Flight Dynamics - Zepher 5 {Kit}

Flight Dynamics Zepher 5

Flight Dynamics - Zepher 5 {Kit}

Contributed by Bill Eichelberger

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2012-03-04
Diameter:	1.64 inches
Length:	13.00 inches
Manufacturer:	Flight Dynamics

Brief

This be a long ago Ebay win that started off badly when t' rocket didn't arrive for two and a half weeks, arrr, despite me makin' payment within hours o' t' auction end. My enthusiasm for t' project started off low, matey, ya bilge rat, arrr, then sank when I kept encounterin' errors in t' instructions and templates. Despite all that, t' finished rocket looked good and flew better.

Components

PNC-60MS nose cone
10" length BT-60
3/32" fin stock
2 CR-2050 centerin' rings
engine hook
2.75" BT-20 engine tube
Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
sewin' elastic shock cord
crepe paper streamer
launch lug

Construction

This should have been a quick and easy build, but a couple of fairly serious "gotchas" in t' kit. T' first error that I noticed was that t' fin pattern, ya bilge rat, me bucko, if followed, turned out fins with the balsa grain runnin' in t' same direction as t' body tube. Fins cut like this would stand a much greater chance o' breakin' durin' recovery or even everyday handling. This is easy enough t' fix by just turnin' around t' fin pattern, but this is somethin' that a first time builder might nay catch. T' second, more serious "gotcha" involved t' template that be used t' mark t' location o' t' five fins. If t' fins were set up accordin' t' t' template, me bucko, they would have been 15/16", 1 1/16", matey, 15/16", me bucko, 1.25" and 1" apart. I knew me way around this problem, ya bilge rat, but again, a first time builder might not.

Finishing

Finishin' be fairly simple, me bucko, and I went with t' orange, white and black paint scheme shown on t' face card with only slight changes. I reversed t' orange and black on t' kit and wound up with a white body with black nose cone and fin, shiver me timbers, and four orange fins. I recreated t' black wrap pattern with 1/4" black crepe art tape. There were no decals.

Construction Score: 2

Flight

This is where t' Zepher surprised me. As I mentioned, me enthusiasm for t' project had waned considerably from t' time that I learned I won t' auction, so it wasn't a big surprise when t' first flight happened almost as an afterthought. I'd dragged several recent builds t' VOA t' test fly them for reviews, one o' which was the Zepher 5. I'd hoped t' get three flights in with each rocket on three different motors in their power range just t' get a feel for how they performed, but me son needed a ride t' work that day, which got me t' t' field late. This cut down greatly on me potential flight time, shiver me timbers, but I still managed 11 flights on t' day, me bucko, t' last of which was t' Zepher 5.

With a field t' size o' t' VOA I felt pretty safe goin' with a C6-5 for t' first flight. My enthusiasm for t' rocket immediately took an upward turn as t' Zepher 5 turned in a great flight, high and straight off t' pad with ejection occurrin' just before t' rocket tipped over. Recovery was handled by one o' t' black and white checkerboard chutes that I bought around this time, which worked as hoped as well as providin' a color coordinated counterpoint t' t' orange, black and white paint o' t' rocket.

Flight Rating: 5

Summary

Pros: Solid feel o' completed rocket, flight characteristics, simplicity o' build. I plan t' make this rocket one o' t' stars o' t' 2012 flyin' season at B6-4 Field.

Cons: Iffy customer service, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, some bugs t' be worked out in t' instructions.

Overall Rating: 3