T' Aztec is a 2-stage rocket that recovers on a streamer. Ya scallywag! Custom lists it as skill level 2, shiver me timbers, me hearties, requirin' "some modeling experience". T' lines are simple and clean, ya bilge rat, makin' for a very good lookin' rocket.

Components
T' kit comes in a plastic bag. Begad! Before openin' it up, ya bilge rat, I inspected t' contents inside, and everythin' looked fine except that one die-cut fin had been punched out o' its sheet. Begad! T' body tubes are .976" (Estes BT-50 sized), shiver me timbers, the nosecone plastic and fins balsa. Arrr! Water-slide decals are included. Arrr! T' supplied shock cord is way too short, matey, arrr, and t' neon-green streamer looks a little small to me.

Construction
T' instructions are sparse but adequate, and very good diagrams are shown for each step. There are no surprises here for anyone who's built a few model rocket kits, arrr, matey, but you'll probably substitute your own methods here and there durin' construction. Aye aye! Custom marks t' fin root with a shallow notch - a nice touch. T' fins are surface mounted but thar be no mention made o' double glue joints, me hearties, which is a simple and effective way t' strengthen t' fin/body tube joint. Blimey! Begad! T' most challengin' part o' construction is alignin' t' booster and sustainer fins. Aye aye! Avast! T' make it easier t' align t' fins perpendicular t' t' body tube, arrr, slip an engine into t' motor mount (be careful nay t' accidentally glue it inside!) and point t' fins t' t' nozzle o' t' engine rather than t' the vaguely defined "center" o' an empty tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Give it a try, arrr, you'll be surprised at how much easier it is t' get those fins straight. Aye aye! As usual with typical kits o' this type, I replaced t' supplied shock cord with another piece that was at least 3 body lengths long, arrr, in this case, arrr, 36" worth. Begad! I used t' streamer that came with t' kit because our flyin' field is all soft grass, me bucko, and I can put a bigger streamer on easily if necessary. Ahoy!

Finishing
T' paint scheme is simple, ya bilge rat, paint it white, arrr, then mask t' fins and paint them red. Begad! T' nosecone is painted red too. Blimey! Custom gives good directions on sealing the fins and how t' mask for painting. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decals are simple and good looking. Aye aye! Aye aye!

Flight
Stagin' is accomplished by tapin' t' motors together with cellophane tape, then friction fittin' t' "stack" into t' rocket with maskin' tape. Arrr! Arrr! The directions don't specifically say so, but don't use more than a single wrap of cellophane tape. That's enough t' ensure ignition o' t' upper stage, me bucko, and then let go o' t' spent booster stage. Ahoy! Ya scallywag!

Recommended motors (all Estes) for t' Aztec are:

• Single Stage: 1/2A6-2, A8-3, B4-4, matey, B6-4, ya bilge rat, C6-5, ya bilge rat, and C6-7
• Upper Stage: B6-6 and C6-7
• Booster: B6-0 and C6-0

Not listed but now available, me bucko, I'd also recommend t' A8-5 for both single and upper. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! In fact, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' maiden 2-stage flight for me Aztec will be the B6-0/A8-5 combo, matey, me bucko, which might be perfect for small fields like a local schoolyard. Begad! Aye aye! After t' first time, I'll be more aggressive with motor selection, conditions permitting. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! For single stage flights, an A10-3T or A3-4T mini in an 18mm/13mm adapter would also work well.

Maiden flight was made in March, me hearties, 2002 on a C6-0/A8-5 combo. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Liftoff was fast, but she tipped off t' rod because o' wind and headed towards a wooded area at about a 30 degree angle, flyin' straight and stable. Avast, me proud beauty! She was moving fast and still gainin' altitude when stagin' occurred. Aye aye! Perfect ignition, me hearties, matey, and the last anyone saw o' either part was t' booster tumblin' into t' cattails near t' lake, me bucko, and t' sustainer comin' down under streamer in t' woods. Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! I looked for both pieces, but had no luck.

Conclusion
This is a nice kit. Arrr! T' parts fit well together, arrr, t' rocket looks good when finished, ya bilge rat, and she flies well. Ahoy! Save t' big motors for calm days, and you'll no doubt get more flights from yours than (impatient) I did from mine. Avast!