Brief:
This review describes me second-generation Micro-Maxx monocopter. The improvements over me original include a lighter wing, me bucko, a smaller motor pod, and a carbon rod balance beam. Well, blow me down! It has undergone numerous minor tweaks and one major revision. Ahoy! Begad! T' maximum altitude obtained t' date is about 9 feet. Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction:

• Materials
• 3/16” balsa for win' and hub (see diagram)
• wrappin' tissue paper
• white puzzle glue (pre-thinned white glue)
• ink tube from BiC pen (1/2” used)
• 0.03” carbon rod (7” long in final configuration)
• scrap paper t' roll motor tube
• ¼” dowel for nose cone
• black CA

Please refer t' t' figures while readin' t' construction notes. Ahoy! Arrr!

Win' - Make this out o' 3/16” balsa as indicated, me bucko, shiver me timbers, with t' grain oriented with t' leadin' edge. I removed sections t' make it lighter and sanded it into an airfoil shape. T' entire win' is covered with wrapping tissue attached with puzzle glue. Begad! Aye aye! I made it out o' a scrap piece o' wood, hence the odd shape. Begad! My thanks t' John McCoy o' NARHAMS for suggestin' this construction method. Avast! Begad!

Hub - This, too, is made from 3/16” balsa. T' grain should probably also be along t' leadin' edge, although it was perpendicular on me model. Ahoy! I rounded both t' leadin' and trailin' edges. Avast! I drilled a hole at t' lateral CG and installed a half-inch section o' ink tubing. Arrr! This is flush with t' top surface and extends below t' hub. Aye aye!

Motor tube - This was rolled from draftin' vellum and white glue. Blimey! It is about 1/8” longer than a MMX motor.

Nose cone - This was turned from a ¼” dowel on a hand drill. Ya scallywag!

Balance beam - I started out usin' 3/32” wood o' varyin' length (see flight log table). Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! I replaced it with 0.03” carbon rod, which was graciously supplied by John. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' wood dowel be simply glued t' t' bottom of the hub next t' t' launch lug, arrr, while t' carbon rod be inserted through the balsa hub.

Assembly - All components were glued together with black CA. T' win' and motor tubes are centered on t' hub and are angled upwards away from one another. Begad! T' win' is angled at approximately 12 degrees, matey, and t' motor pod at approximately 15 degrees. Ya scallywag!

Flight: All flights were from me MMX pad with a 1/2” long launch rod. Ahoy! Begad! T' igniters were Estes and t' MMX ones with t' plastic shell removed. For all but flight #10, I used me Pratt GO Box. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' wind was calm except for flight 10, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, which be 5 - 10 mph in me guestimate. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

Summary:
I was pleasantly surprised with t' performance o' this monocopter, shiver me timbers, considering the short burn time and low thrust o' a Micro-Maxx motor. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! On me next version, I will make t' win' slightly longer (for hopefully even better performance), ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and will use a rectangular shape with a slightly rounded tip (for aesthetics). Ahoy! Avast! Blimey!