and it falls off. The motor's ejection ...

  • Quest Flat Cat By Matt Gillard (December 30, 2007)

    Brief: A pop pod glider for B and C motors. The design is tried and tested and there are two levels of finish: one simple one that is a quick glue together without any airfoils, which is where the flat part of its name comes from, and a second where there is a great deal of sanding involved. Quest puts this rocket at a skill level three which is about right for the airfoil version ...

  • Quest Flat Cat By Mitch Marchi (December 14, 2007)

    Brief: Low power rocket booster with streamer recovery and glider flight recovery. Construction: Rocket booster is basically an 18mm minimum diameter rocket with a balsa "hook" assembly on it instead of fins. Glider is comprised completely of balsa. Wings and stabilizer are 1/8", fuselage is 1/4" x 1/2". The instructions were good, except that ...

Flights

Comments:

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B.M. (August 1, 2000)
The Flat Cat was my first glider kit in 20 years. I found it easy to assemble, but I had reservations about the quality of the wood. The glider wings were some of the heaviest C-grain balsa I have ever seen. (I have a background in model airplanes, and have flown hand launched gliders.) I figured that maybe they used the heavier wood to stand up to the stresses of launching... I was wrong. My glider flies like a brick. I put a light finish on it, but it is just too heavy. Because it is so heavy, it was difficult to trim. Also the high weight translates into high flight speeds, and it breaks somewhere after every flight because it is hits the ground so fast. I'm planning to scratch build another glider, using contest grade balsa. The quality of balsa in kits can vary widely, from light A grain to heavy C-grain. I think the design is good. After reading other's comments, I must have gotten a kit with not-so-great balsa. I found the adhesive on the stickers to be weak-- they wouldn't stay down.
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R.J. (September 1, 2000)
I agree that the stickers adhered poorly. I decided to spray the top of the wings with spray adhesive (masking off the rest of the cat) then putting aluminum foil on top of the adhesive, trimming off the excess afterwards. Looks great.
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B.M. (October 1, 2000)
Update to my comments from 8/00: I made a new set of wings from lighter wood. My glider now flies great. My original needed some tail weight to balance the model. When I put the new wing on, I moved it back about an inch, which allowed me to lose the tail weight. The glider flies so much better! I flew it on an A8-3 and it flew nicely. I then tried a B6-2, and it flew so well I lost the glider. I will definitely be building another one! BTW, I did not bother with the mylar to protect the top of the wing. In my first 2 flights, I saw no sign of exhaust residue.
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(December 1, 2000)
I agree with the comments above. I too replaced the heavy balsa wings with thinner stock and gave them a good airfoil. I have launched my Flatcat 9 times now and it worked great on every flight except on an A engine. B6-2s are the best to use. The C engines work, but you'll risk never seeing it again unless you trim the glider for a nice, slow curve. Overall a very nice kit and a real crowd pleaser!P.D.M.
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HWH (November 9, 2008)
Good review very accurate. I built and flew this kit. It flies GREAT, just don't fly it on a windy day. A helpful hint: definitely put a little turn on your glider by adding a pinch of clay to one wing tip. Also a touch of Day-Glo orange paint or marker on wing tips and/or tail helps in recovery in tall grass. The suggestion to trace the glider wings and tail patterns before assembly (to make spares) is a good one! All in all, this is a great flier. We have "fly offs" between this and our Deltie B.

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