Photo courtesy o' Alien Enterprises     

Brief:
Monocopter 24 by Alien Enterprises Kit no. Ahoy! M-24. Well, blow me down! Monocopter made t' fly on 24 mm motors

Construction:
T' Kit includes:

• Carbon veil 4" X 13"
• Carbon rod 3/16" X 12"
• Carbon strips ¼" X 5" X .007"
• Aluminum tube 5/32" OD X 3"
• Spruce block
• Hex nut (2) ¼"-20
• Plywood 1/16" X 3" X 12"
• Pre-Shaped Airfoil 3" X 12"
• Motor tube 24mm ID X 3"
• Thrust ring
• Launch lug ½" ID X 1"
• Dowel rod ½" X 8"
• Pattern sheet
• Plastic sheet (not shown)
• Instructions on a Mini CD

I think this had t' best instructions o' any kit I have bought yet. T' instructions, me hearties, if you where t' print them out would take up 31 pages. Ahoy! They included 88 pics for assemblin' t' monocopter and two in-flight pictures for a total o' 90 pictures.

T' kit also had a list o' tools and adhesives you would need t' finish it:

I am just goin' t' list a short synopsis on buildin' this because t' instructions had a total o' 29 steps for buildin' this monocopter.

T' first was reinforcin' t' air foil with 30 minute epoxy and t' carbon fiber. Then you went on t' t' motor tube and launch lug reinforcin' both with a little bit o' thin CA. Ahoy! Next, me hearties, was finishin' t' shape on t' airfoil.

Next, came cuttin' t' plywood with t' included pattern for t' center plate and t' reinforcement plates. After you did this you then, usin' some 5 min. Avast! epoxy, glued t' motor tube and launch lug t' t' center plate.

Then, came what I thought be t' only tricky part o' buildin' this and that be t' angle t' airfoil. Ya scallywag! You set one side o' t' airfoil on a 5/8" block and t' other side on a 1/8" block, shiver me timbers, Then lined up t' center plate with this and cut two 1/4" slots, and removed t' piece that was left. This slot be t' attachin' point for t' center plate t' t' airfoil o' t' monocopter. Blimey! You use 5 min epoxy t' join t' airfoil t' t' center plate.

Then you put t' balance beam holder on and t' reinforcement plates epoxy them into place. Begad! When this was done you took t' 2 little carbon strips and wrapped them around t' motor tube onto t' reinforcement plates holdin' them on with some CA.

Then you cut out t' paper side covers and glued them on.

You then made a protective coatin' on t' side o' t' airfoil that didn't have t' carbon fiber on with some 30 min epoxy spread evenly.

You then installed t' balance beam through t' beam holder holdin' it in place with a few wraps o' maskin' tape on either side. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! This is in-case t' beam breaks you can change it. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! You now finished t' monocopter.

After t' monocopter is done you still have t' build t' launch lug, which is a piece o' 1/2"x8" long wooden dowel. Aye aye! You wrap maskin' tape 1 1/2" from t' end o' t' dowel and then saturate that 1 1/2" section with CA and then sand smooth.

Finishing:
No special finishin' required unless you wanted t' paint it. Aye aye! I just left mine naked.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Picture courtesy o' Alien Enterprises     

Flight:
T' recommend motors are D11p, ya bilge rat, D7-rct, matey, E6-rct, me hearties, E7-rct, E12-rct, shiver me timbers, me bucko, E11-3j, F12-3j.

If you use t' E11-3 or t' F12 you build t' motor as normal just leavin' out t' ejection charge.

I flew mine twice on a F24 since I didn't have any o' t' listed recommend motors. My flights went t' about a 100' with a nice tumble recovery. Just usin' a piece o' maskin' tape t' hold t' motor casin' in.

Both flights where for me nephew's birthday party and t' kids really enjoyed watchin' t' monocopter and t' other rockets I left them fly.

Recovery:
As far as flight recovery t' monocopter just tumbles back t' t' ground.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I think t' kit was well planned out and t' instructions very detailed. I wish more companies would take t' time t' add more t' t' instructions like Alien Enterprises has.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5