Brief:
A skill level I rocket kit made with components o' higher quality than is typically seen in similar kits by other companies. Ya scallywag! It teaches techniques that aren't seen in other skill level I rockets. T' Apogee website has a newsletter archive that includes an article about buildin' a payload into this rocket. Blimey! This (among some others) be a modification I did complete.

Construction:
I didn't realize that t' Avion wasn't in t' database until I wanted t' file a flight log, shiver me timbers, so I wasn't expectin' to do a review. Aye aye! Blimey! As a result, I do nay have pictures o' t' individual components, me bucko, shiver me timbers, just t' finished rocket.

Trust me when I say this is a quality rocket. Begad! Arrr! After a 30-year hiatus, me hearties, I'm a "Born Again Rocketeer". This be t' fifth rocket I constructed in about a month, so I feel I can justify t' statement regardin' quality. Begad!

T' kit was shipped in a well-packaged box. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' rocket itself is in t' standard plastic bag with t' flashy picture on t' front. Begad! All items in t' kit were in fine shape and accounted for.

As I was layin' out t' components, I did notice t' body tube seemed higher quality than other rockets I had built. T' fins were narrow/thin, but nay particularly flexible (a problem I've had with other kits). T' shock cord assembly was noteworthy in that it wasn't a strin' o' elastic that be glued t' t' sidewall o' t' body tube. Instead, it is a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® strin' that is fastened t' t' engine mount. Ahoy! Also noteworthy were t' spirals: they seemed shallower than other rockets.

This was a pretty easy rocket t' assemble. I tend t' be meticulous, shiver me timbers, so t' extra time spent was my fault. I'd guess most people would assemble this in t' course o' an evening. Avast! As mentioned above, I did some modifications, which added significant time.

As for t' instructions, ya bilge rat, thar be a minor "gotcha" or two I had t' re-read, though I don't recall what it was. Blimey! Blimey! T' pages begin with a nice introduction clearly geared towards people buildin' their first rocket. It is suggested, shiver me timbers, me bucko, as with anythin' requirin' assembly, me hearties, t' review t' instructions ahead o' time. Ahoy!

T' shock cord assembly is a technique that is unique t' a beginner's rocket kit in that it's nay glued (Estes-style) t' t' sidewall o' t' body tube. Instead, me bucko, matey, shiver me timbers, it is attached t' t' engine tube/mount and then passed through t' forward centerin' ring. Ahoy! This be t' first time I did this technique, and I had a little difficulty when I attached t' engine assembly t' t' body tube: I first smeared t' glue in t' body tube, then dropped t' shock cord in (as t' instructions stated), me bucko, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, then slid t' assembly into t' body tube. Well, blow me down! Begad! Glue got on t' shock cord and made it stick t' t' side o' t' body tube. Blimey! I don't know if this is a big deal or not, arrr, but I did wonder if it would detract from t' full function/performance o' t' cord. Begad! Ahoy! I also thought I read somewhere that glue on t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord isn't a good thing, but don't know if this is true. Well, blow me down! I did pull it from t' side o' t' tube because I thought it might dent t' body tube if ejection was forceful enough. Ya scallywag!

I like taperin' t' fins, me bucko, so I had taken t' time t' round t' leadin' edges and taper t' trailin' edges. Ahoy! I don't recall if this be listed in t' instructions. Ya scallywag! Another modification involved gluin' "skins" on t' fins as opposed t' sealin' them as instructed. Arrr! Arrr! I like t' skins because I find them easier and maybe faster than sealing. T' one time I tried sealin' fins resulted in warped fins (too much liquid). Avast, me proud beauty! Another mod I did was t' payload bay.

Apogee's website has a long archive o' previous newsletters that include everythin' from glue reviews (worth lookin' at, by t' way) t' t' physics behind why things work. Ahoy! It has instructions on makin' a payload bay in a single stage rocket. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! T' payload bay be surprisingly easy modification but time consuming. Avast! I cut t' body tube a little less than 4" from t' top. Aye aye! I glued in t' coupler, which also were ordered from Apogee. T' bulkhead was constructed out o' cardboard-type centerin' rin' paper. Aye aye! It's easy t' cut but took a while t' sand down t' a nice fit. Avast! Begad! I smeared glue all over t' bulkhead t' make it stronger and was sure t' made a fillet on either side o' it when I attached it to the coupler.

This mod resulted in a necessary mod for attachin' t' chute. Blimey! Blimey! Instead o' attachin' it t' t' nosecone, I attached it directly t' t' shock cord betwixt t' aft section and t' payload bay. T' shock cord be then passed through a small hole in t' bulkhead and tied t' t' nosecone. I did all this after painting, as described below.

T' rest o' t' construction was fairly straightforward. Avast! T' directions show how t' make straight lines for the fins (another technique nay all other companies show). Blimey! This rocket included me first experience with liquid 10-minute epoxy, I had previously used 5-minute clay epoxy. I like t' liquid stuff better because I found it easier t' smooth and feather. I put on 2 glue fillets then 1 epoxy fillet that extended 1/2-3/4 inch up t' fin and onto t' body tube.

