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, me hearties, ya bilge rat, as in most PML kits. However, I modified t' kit quite a bit. Ya scallywag! First I added 3 more 38mm tubes. Arrr! I figured there was room for them, shiver me timbers, I might as well use it. Begad!

Finishing:
Finishin' was simple, me bucko, matey, or at least as simple as seven feet o' six-inch airframe can be. Ahoy! There are a lot o' seams t' fill!!! Although phenolic tubin' is strong, larger diameters are somewhat flimsy and prone t' cracking. Aye aye! I would suggest glassin' t' airframe - nay necessarily for flight stress, shiver me timbers, but for landings and handlin' around t' house. 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, me hearties, matey, matey, this kit is nothing short o' awesome in t' air. Begad! Begad! It is very stable and produces good, straight flights. T' first flight be with a K550. This be me L2 cert flight and attained an altitude o' 2988'. Well, blow me down! Second flight was on a K550 as well and reached 3074' (less wind). Arrr! On these two flights, I used apogee ejection only. Arrr! This was accomplished with an adept ALTS2 and motor backup. Aye aye! For a third back up system, I installed a missile works wrc2. Begad! Yes I am paranoid! I have seen big rockets crash into spectator areas, so I take all precautions. Avast, me proud beauty! Besides, arrr, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, after filling all those seams, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, you don't want t' redo any o' t' airframe.

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

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

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

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5