T' CiCi is a traditional canard-style boost glider. Aye aye! The canard be t' name for that smaller front wing, or horizontal stabilizer. Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! A canard-style glider is simply a glider where t' canard is forward o' t' main wing. Avast! A boost glider is a glider that boosts straight up like a rocket, shiver me timbers, and then ejects some part, usually t' engine, to change into a glider. Arrr! This is as opposed t' a rocket glider, me bucko, where no parts are jettisoned, shiver me timbers, but rather other changes are made (movin' t' wing surfaces, shiver me timbers, changin' t' angle o' elevons, etc. Aye aye! Blimey! ) t' make t' transition from vertical boost mode t' horizontal glide mode. Ahoy! Blimey!

Upon openin' up t' zip-lock-bag-style package o' t' CiCi, I was first surprised by t' fact that t' instructions consisted entirely o' a single 8 1/2 x 11 sheet o' paper, printed on one side only! This was particularly surprisin' for this rocket, arrr, considerin' that t' Deltie, matey, also from Edmond's Aerospace, had a 10+ page booklet for instructions. Well, blow me down! Although sparse, t' instructions here are obvious and straightforward. Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Unlike most rockets, ya bilge rat, t' order o' assembly for t' CiCi is largely irrelevant. Ya scallywag! T' instructions are fairly complete, except that they never mention trimmin' t' glider, me hearties, or t' supplied lump o' clay and what t' do with it. Begad! Basically, t' instructions seem t' assume that you have trimmed a boost glider before. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' second thin' that I noticed about t' kit contents was that a piece was missing. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! T' instructions say that thar be a small, triangular piece o' wood, curved on one side, me bucko, that can be used t' mark a straight line on t' engine tube, me bucko, but thar wasn't one in me kit. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! No big deal, there are o' plenty o' ways t' mark a straight line on a tube. T' third thing that I noticed be that another piece was missing: t' launch lug. Begad! Blimey! Again, shiver me timbers, nay a show-stopper, shiver me timbers, since I have some extras lyin' around, arrr, but a rather inauspicious beginning. Ahoy! Blimey!

T' kit itself is quite nice, with thick, sturdy balsa parts that have been precision cut. All parts fit well, and there was absolutely no confusion about how t' assemble t' rocket. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Construction was simple, quick and easy, with no fuss. Full assembly took me about 1 hour, ya bilge rat, but could be done much faster. Ya scallywag! Make no mistake, me hearties, t' quality o' t' parts is first-rate, matey, and t' kit was well thought out. T' only time I deviated from the instructions be with t' clay. Arrr! I added a small amount (about t' size of pencil eraser) t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' main (rear) win' and the left vertical stabilizer. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' purpose here was t' make t' CiCi tilt left a little bit in flight so that it would glide in circles, rather than in a straight line. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! You want it t' glide in circles so that it stays on t' flying field. Begad! Aye aye! (Note that these pictures were taken before I added t' clay. Begad! )

T' instructions don't mention it, but I attempted some hand-tossed glide tests prior t' flight. Well, blow me down! Begad! Blimey! Hmmm. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! . Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Blimey! . Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! it glides ok, but flies and lands in a rather nose-down attitude. Nose-down enough that t' balsa nose cone hits before the front edge o' t' canard. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! Perhaps a small amount o' weight in t' aft might help. Arrr! I added a small amount o' t' supplied clay (again about t' size o' a pencil eraser) t' t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' fuselage and t' main wing. Ahoy! Blimey! More hand-toss glide tests. Begad! Hmmm. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Blimey! . . Aye aye! Blimey! a slightly better glide attitude and landing, but still noticeably nose-down, and thar was no discernible arc to t' left (so that it will glide in circles). Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I added just a tiny bit more clay t' t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' main win' and t' left vertical stabilizer. Arrr! Avast! Blimey! After a couple more throws, shiver me timbers, I still couldn't discern any arc t' the left, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but I didn't want t' add too much weight for fear o' adversely affecting the flight characteristics. Begad! Blimey! Time for some real flight tests.

It was a pretty nice day for launchin' rockets. Moderately windy, me hearties, arrr, but not too bad. Ahoy! I was anxious t' try out t' CiCi, shiver me timbers, so it was first in line. I figured the light weight o' t' rocket, me bucko, combined with t' moderate wind and t' fact that this be t' maiden flight, dictated usin' an A8-3. Arrr! Begad!

