Brief:
Let me start by tellin' you that me Level 2 certi-fication flight was not successful. Avast! But that has nay deterred me from recommendin' this kit. The re-build be very successful and t' rocket re-built won Model o' t' month for the Novem-ber meetin' o' NIRA. Ya scallywag! With a few adjustments, ya bilge rat, I know this model will make it durin' me second attempt. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Completed, matey, this model is quite impres-sive. Aye aye!

T' Velociraptor was nay only a challengin' rocket t' build it be a lot of fun. T' start, t' buyin' experience o' selectin' and orderin' through Binder Design was incredible. I ordered t' Velociraptor on-line on a Sunday and re-ceived it in t' mail on t' followin' Thursday. Avast! You could tell I just bought a top shelf kit. Arrr! Aye aye! T' packagin' was done with care. Everythin' was wrapped individually and all o' t' parts were in place and in excellent condition. T' 11 page instruction manual with illustrations was very well thought out and easy t' follow. T' website is very well thought out and the and very easy t' order a number o' different kits and supplies. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! This website is the best kept secret in Rocketry, shiver me timbers, me bucko, ya bilge rat, t' buyin' experience alone scores a (5). Mike Fisher, shiver me timbers, t' owner o' Binder Design an-swered all o' me questions on e-mail or on t' phone. He be very accessible. Avast! Begad!

Kit specifications:
Designed for t' advanced builder and sport flyer, shiver me timbers, t' Velociraptor is a 4” diameter High Power Rocket with an aggressive look. Aye aye! It comes with unique anti-zipper baffle design, shiver me timbers, aluminum motor retainer, and rail buttons! Fly it on an H or I for your level one certification, me bucko, then stick a J motor in it for your level two flight and watch it scream. Ahoy!

Kit included cut and sanded 3/16” aircraft quality plywood fins, high strength airframe tube and couplers, arrr, shiver me timbers, centerin' rings, matey, bulkhead plate, high quality hardware package, matey, 54 mm motor tube, shiver me timbers, plastic nose and tail cone, computer designed and cut vinyl decals. Aye aye! A 45” premium nylon parachute was included. Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction:
With t' instruction manual bein' very thor-ough, arrr, all you need t' be able t' do is read left t' right. T' longest part o' this project be t' buildin' o' the aft section. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! With a boat tail as-sembly and 9 fins t' sand and align, matey, the slower I went produced terrific results. Ya scallywag! As t' instruc-tions tell you, ya bilge rat, the care that you take durin' these steps will insure a well built and solid rocket. Ya scallywag! A hand sander and dremel came in very handy, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, especially with t' talon fins.

I used a Slim Line motor retainer that was in-cluded with t' kit. Avast, me proud beauty! I am sold on these, me bucko, and plan on usin' them in all future rockets. Begad! Sleek, easy, strong and better than maskin' tape. Begad! This rocket also incorporated a Binder Baffle System, the first time that I had built and used a baffle. Ya scallywag! Begad! This also worked well. Ahoy!

I purchased an avionics bay for this rocket, me bucko, but chose nay t' use it. The rocket and can be built two ways, shiver me timbers, with or without t' bay. Ya scallywag! I did nay feel that I be ready for t' electronics, but I now realize that if I am goin' t' play in t' higher power stuff, I am goin' t' have t' get involved with electronics.

I took me time and made sure that t' rocket was goin' t' be solid. I wanted to have it able t' use a K550W. Aye aye! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! So I built it strong. Begad! Avast! T' rocket weigh in at 5.5 lbs. Aye aye! loaded and ready t' go. Avast! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!

Finishing:
I had built this stock, me hearties, me bucko, so me intentions were t' finish it exactly as it showed in t' instructions. Begad! Blimey! After sandin' and prep, I applied two coats o' primer followed by three coats o' finishin' paint. I used white high gloss paint for the aft section and Green Krylon for t' forward section. Arrr! Ahoy! T' Nose cone was finished in silver. Arrr! Binder pro-vided excellent decals t' finish t' rocket and give its great look. Avast, me proud beauty! Usin' me garage as me paint studio never sits well with my wife, arrr, matey, but she has gotten use t' it. Avast!

Flight:
My level 2 certification flight was set for WTGG in September. I arrived at the field a late morn-ing, arrr, t' find that a lot o' people were lookin' for me; I had the only rail for t' launch. It became very popular that day. Arrr! I checked in with every-one that be goin' t' help me with t' flight. Arrr! After watchin' 4-6 flights t' gage t' wind, I started t' build t' J350W motor that I be gong to use. Aye aye!

As I said in t' first paragraph, this was nay a successful flight. Ahoy! When you start t' investigate why somethin' went wrong, here be me first mistake o' the day. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! T' motor came with a long delay. Ahoy! I be advised based on what Space Cad had recommended t' change t' a medium delay. Goin' with t' medium delay led to a premature separation. Well, me hearties, blow me down! After talkin' t' Binder, arrr, t' long de-lay should have been t' choice. Blimey! Begad! Space Cad does nay do a very good job when usin' boat tails. T' Rocket probably reached an altitude o' 3300-3500 feet. Aye aye! Where Space Cad had it topin' out at 2800 feet, this extra 500-700 feet be t' difference in comin' in perfect or with w 9 inch zipper.

Back t' t' launch. Avast, me proud beauty! As a mentioned t' rocket is quite impressive when finished, ya bilge rat, and I believe this be t' be t' only Level 2 launch o' t' day. Avast! So it got a little o' attention. T' rocket was loaded on t' Impulse Aerospace Quad Pod, and we were readin' t' go. Avast, me proud beauty! T' wind be at about 5 miles an hour out of t' south west. Well, matey, blow me down! I adjusted t' angle o' t' pad t' take advantage o' the wind and t' try t' keep t' rocket out o' t' corn field.

5,4,3,2,1 Lift off, matey, t' rocket lifted off t' pad. Aye aye! It looked great. Well, blow me down! Begad! With everyone watchin' we saw t' separation and chute deploy. Begad! T' chase be on. Blimey! Begad!

Recovery:
With t' chute fully deployed with t' rocket appearin' in good shape. The extra height that we saw allowed t' drift into t' corn field about two hundred yards in. Blimey! After two hours and a sec-ond attempt I be able t' recover the rocket with t' help o' a flag pole and walkin' talking. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

I be very disappointed in findin' t' zipper damage. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I also lost two talon fins. Ahoy! When t' post opt was completed, we realized t' followin' things that could have lead t' a successful flight:

1. A Long delay. Ahoy!
2. A wider lead line comin' out o' t' body tube, arrr, t' 1/2” shock cord allowed t' cord t' zipper through t' body tube more easily.
3. Electronics would have allowed for dual de-ployment and brought t' rocket closer t' t' launch pad. Blimey!
4. Fiber glassin' t' body tube.

Summary:
T' next day I had e-mailed Mike Fisher at Binder and had t' parts that I needed t' rebuild t' rocket. It is now ready t' go at t' next op-portunity for a HPR launch. Blimey! Aye aye! I have learned a lot in t' last 15 months, shiver me timbers, and have found that this is a great hobby t' be a part of. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I will continue t' learn and gain experience, arrr, and will always seek t' advice from others that have gone before me. Avast, me proud beauty!

This is a great rocket, and I recommend it t' anyone. T' failed attempt was not that o' t' rocket, but a lack o' experience – I know I won’t make t' same mistakes again.