Brief:
Single stage high power rocket kit, parachute recovery, spun aluminum nozzle. Aye aye! Well, blow me down!

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

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

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

Finishing:
There were decals included, but we did nay use them. Begad! This be me Dad's rocket, so he painted it like his company with a small logo on t' side. Avast! 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. Ya scallywag! Begad! We put in 2 lbs o' nose weight for the larger I motors. Ahoy! This be me dad's level one rocket, so he flew it on an I284 first. 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, me hearties, it then bounced about 4 feet into t' air. Aye aye!

T' damage was minor (amazing, it had free fallen from 2000 feet), and we repaired it and then he tried again, ya bilge rat, this time on an I435-10. Avast! Ya scallywag!

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. Blimey! Blimey! That night he fiber-glassed t' damaged sections (top part o' main body tube and one fin) and then I found t' problem. Ahoy! Blimey! There was no note in t' instructions t' put in a shock chord, arrr, but t' just use t' strap that came with t' kit. Avast! Blimey! This be our problem. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' strap wasn't long enough t' pull out t' parachute, so when the rocket broke apart, shiver me timbers, arrr, t' chute would stay inside. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! 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. Avast! Blimey! Finally!

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

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

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5