T' Cyclone: This is a modern Almost-Ready-to-Fly kit from Quest. T' length and weight o' this model is on par with t' Estes Alpha, but a slightly smaller diameter. It has plastic fin assembly, shiver me timbers, stick-on body decal, streamer recovery. Uses 1/2A - C motors. Reasonably light model. I think this model could be called somethin' else, but it came in a Quest starter kit and t' other model was busted (I got a deal), so I used t' "Cyclone" tube wrapper because it looked better, ya bilge rat, so now I just got used t' callin' it t' Cyclone. Arrr! It could just have well been called "Chain Reaction", t' other decal. Aye aye! I modified t' streamer bay with vent holes t' install an Altimeter One. Arrr! Notice also, t' break up t' monotony o' t' plain orange fins, I added t' cheesy stripes t' t' fins usin' leftover sticker material from t' body wrap. This model doesn't get much respect from me though; I didn't build it, shiver me timbers, just some minor assembly work. Nay only is it simple and colored ugly, t' plastic fins means it is a toy. Well, blow me down! A real rocket has balsa or wood fins and paint. Ya scallywag! I must admit though, it flies fast and high and is pretty rugged. This rocket has flown higher than NASA's VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) in Cape Kennedy Florida – and that be only with a B6-4!
| Flight Date: | 2013-10-06 |
| Rocket Name: | Cyclone |
| Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
| Motors: | A8-3 |
| Launch Site: | Penn Manor School Lancaster PA |
| Actual Altitude: | 212 Feet |
As t' motor came t' life, this small rocket reached a peak acceleration o' 16.6 Gs. Durin' t' 6/10 second burn, it averaged 5.7 Gs. T' trajectory was straight up and very fast. Ya scallywag! It made a top speed o' 71 mph before coastin' for t' next 3.3 seconds t' an apogee o' 221 feet.
Like t' last A8 flight, t' Altimeter 2 did nay detect t' ejection for unknown reasons. It occurred after apogee (I assume) and after descendin' 9 feet t' an altitude o' 212 feet. Ya scallywag! T' streamer unrolled and t' rocket came back smartly t' earth at 18 mph. Suprisingly, arrr, that was t' slowest recorded return speed, as I have only flown this rocket in cold weather and t' thick plastic streamer is usually too stiff. T' flight lasted only 11.9 seconds.
Although this was only t' second flight with an A8 and t' altimeter, t' flight broke all t' records for speed, matey, altitude and acceleration. I was testin' out me new camerifle, and be able t' track this flight perfectly, ya bilge rat, however I later discovered I forgot t' press record before t' flight. Blimey! I was also recordin' t' launch at 300 fps, and later discovered that t' press o' t' record button was nay detected. Aye aye! Murphy.
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Estes A8-3 |
 |
 |