Photo courtesy o' Giant Leap Rocketry   

Brief:
This is a single-stage super-sonic capable dirt-simple HPR rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! A great HPR certification kit for L1 and L2.

Construction:
T' kit comes with 1 body tube (phenolic or optional fiberglass extra $$), me hearties, a 3-fin Acme Fin-can (very solid and easy t' install), and is minimum diameter so thar's no need for centerin' rings. Begad! Aye aye! T' body tube be t' motor mount. I recommend t' optional Slim-Line motor retainer. Ahoy! It comes with a bright-orange parachute and plenty o' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord. I also recommend t' optional Keelhaul®©™ heat-pad for t' chute. It comes with an OGIVE nose cone. Arrr! Ahoy! T' shock cord is tied and epoxied t' a "supermount", me hearties, which is two thick cardboard tubes (one inside t' other) with a piece o' all-thread through t' middle. Aye aye! Blimey! This is one o' t' sturdiest shock-cord mounts I've encountered.

T' instructions are excellent and virtually unnecessary for anyone but t' most novice rocketeer. Begad! Blimey! This kit is so completely easy t' build and so bullet proof. Begad! Blimey! T' assembly process consists of:

• Epoxy (JB Weld) motor retainer in place (if you are usin' one)
• Epoxy (30 min. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! or better) fin can in place
• Attach shock cord t' shock cord mount (bowline)
• Epoxy-coat shock cord knot
• Epoxy shock cord mount t' body tube
• Attach Parachute and Nose Cone
• Epoxy Launch Lugs t' Body
• Paint

That's all thar be t' it.

Finishing:
This rocket can be flown bare or finished as elaborately as you want. Blimey! If you do paint it, me bucko, you'll want t' use a good Krylon or other heavy duty heat-resistant paint. (Did I mention a K will get this thin' past Mach 2?)

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
Giant Leap has a list o' motors they've simmed or tested on their website. Aye aye! T' rocket, arrr, however, is so well designed, ya bilge rat, it'll pretty much fly on any HPR motor in t' 38-54mm range. Avast, me proud beauty! I flew it multiple times on an H-242 and J-350. (Unfortunately, I botched an avionics add-on with no motor-backup on it's third flight, ya bilge rat, and created confetti. This be entirely me fault, however, and t' rocket flew very well right into t' ground (straight down, me bucko, arrr, perfectly stable)).

Here pictured be t' J350 just comin' t' pressure for lift-off o' me Level 2 Certification Flight. Arrr! Aye aye! Success!

T' chute might be a little large. Aye aye! In any wind, matey, you can expect a trek t' go get t' thing.

Recovery:
T' shock cord and parachute are generally o' very high quality. Blimey! Keelhaul®©™ tube shock cord and Nylon chute. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' "technique" is a very strong mountin' on t' body-tube end and a very long shock cord. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' only possible complaint about t' recovery system be t' slow descent can lead t' a long recovery trip. Blimey! Arrr! However, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, this is a trade-off, and, for certification, a nice gentle landin' is worth t' hike.

Recommended Motors:
Almost any 38mm or 54mm H-K.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:

Pros:

• Very easy t' assemble
• Flies great
• Extremely Stable
• MACH+
• Great intro t' HPR
• Great startin' point for mods and scratch-builds (I've built about 3 more rockets based on t' FS54 parts since then).

Cons:

• Long recovery hike due t' slow descent
• Maybe too simple... Ahoy! Begs t' be modified (or is that a Pro?)

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5