Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | LOC/Precision |
Skill Level: | 1 |
Style: | RTF, Spool |
Brief:
The first commercially available ready to fly (RTF) 29mm spool rocket.
Construction:
It's RTF, so there really are not any parts. I mean really ready to fly. Just
stick in a motor, stuff in some wadding and parachute, and fly.
It's well made. I mean how do you mess up a wire spool and some decals? There is an integral 29mm motor mount with a spring clip style motor retention. A basic LOC nylon parachute is attached to the other end. The instructions state that the system is designed around the AT RMS and the 29-40/120 is a perfect fit. The Cool Spool ships with a spacer for use with shorter motors. There is also a large cardboard ring that will serve as a stand.
One thing I found mildly frustrating was the with the built in motor retention.
Finishing:
Unless you count taking it out of the bag as "finishing", there ain't
much to talk about here...
Construction Rating: 4 out of 5
Flight:
This was one of the first public launches of the Cool Spool. I did not have one
of the AT reloads available so I chose a Roadrunner F60-4. I expect because of
the very draggy design and the fact that there is a parachute, using the
shortest delay possible is advisable.
Launch off the pad was quick and as would be expected for a spool. I mean it's about as aerodynamic as a brick. I figure the flight was about 250 to 300 feet. As soon as the thrust stopped, it arced over and the parachute deployed.
Recovery:
The retention system was somewhat incompatible with the built in thrust ring
provided by Roadrunner. A few moments with a Dremel on the thrust ring and I
was all set. I dropped a bit of dog barf above the motor and more or less
stuffed the parachute into the end.
Flight Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
It's an RTF spool rocket. While the challenge here is zero, it's just a spot of
fun. If you like oddrocs and want something to amuse the other fliers, this
would be a great add to your fleet.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
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M.F.S. (May 4, 2009)