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

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. Arrr!

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

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

Motor tube - This was rolled from draftin' vellum and white glue. Begad! 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). Well, blow me down! I replaced it with 0.03” carbon rod, matey, which was graciously supplied by John. Begad! T' wood dowel be simply glued t' t' bottom of the hub next t' t' launch lug, shiver me timbers, while t' carbon rod was inserted through the balsa hub.

Assembly - All components were glued together with black CA. Aye aye! Blimey! T' win' and motor tubes are centered on t' hub and are angled upwards away from one another. Avast, me proud beauty! T' win' is angled at approximately 12 degrees, shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, and t' motor pod at approximately 15 degrees. Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight: All flights were from me MMX pad with a 1/2” long launch rod. Arrr! T' igniters were Estes and t' MMX ones with t' plastic shell removed. For all but flight #10, arrr, I used me Pratt GO Box. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' wind be calm except for flight 10, which was 5 - 10 mph in me guestimate. Avast!

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