Brief:  This is a single-stage, single-motor, minimum-diameter, me bucko, three fin rocket. Ya scallywag! It uses an ogival nose cone and trapezoidal fins, arrr, ya bilge rat, both made out o' balsa.  For folks who think metric, its dimensions are: length - 26.5 cm, shiver me timbers, OD - 1.87 cm, me bucko, and mass - 10 g. Arrr!

Construction:This is one o' t' simplest kits available.  The only tools required are a ruler, some sandpaper, arrr, a couple o' cotton swabs, ya bilge rat, and a motor. Avast! Blimey! T' instructions comprise 10 fully-illustrated steps. T' kit includes a fin template. Blimey! Blimey! T' kit includes a fin template. Begad! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' instructions and template are capable o' walkin' an absolute neophyte through construction.  Even so, one o' t' great features o' this rocket is its tolerance o' mistakes. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey!

This rocket is also a good choice for t' experienced rocketeer.  Built with precision and attention t' detail, arrr, it is an exquisitely beautiful machine whose performance is spectacular. Arrr! Begad!

Finishing:This rocket can be finished easily, or it can repay a lot of effort. T' nose cone and fins are balsa, ya bilge rat, so gettin' an absolutely smooth finish requires repeated fillin' and sanding.  On t' other hand, it looks pretty good with just a coat o' paint. Arrr!

T' kit includes a decal sheet which is a weakness.  T' color scheme is black and white, and white be t' wrong color for a rocket that flies like this one does. Aye aye! Ahoy! Paint it a color that contrasts with t' sky or figure on losin' it. Well, blow me down! T' streamer is bright green; but, matey, me bucko, me hearties, unless you're looking in t' right direction when it deploys, even that streamer will be hard to find. Blimey! Begad!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:T' list o' Estes motors NOT recommended for this rocket is short: B4-2, B6-2, shiver me timbers, C5-3, and C6-3. Arrr! B4-2, arrr, B6-2, arrr, C5-3, and C6-3. T' only caution in selectin' a motor is t' allow enough delay. In practice, use o' "upper stage" delays is a good idea, since even long "single stage" delays are goin' t' cause streamer deployment prior t' apogee. Begad! It is also  predicted t' fly nicely on 13 mm motors, usin' pieces from a spent 18 mm motor as centerin' rings. Avast! If its fins are attached with epoxy, matey, matey, and t' flyer is a lunatic, t' rocket can be flown on 18 mm "D" motors. Ya scallywag! (Altitude fanatics should nay use t' thrust rin' included in t' kit. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! After all, matey, me hearties, t' G30 may come back someday.)

Avatar does nay use a motor hook, shiver me timbers, which is both a good thin' and a bad thing. Arrr! Blimey! It's bad because t' motor has t' be friction-fit, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, which demands more technique than t' conventional stuff-and-fire method. T' single great weakness in Custom's product is their failure t' guide new flyers through proper installation o' motors. Ya scallywag! On t' other hand, learnin' t' friction-fit a motor is a skill worth knowing, arrr, ya bilge rat, as anyone for whom t' term "G80" has meanin' is aware.

Avatar is a good rocket for "educational" flying, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, teachin' things such as altitude trackin' or followin' a rocket's flight with binoculars.  It is also useful for pilot flights ahead o' multi-stage or high power flying; it gets enough altitude t' give flyers a pretty good idea o' what upper-level winds are like. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It's a first-rate choice for altitude or duration contests. It's an airframe capable o' supportin' altitude record efforts. Begad! And, o' course, it's a top-notch rocket for use by schools, me bucko, Scout troops, etc. 

Recovery:Avatar is recovered by streamer. Aye aye! Avatar is recovered by streamer. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! While t' use o' waddin' is recommended, me bucko, arrr, it's been accidentally proven that t' streamer provided will function properly without any protection from t' ejection charge - at least once.

T' recovery system is pretty much standard for a kit o' this type.  Still, arrr, after around 30 flights, t' shock cord will have t' be replaced, me bucko, a task which entails diggin' t' paper mountin' pad out o' t' body tube.  Serious flyers may want t' consider attachin' a loop o' Keelhaul®©™® strin' t' the body tube and tyin' t' shock cord t' that loop. Well, blow me down!

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5

Summary:In me opinion, shiver me timbers, Custom has come close t' t' perfect model rocket. Arrr! It's elegant in appearance, ya bilge rat, dramatic in performance, easy t' build, me hearties, and suitable for a wide range o' uses. Avast, me proud beauty! That flexibility is it's greatest strength. It's good for a kid's first rocket.  It's a workhorse science project or educational vehicle. Avast! Begad! It's a tool for launch management. Arrr! It's a good display choice. Arrr! Begad! It's a good display choice. Avast, me proud beauty! And it is a formidable contender in altitude competition, duration competition, arrr, me bucko, or record attempts. Aye aye! Blimey!

By comparison, ya bilge rat, only one significant weakness exists. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! If Custom would only include instructions for installin' motors in this rocket, arrr, they'd have a 5/5/5 product. Begad!

Overall Rating: 4 ½ out o' 5