Okay, My daughter and I have flown the Check-Six on two occasions and thought it about time to give a launch report. She asked for and of course received this kit for her 9th birthday in January. (Yep, she picked it out and helped build it too...)

Last Month: We flew it once with a standard Estes D12-5. Nice flight, the weight of the rocket gave it a real nice coast due to the momentum. I'm bad at estimating heights but it was probably up around 850 or 850 feet. Overall, a nice first flight, my daughter was extremely pleased and this little rocket is BUILT. The only issue we had was that the provided launch lug was too small. Removed it and temporarily taped a replacement in place.

Last night: Permanently, or so I thought, replaced the removed launch lug. I drilled some holes for epoxy rivets in the airframe and used an 1/8 Estes Launch Lug with 5 minute epoxy.

Today: Flight 1 on another D12-5. Bad idea. Major cato, a rather large fireball erupted about 4 feet off the ground (after reviewing the video tape several times. It was the first video where we caught a cato. If you haven't seen one in slow/step motion on your own video, you'll be in for a treat when you do. Fast motion on the VCR you do not really see much, slow motion ignition, liftoff, fireball, separation, lots-o-smoke). About then, I was really wondering exactly how strong this little rocket really was...

Well, the jury is in. After the cato exactly 0% damage to the airframe. The chute sustained a couple minor burns and a dislocated shroud line. Also, the Kevlar® line connecting the payload bay to the main airframe was broken or burned through.

Well, we spent all of about 5 minutes replacing the chute and replacing the broken connector line with a piece of steel leader.

Flight 2: Prepped a 24mm RMS E11/5J. Loaded up the rocket, and hit the pad again. 5.4.3.2.1... The E11 lit and the rocket was OFF. With a nice lift off, lots of nice blackjack smoke and it was gaining speed, straight up through burn-out, coasting up to a very respectable altitude, could not see the rocket after the tracking smoke (delay element) disappeared until the chute had opened. Again the momentum really carried the rocket to quite an altitude. Very cool flight. Due to a light breeze, I had over 1/4 mile walk from the pad. Recovered it without so much as a scratch other than loosing the launch lug again.

Thoughts about the Check 6:

1. It does seem a little pricey at first. But... We have all spent 12 - 18 bucks for an 24mm Estes rocket. Such rocket with the violent cato this check six experienced would have most likely resulted in a pile of misc. scraps. This would have obliged me to purchase a replacement (but of course, my daughter would have been really bummed, right?). Thus costing me about the same or more than the $25 that I paid for this model. Not to mention owning a kit that will fly quite well on almost any motor that you could possibly put in it...

2. That is my 2nd cato of my last 7 flights that had used Estes motors. What a joke, I'll stay with A.T. for now. (Okay, Jerry, Sometime I'll have to try out some U.S. Rockets too...)

3. Important! I will most likely be augmenting the permanent wadding provided with the model with a small amount of traditional wadding. This may have decreased the burned chute and the heavily scorched permanent wadding.

4. You may call me paranoid but I've drilled two very small holes in the fins to safety wire the RMS motor in, in addition to normal friction fitting and taping in method. (The TRA BOD person who supervised my level one flight accused me of using suspenders with a belt after using Kaplow style clips and safety wire to ensure motor retention in my scratch built crayon bank). I'm usually into kit bashing but the Check Six really did not require any mod's for additional strength.

5. Other than the supplied launch lug that seemed to be a little tight, the quality of this kit is excellent! The G10 fins with the phenolic airframe are a great combination. This kit is both an enjoyable kit to build and a kit that is really, really meant to fly...

6. The Check 6 is definitely up to taking some rather heavy duty abuse and flying again. It's built like a tank...

Nice to find a product that is as good as the manufacturer claims.

Great Job Impulse Aerospace!

Relinquished by Scott Johnson @

The quality or the kits are very good, and the design is nice. There were a few areas that I had problems with. Not in difficulty, but in the way the instructions show, and materials used. This is not to say I am right, but you know how it is, we have that urge to re-engineer and make it better......

First area is the shock cord...I just can not bring myself to use the supplied cord. I can't be fair on this, as I have never used it, and just don't feel good using it. I elected to replace the supplied SC with small dia steel cable. I also installed a thrust ring (limited to D & E size motors. I also installed two additional thrust rings, forward of the MT and drilled these out for mounting of the steel cable, which goes through both rings and is clamped with a swedge for retention. (feel better now) The other area I am concerned about is the fin slots. The BT is slotted through the end of the BT. There is a motor tube adapter that is epoxied in the aft end. Fins are epoxied into the slots. On repeat insertions and launches and engine removal, I *feel* the thin cardboard motor tube will eventually give up, and lead to a fin root becoming loose. It would be really great if at least 3/16 to 1/4" of unslit BT remained at the aft end (IMHO) to make the aft end a continuous piece, and not rely on epoxy and the thin MT to do it at 6 fin joint areas.

Used 30 minute epoxy in all construction, with the exception of the fin fillets, which I used Hysol 1c epoxy patch material. A brass LL was also used. Finishing it was a piece of cake.....light 400 sand, primer, sand again, primer 0000 steel wool, finish coat of Luster Coat Missle Red , with a Med gray nose cone. I elected not to use the decals supplied, and made my own out of graphics vinyl, on the same principal and style. Decals supplied in this one kit were damaged from scrubbing against the BT etc, but that's not the manufacturer defect, just handling. I would suggest to IA to put the decals inside the Instruction sheet. for protection. The chute protector is installed over the steel cable and sort of freely moves on the cable. Finished weight is 4 oz, and will be flown this weekend. I just could not imagine this rocket flown on an F or G motor. This is why I elected to stay with a D or E and used a thrust ring. I like to build, fly and *recover* my rockets.

Overall I think these kits should really be durable and cheap to fly. Would like some feedback from IA on the SC and fin slots as to how they have been holding up etc. Very satisfied with the product. (and my mods). The cardboard tube seems like it could be a little heavier or harder, so it don't frazzle and fuzz up, but CA and Epoxy can cure that.

All the above is my opinions.....and if the mods don't work out, have no one to blame but me!

RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE FROM THE CHECK SIX MANUFACTURER:

Overall I think these kits should really be durable and cheap to fly. Would like some feedback from IA on the SC and fin slots as to how they have been holding up etc. Very satisfied with the product. (and my mods). The cardboard tube seems like it could be a little heavier or harder, so it don't frazzle and fuzz up, but CA and Epoxy can cure that.

We've heard no reports from the field of either the airframe splitting at the aft end, or of any shock cord failures other than the one D-12 CATO that blew the top off the bird. The shock line is 300lb test braided Kevlar®, in a 4 oz rocket. Steel leader will work too though, and is a bit stronger.

Will take your advice and make sure the decals get packaged between the card-art and the instruction sheet. If you'd like replacements for the worn ones, just drop me a note.

> All the above is my opinions.....and if the mods don't work out, have no one to blame but me!

I appreciate this attitude. Lots of folks modify the engineers design in making and flying model rockets. It's the nature of the beast. What is rarer is the person who stands up and takes responsibility for the success or failure of his mods. A very good thing indeed.

Relinquished by Scott Johnson @