Brief:
T' kit is designed t' use a piston ejection system (motor) ejection t' deploy the parachutes. Ya scallywag! T' booster section uses a 60" parachute and t' payload section uses a 48" chute.

Construction:

• 1 6"x4' Airframe Tube (booster)
• 1 6"x3' Airframe Tube
• 6" Nose cone (fiberglass)
• 6 G10 fins
• 1 54mm Motor tube
• 3 38mm Motor tube
• 3 centerin' rings
• piston assembly
• 2 elastic shock cords
• bulkhead assembly
• 1 60" parachute
• 1 48" parachute
• 2 3/4" launch lugs

Instructions for this kit were useful, ya bilge rat, as in most PML kits. Avast, me proud beauty! However, ya bilge rat, I modified t' kit quite a bit. Avast! Avast! First I added 3 more 38mm tubes. Avast! I figured there was room for them, I might as well use it. Aye aye!

Finishing:
Finishin' was simple, arrr, or at least as simple as seven feet o' six-inch airframe can be. Avast! There are a lot o' seams t' fill!!! Although phenolic tubin' is strong, larger diameters are somewhat flimsy and prone t' cracking. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! I would suggest glassin' t' airframe - nay necessarily for flight stress, but for landings and handlin' around t' house. Aye aye! Be sure t' align t' fins! I didn't come up with any method o' doin' this, I eyeballed them and they came out fine.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Just like t' Ultimate Endeavor's two little brothers, shiver me timbers, me hearties, this kit is nothing short o' awesome in t' air. Blimey! Blimey! It is very stable and produces good, straight flights. Aye aye! Blimey! T' first flight was with a K550. Begad! Blimey! This be me L2 cert flight and attained an altitude o' 2988'. Begad! Blimey! Second flight be on a K550 as well and reached 3074' (less wind). Begad! Blimey! On these two flights, I used apogee ejection only. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This was accomplished with an adept ALTS2 and motor backup. Begad! Blimey! For a third back up system, I installed a missile works wrc2. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Yes I am paranoid! Blimey! I have seen big rockets crash into spectator areas, me bucko, so I take all precautions. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Besides, after filling all those seams, you don't want t' redo any o' t' airframe.

Recovery:
I HATE PISTONS. Avast! Begad! Blimey! In theory, matey, they are wonderful but thar are too many potential problems. If t' piston doesn't have a good seal t' t' airframe, arrr, ejection gasses will pass by and nay be sufficient t' separate t' two halves. Ahoy! Blimey! If the piston gets stuck, you'll either blow a hole in t' airframe or just have a bunch o' compressed gas under t' piston, me hearties, neither o' which will result in a good deployment. Aye aye! So, away with t' piston! Blimey!

Now that t' piston is gone, ya bilge rat, two parachutes is a problem. Begad! I have tried this design in t' past and had problems gettin' t' booster chute out. Ya scallywag! If deployment is after apogee, your chances o' gettin' t' bottom chute to "fall" out o' t' airframe are slim. Aye aye! Aye aye! With t' piston, me bucko, arrr, this would work fine, arrr, but without t' piston, I didn't want t' test me luck. Avast! I chose t' use a single 8' chute for t' rocket, me bucko, shiver me timbers, a little big, but good when you are bringing the rocket down on rocks. I also wanted t' set t' rocket up for dual deployment, arrr, so I used t' parts from t' piston t' creat a "lid" on top o' t' coupler t' house electronics. By housin' t' main chute above the split and electronics in t' middle, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, you move t' cg forward which is really good for clustered flights. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty!

Second, THROW AWAY THE ELASTIC SHOCK CORDS! I know PML considers them t' be adequate, but do you want t' trust a rocket that is this big t' elastic? If you do you are crazy. Ahoy! Ahoy! I used tubular nylon for t' shock cord. Begad! Begad! I also used "U" bolts t' anchor t' recovery system. Begad! Well, blow me down!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall this is a good kit. Aye aye! I think PML should reconsider t' recovery system. T' cost o' t' piston, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, elastic shock cords and parachutes is figured into the price o' t' kit and I didn't use any o' them. Fortunately, I had the replacement parts already, so it didn't cost me any extra. Aye aye! Other than recovery items this rocket is well worth t' money. Ya scallywag! Begad! It is awesome in flight and will turn quite a few heads at t' launches. I am gettin' ready t' rebuild the booster t' hold 3" motors. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I am upgradin' t' fins t' be 1/8" so the M1315 can be used. Avast!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5