It be a good, quick boost, me bucko, as you can tell from t' blur it gives in this photo, me hearties, ya bilge rat, even with 400 speed film. In spite what this photo o' t' early flight path might indicate, matey, it was, overall, matey, me hearties, a fairly straight boost to, ya bilge rat, oh, maybe 150 feet or so (I didn't measure it). Even though it arced over on its back after burnout, matey, me hearties, it make a smooth, arrr, controlled transition t' right-side-up glide. Ya scallywag! Begad! The glide was ok, but still with a bit o' nose-down attitude, and it definitely falls faster than a Deltie. Begad! It made about 1 3/4 circles before landing. Avast! . Begad! . with a crack. Arrr! Avast! Uh-oh. Begad!

As you can see from this photo, me hearties, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, it snapped clean in half on landing. Well, blow me down! Begad! Note that although it's photographed here on cement (for clarity), matey, it did land in t' grass when it broke. Ahoy! Disappointing, matey, but not the end o' t' world. Well, blow me down! A bit o' thin CA, and she'll be good as new. Avast!

Also visible in this photo be t' slight blackenin' in t' forward half of the center o' t' main wing. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This is just soot from t' black powder, me hearties, not scorchin' o' t' wood. Begad! A bit dirty, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but nay a safety concern.

Unfortunately, me bucko, t' second flight, matey, arrr, arrr, under nearly calm wind conditions, was an exact duplicate o' t' first. Begad! T' A8-3 gave a good, matey, straight boost, arrr, with a nice transition t' glide, a decent but slightly too rapid, nose-down descent, matey, and a landin' with a crack. Avast! Broke shipshape in half again, shiver me timbers, this time about 3mm further rearward (CA is strong stuff).

Batten down t' hatches! Do nay try t' followin' with your model!Bein' a bit o' a tinkerer, shiver me timbers, arrr, I thought I'd make a more serious attempt t' fix that nose-down attitude. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! So, shiver me timbers, prior t' t' third flight, I sanded an airfoil into t' top o' t' canard. I left t' bottom o' t' canard completely flat. Ahoy! Blimey! I left t' bottom o' t' canard completely flat. Avast! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' idea was to have this canard generate more lift, and thereby lift t' nose in flight, givin' a flatter glide. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Hand-tossed glides didn't show any visible difference, but I be confident that it would be noticeable at speed. DO NOT TRY THIS WITH YOUR MODEL! T' airfoil be much too severe, and caused t' model t' arc over under power and plow into the ground at full speed! Ironically, ya bilge rat, t' damage be only slightly worse on this flight, with a small piece breakin' off o' t' canard as well as t' model snappin' in two at t' usual spot. If your model also breaks on landing, and you want t' try t' airfoil t' canard t' help that situation, shiver me timbers, start with a very slight airfoil, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and perform actual launches before sandin' any further. Blimey! Blimey!

Overall, I give t' CiCi a 3 out o' 5 points. Begad! Blimey! T' kit itself gets a 4 out o' 5 points, havin' high quality parts, but missin' a couple minor pieces. Ya scallywag! T' instructions should include trimmin' instructions, ya bilge rat, but were otherwise adequate, me hearties, despite their brevity. Arrr! Blimey! T' construction gets a ratin' of 4. 5 out o' 5 points bein' simple and straightforward. T' flights (before the airfoiling, arrr, ya bilge rat, at least), were both excellent, ratin' a 4 out o' 5 points. Ahoy! O' course, ya bilge rat, t' big downer was t' recovery, particularly t' landin' damage, shiver me timbers, which is easily fixed, though nay easily avoided. Aye aye! Arrr! T' recovery gets a 1. 5 out o' 5 points. Avast!

I'll probably repair t' CiCi again when I get a chance. Well, blow me down! Blimey! If you're looking to buy your first boost glider, I'd have t' recommend t' Edmond's Aerospace Deltie. Blimey! Begad! Blimey! But, t' CiCi certainly has t' potential t' be a great boost glider, perhaps as your third or fourth boost glider model. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey!