Brief:
T' kit is designed t' use a piston ejection system (motor) ejection t' deploy the parachutes. Avast! 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, arrr, arrr, as in most PML kits. Begad! However, I modified t' kit quite a bit. First I added 3 more 38mm tubes. Ahoy! I figured there was room for them, I might as well use it. Well, blow me down! Avast!

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

Recovery:
I HATE PISTONS. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! In theory, ya bilge rat, they are wonderful but thar are too many potential problems. Ya scallywag! 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. Avast! 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, arrr, neither o' which will result in a good deployment. Well, blow me down! So, away with t' piston! Blimey!

Now that t' piston is gone, two parachutes is a problem. Avast, me proud beauty! I have tried this design in t' past and had problems gettin' t' booster chute out. Well, matey, blow me down! If deployment is after apogee, your chances o' gettin' t' bottom chute to "fall" out o' t' airframe are slim. With t' piston, this would work fine, matey, arrr, but without t' piston, I didn't want t' test me luck. I chose t' use a single 8' chute for t' rocket, a little big, but good when you are bringing the rocket down on rocks. Avast! I also wanted t' set t' rocket up for dual deployment, shiver me timbers, 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, matey, me hearties, you move t' cg forward which is really good for clustered flights.

Second, 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. Blimey! I used tubular nylon for t' shock cord. Avast, me proud beauty! I also used "U" bolts t' anchor t' recovery system.

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, 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. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Other than recovery items this rocket is well worth t' loot. Avast, me proud beauty! It is awesome in flight and will turn quite a few heads at t' launches. Ya scallywag! I am gettin' ready t' rebuild the booster t' hold 3" motors. Ahoy! I am upgradin' t' fins t' be 1/8" so the M1315 can be used. Begad!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5