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

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

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

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. Begad! T' motor mount goes through t' nozzle with one rear centerin' rin' at t' end o' t' nozzle. Begad! Ya scallywag! Here, thar be also a motor retention system. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:
There were decals included, but we did nay use them. Begad! 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, matey, arrr, 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. We put in 2 lbs o' nose weight for the larger I motors. Aye aye! Avast! This was me dad's level one rocket, so he flew it on an I284 first. T' parachute didn't come out, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, 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. Ahoy!

T' damage be minor (amazing, matey, me bucko, it had free fallen from 2000 feet), arrr, and we repaired it and then he tried again, me bucko, me bucko, this time on an I435-10. Aye aye!

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

T' kit did NOT come with a shock-chord, arrr, ya bilge rat, was nay intended t' come with a shock-chord, matey, ya bilge rat, nor was one ever mentioned in t' instructions. I called up Ky and he said if t' delay was right it would work, me hearties, me hearties, but for this t' be true, the strap would need t' be longer. Begad! 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. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' recovery speed is perfect, and it doesn't drift too far. Blimey!

Flight Rating: 2 out o' 5

Summary:
T' rocket be great, 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