Packagin' and quality average; nay spectacular but nay bad either. I would have t' say 4 out o' 5 though because t' Aeroshroud looks really nice and saves a lot o' finish work. Ahoy! T' package came as a bag with cardboard picture. Begad! T' aeroshroud, me bucko, tube, nose cone, ya bilge rat, and centerin' rings were inside with t' directions.

T' directions were thorough and easy t' follow (well written). T' only part in construction that I expected difficulty be with t' aeroshroud over t' centerin' rings which where glued t' t' tube (motor mount) with nose cone on top. Ya scallywag! This actually proved t' be easier than it looked with a simple shove t' slip t' shroud into place and "walla, ya bilge rat, arrr, done deal". Blimey! I used CA glue t' assemble t' entire model and with me past experience I was done in 20 minutes.

T' next portion o' assembly is t' glue t' "fins" and scoop into place. Begad! Begad! A very nice feature design was that Quest had you glue t' launch lug on t' underbelly o' t' ship right where t' scoop goes. Aye aye! This is nice so that you never really see t' lug. T' fins where made o' t' same cardboard as t' shroud. Well, blow me down! T' fins are hollow V-shaped and glued in places marked on shroud with glue tabs. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! T' scoop attaches in t' same manner as t' fins/wings.

Addin' balancin' weight and streamer tube: next is a small tube covered on one end that you have t' build and put aside. Arrr! Next it calls for usin' an included tab-like thin' t' glue 2 pennies t' t' inside bottom o' t' craft t' give it an orientation o' up and down and balance t' center o' gravity properly.

This is one area t' instructions are NOT clear, shiver me timbers, so I took a guess and got lucky. Well, blow me down! You have t' glue t' tabs with pennies inside on t' bottom center-line, somewhere betwixt t' edges o' t' shroud and t' joint o' t' aft most centerin' ring. But, shiver me timbers, t' two different locations are far enough apart t' have a large effect on performance, so I guessed at have it line up with t' aft edge o' t' shroud and be right. Ahoy! I glued t' streamer tube on t' all o' this with t' openin' t' t' aft o' t' ship!! nay t' front.

Finishing: 

This is what is so cool about t' Quest Aeroshroud. You get awesome lookin' shrouds with no effort. Begad! You get a complete finish. Begad! But, me hearties, a word o' caution, CA glue will smear and ruin t' Shroud finish if you get it on it and try t' wipe it off . . Aye aye! . Begad! Begad! so be careful! 

Trimmin' For Flight: 

This was t' fun part. Arrr! Begad! No, arrr, me hearties, really, you just need lots o' patience and lots o' practice. Begad! For although, matey, this is nay a record breakin' glider, arrr, it is fun t' watch, me hearties, easy t' prep and great for small fields. Aye aye! And dazzles t' kids.

Hand tossin' is difficult at best. Aye aye! Simply for its a very cumbersome, me bucko, arrr, bulky design. You can nay "hardball" it like a regular glider. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! You have t' be very gentle. Arrr! T' idea is t' see it glide just 5 feet, arrr, arrr, nay 5 minutes (which you will never get). T' idea is t' see it glide just long enough t' get an idea ofhow t' trim it.

It will almost certainty need some up elevator t' help pull t' nose up and mine tended t' turn left on t' first flight.

Also, DO NOT install t' streamer. Begad! Just forget it. Ya scallywag! Install t' streamer tube. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Install t' streamer tube. Do everythin' you are supposed but when you prep t' motor, simply forget t' do t' streamer portion. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! You will nay regret it . Arrr! . . I will explain later.

Construction is 4 out o' 5. Blimey! Very straight-forward. Nay easy but clear assembly instructions and good engineerin' led t' no difficulties. Blimey! In fact, me hearties, if you have built an Alpha, t' one where you have t' glue on t' fins, ya bilge rat, I say you can do this kit. Begad! But, you may need help with t' aeroshroud sticky tape. Well, blow me down! Avast! It is very effective and totally permanent (so far after 20 some flights) but very finicky on assembly.

Flights:

I have flown this bird many times and have now retired it and look forward t' gettin' another t' build very soon. Well, blow me down! Here is just some o' me flight notes:

T' first few flights were horrible! Just like people all over t' net described. Nasty low boosts, short borin' quasi-glides. Avast! It would boost t' 50 feet (maybe a little higher), arrr, go into a power-glide and then eject and glide for about 3 seconds.

On t' fourth flight I could nay find t' engine casin' and streamer so I said, "skip it" and flew it with just an engine; C6-3 which was t' same as first 3 flights (3 seconds or less delay ONLY !)

Wow, me hearties, shiver me timbers, what a difference. It had a squirrelly wobbly boost, matey, straight up, several hundred feet. Well, blow me down! Transitioned t' glide and what can I say, it won't win any awards for time aloft, but I must say it was great. Begad! Avast! That little plane really flew nice.

I did it again and again and again that day until I was out o' engines. Ya scallywag! I just love this little glider.

I flew it some more at a PARA launch and easily cleared 200 yards glided distance several times!

I launched it at NARAM-40 and got t' expected, "Uh, arrr, Oh" type comments that turned into me expected, "hey, ya bilge rat, it really works and nay all that bad either".

At NARAM it was nearin' 20 some flights and was showin' it's age after some harder than nice landings etc. Well, blow me down! . Avast, me proud beauty! And some harsh beat it up in t' back with t' kids car trips etc. Ya scallywag! . Arrr! Blimey! .

I decided t' go out with a bang and wanted t' get some really cool glide times, but what engines would give me more altitude than a C6-3 in 18mm. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! Tim [from Apogee] says, me bucko, "hey, shiver me timbers, a D3-3 might lift that. Its real draggy, me bucko, but it might do it". Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! I said, "what's so special about a D3?". Arrr! Blimey! He says, "a 6. Ya scallywag! Blimey! 8 second burn time. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! "I said, "SOLD".

I launched, after 7, matey, ya bilge rat, yes 7 failed launches (he said they were tough t' light). I got it t' light and WOW it went up and up and higher than a C6 and up and up and way higher than a C6. Begad! Avast! 3 seconds into flight 3. Blimey! Ahoy! 8 seconds o' burn left and up and up and over and down and down and down and down, me hearties, mayday, me bucko, mayday, SLAMMMMMM Crunch Six Million Dollar Man right in t' middle o' t' field. As t' thrust burnt out t' lower regressive burns it be NOT enough t' keep it pointed UP so it augured in while still thrusting.

But, shiver me timbers, arrr, arrr, almost no damage except a ripped nose cone. Easily glued t' fix on t' spot. WE Can REBUILD HIM Steve Austin must have been pilotin' that flight.

Now it is harder and harder t' trim. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It is gettin' old so I stop flyin' it (I fly me birds t' their deaths).

Some notes for buildin' future HL-20's

Have cleanin' supplies and clean after every single flight. That ejection charge gets dirt and smut all over t' inside o' t' tube. Begad! Blimey! Centerin' rings and shroud will eventually effect t' balance o' t' ship and make it harder and harder t' fly . Aye aye! Blimey! . Aye aye! . Ya scallywag! so, clean it up after each flight.

For flight points, ya bilge rat, I have t' rate this awesome, fun-as-anythin' ship a 5 out o' 5. Aye aye! Avast! Pure fun, ya bilge rat, once you get through t' trimmin' nightmare.