I'm nay a fan o' rockets that won't stand on their own. Arrr! T' engine mount in t' Avion prevents t' rocket from standing. Ya scallywag! Well, matey, blow me down! I do wish t' picture on t' Apogee website would have depicted this more clearly. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down!

Finishing:
Finishin' be pretty straightforward. Well, blow me down! T' nosecone required sandin' t' scuff it. I then did 2 coats o' Krylon primer and wet sanded with 220 grit after it cured for 2 days.

I made this kit with me 5 year old son, shiver me timbers, and it was our fifth rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! So far, ya bilge rat, me hearties, we followed t' paint recommendations once. Begad! Instead o' white with blue and red, we painted Avion all red then sprayed on a coatin' we got from an automotive parts store that made it look "sparkely". Aye aye!

I didn't fill in any o' t' spirals durin' construction. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! If you're more than a few feet away, they pretty much disappear. Well, blow me down! I used 3 layers o' primer and 3 layers o' paint. Avast!

I didn't put on t' decals but still may. It's nay that they look cheesy or overly flashy, but I feel they're too big (see picture). Also, some o' t' decals had lost their stickiness and were peelin' from t' backin' o' t' decal sheet. Begad! Since everythin' else about this kit felt sturdy and had quality, me bucko, I'd expect t' decals t' nay curl/warp and to remain on t' sheet until I remove them.

This rocket looks really good on t' pad no matter what color it's painted.

T' only reason this is a 4.5 and nay a 5, is that a 5 implies perfection. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' issue with t' decals, t' thin fins, t' little "gotcha" that I don't recall, me hearties, and t' rocket nay standin' on its own (not depicted in the website photo or description) is what made this a 4.5 instead o' a 5.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Because t' rocket doesn't stand on its fins, matey, matey, flight preparation was a hair trickier than other rockets because it needed somethin' t' hold it up. Avast! Ya scallywag! When I launched rockets as a kid, matey, I remember wrappin' tape around t' launch rod. Arrr! Begad! I didn't want t' do this because it can be a pain t' take it off. Begad! So I used a little stone... Avast! No big deal.

I used a B6-6 for t' first flight even though t' delay is longer than recommended by Apogee. Blimey! Ya scallywag! It was a still evenin' so I didn't want t' start with an A as I often do (I wanted t' see some altitude). Aye aye! Begad! I also knew drift would be minimal, I hoped. Plus, matey, I'm too cheap t' go buy more engines if it isn't necessary, so I tried t' B6-6 because I had them on hand. Avast! Begad! Last, me bucko, shiver me timbers, t' field was small so t' extra delay be helpful. Avast, me proud beauty! And I wasn't certain o' t' winds at altitude. Avast! Ya scallywag!

T' Avion took off just as fast as any other rocket I've built this month. Begad! However, me bucko, shiver me timbers, it went surprisingly high. I don't have an altimeter yet, me hearties, matey, so don't know how high, but several people were certain it went over 1000' on t' B engine. Begad! Ahoy! Apogee's website predicted 730, but that's without airfoils, skins, shiver me timbers, etc., ya bilge rat, which will improve t' performance of the rocket.

T' extra 2 seconds for t' ejection seemed t' drag on forever, matey, I started yellin' t' t' rocket "C'mon, arrr, pop! C'mon, pop!", matey, and then she popped just as she did a perfect arc (only visible due t' t' smoke trail). The ejection seemed t' happen just as t' nosecone began t' point down. Avast! Well, blow me down! So t' B6-6 was a fine substitute. Blimey!

Recovery:
Recovery went smoothly. Begad! T' chute be easy t' pack, ya bilge rat, and t' diameter o' t' body tube was easy t' work with. Ahoy! I used 3 sheets o' waddin' because I've been havin' difficulties with me recovery items singein' from t' heat o' t' ejection charge.

I expected a high flight so had cut a spill hole in t' center o' t' chute. Begad! T' rocket seemed t' hover more than it should, and I recall somethin' from High School physics that made me wonder if t' spill hole wasn't big enough and therefore contributed t' t' "hovering". I'll make t' hole bigger or cut some slits into t' chute. I may even read up on some physics t' learn why t' descent seemed slower than expected.

Because o' t' altitude, shiver me timbers, t' rocket drifted a little bit even though t' wind was very light. Begad! There was no singein' and no other damage t' t' rocket. Ya scallywag! Avast! There were no marks on t' tips o' t' fins from t' engine.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This was a great rocket t' build. Avast, me proud beauty! It was nice t' build somethin' with a slightly larger diameter than t' Starlight I built previously and with higher quality parts than some others kits I recently built.

I liked t' assembly o' t' shock cord as well. Begad! This is somethin' I'll try t' do on future rockets.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5