Brief:
Single stage high power rocket kit, parachute recovery, spun aluminum nozzle. Arrr!

Construction:
Kit contains, one PML phenolic main body tube, me hearties, one 21" payload section, three fiberglass fins, ya bilge rat, me hearties, three plywood centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, me bucko, one strap, me bucko, a plastic nose cone, a 38mm motor tube, arrr, a motor retention system, matey, and a Rocketman R7 parachute.

Great illustrated instructions, shiver me timbers, very easy t' construct. Aye aye! Avast! Even though it was easy, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, it be still fun. Fin alignment be great, except for a little bit of sandin' had t' be done t' get them t' fit in right. Blimey! T' strap holdin' the rocket together is glued onto t' side o' t' motor mount tube and through the top centerin' ring. Avast! Arrr! We used a Dremel tool for t' fin sanding, ya bilge rat, which must be done with a mask. Avast! Ya scallywag!

T' aluminum nozzle fits onto t' back o' t' airframe with a coupler. Well, blow me down! It took us half an hour t' get t' nozzle all t' way t' t' tube due t' more than a very tight fit. Aye aye! T' motor mount goes through t' nozzle with one rear centerin' rin' at t' end o' t' nozzle. Blimey! Here, shiver me timbers, arrr, thar be also a motor retention system.

Finishing:
There were decals included, matey, but we did nay use them. This was me Dad's rocket, so he painted it like his company with a small logo on t' side. T' rocket looks very cool with t' aluminum nozzle at t' end, and is a replica o' the last rocket in t' movie October Sky.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
There are no recommended motors but Ky said it could hold up t' just about any 38mm motor that would fit into it. Blimey! We put in 2 lbs o' nose weight for the larger I motors. Avast, me proud beauty! This was me dad's level one rocket, so he flew it on an I284 first. Well, blow me down! T' parachute didn't come out, and t' rocket landed about 2 feet away from a small private airplane in t' adjoinin' field from our site, it then bounced about 4 feet into t' air. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' damage be minor (amazing, shiver me timbers, it had free fallen from 2000 feet), shiver me timbers, and we repaired it and then he tried again, shiver me timbers, me hearties, this time on an I435-10. Ahoy!

Once again t' boost be quick and perfect, and once again t' chute didn't come out, but this time t' damage was a fair amount worse. That night he fiber-glassed t' damaged sections (top part o' main body tube and one fin) and then I found t' problem. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! There be no note in t' instructions t' put in a shock chord, but t' just use t' strap that came with t' kit. Begad! This was our problem. Blimey! T' strap wasn't long enough t' pull out t' parachute, so when the rocket broke apart, t' chute would stay inside. Avast, me proud beauty! T' next mornin' it flew on another I435-10, ya bilge rat, with a borrowed Keelhaul®©™® shock chord for a perfect boost, great timin' on t' parachute, and level 1 certification. Well, blow me down! Finally!

T' kit did NOT come with a shock-chord, was nay intended t' come with a shock-chord, arrr, nor was one ever mentioned in t' instructions. Avast! Ahoy! I called up Ky and he said if t' delay be right it would work, but for this t' be true, the strap would need t' be longer. Aye aye! I called him after t' launches and he was very cooperative and agreed that it should have a shock-chord.

Recovery:
Once you put in t' shock chord, it works great. Begad! T' recovery speed is perfect, and it doesn't drift too far. Ahoy!

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
T' rocket be great, shiver me timbers, and unfortunately we truly found that t' kit is extremely strong with two easily repairable damages from two 2000 foot free-falls. Just be sure t' use some shock chord or I promise you t' parachute will nay deploy.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5