Brief:
A canard boost glider using an 18 mm motor. Pop pod has streamer recovery.

Construction:
All the materials are standard model rocket stock with one exception. The shock cord attachment is a thin steel cable pre-looped around the forward centering ring. There's nothing better out there. The glider is made from 1/16" and 3/32" balsa and a 3/32" spruce piece. It goes together very nicely, especially when you aren't supposed to airfoil the wings. Tissue paper is included to reinforce the model and it finishes easier if you use this with clear dope on the balsa. The pop pod also goes together quickly with yellow glue and the pod/glider interface is simplicity itself. You could easily build this glider in a motel room before a contest. The pop pod uses streamer recovery.

Finishing:
You need to finish the glider before you trim it. I put on a coat of clear lacquer (clear dope) and let that dry, sanded it, put on another coat and then applied the tissue paper. I finished up with a third coat of lacquer to finish it. After I almost lost it, twice, I sprayed a light coat of day-glo orange on it. You should also make the pop pod a bright color too because everyone watches the glider and no one notices where the pop landed. Trimming the glider is not hard either. Getting the hang of tossing it without introducing spin is the toughest part. Don't expect to see it float like contest gliders. This glider moves quickly, but still has a relatively low sink rate. This one is best trimmed from the top of a hill. There's more than enough clay to do this.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
You will need to remember to make a tape standoff to hold the glider above the pad. The boost is really straight and tends to spiral up. I've never had it fail to separate and transition. The A8-3 flight is good for trimming. The B6-4 flight is pretty high and the C6-5 gets it way up there.

Recovery:
Using A8-3 motors I consistently get 20 to 30 second glides. With the B6-4 motor it's always around 60 seconds. I've not timed the C6-5 motor flight yet. It's a very consistent performer, not overly disturbed by turbulence. It would take tornadic thermal to make this glider float, but it's fun to watch. It glides very quickly through the air, like a jet fighter. The pop pod drops like a rock, which it good. If no one tracked the pod, just remember which way the rocket took off and walk that way. The pod will be just about directly below where the glider and pod separated.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
It's not a contest winner, but for most NAR contests, you will want a dependable, "I'm sure to get it back" glider in your stable. This is a good candidate. As a sport glider, it's a great crowd pleaser.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5