Brief:
This is a great sport scale kit that can be easily modified for dual deployment.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 4" nosecone
• 1 17" payload bay
• 1 34" airframe
• 4 1/4" plywood fins
• 1 tube coupler
• 1 laser-cut bulk head
• 3 laser-cut centerin' rings
• 1 54mm motor mount tube
• 1 36" parachute
• 1 tubular nylon shock cord
• Vinyl decals
• Motor retention, me hearties, rail buttons, and assorted hardware

Added for dual deployment:

• 3 bulkplates
• 1 1/4" U-bolt
• 1 tubular nylon shock cord
• 1 24" drogue chute
• 1 70" main (saved t' stock chute for a later project)
• 2 chute protectors
• more assorted hardware

T' instructions were well written and photographed. Begad! Blimey! There was a parts list included, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and each part be crossed off showin' that BSD had checked t' make sure that all t' parts were there. Well, blow me down! Arrr!

T' assembly order made sense and started with t' motor mount. T' centerin' rings were glued on t' t' motor tube, me hearties, me bucko, then t' assembly be glued into t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' fins were next. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Epoxy be placed along t' root edge and along the edge o' t' fin slots. Avast, me proud beauty! Each fin was glued in, shiver me timbers, arrr, then fillets applied. Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' bulk plate for t' payload bay be glued into t' coupler about 1/2". Begad! Begad! T' nose cone went into t' forward end o' t' payload bay. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! No instructions were given on how t' hold it on, but thar are instructions about t' removable rivets, ya bilge rat, me hearties, which are nay listed on t' parts list.

That bein' said, me hearties, I tossed t' instructions aside and built it as I would have built a scratch built. Ahoy! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' fin tabs were too long, matey, resultin' in several hours o' sanding. T' forward two centerin' rings were glued with a 40 min epoxy and small pieces o' fiberglass. T' eye bolt be replaced with a U-bolt. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' motor tube be then sanded and inserted into t' airframe. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! I tacked t' fins in with super glue then used t' same 40 min epoxy and shredded fiberglass t' do the internal fillets on t' fins. Blimey! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! T' fins were foamed with a 2-part expandin' foam. Aye aye! Blimey! T' motor retention consisted of two inserts, two Allen head screws, me bucko, me hearties, and Giant Leap style clips. Arrr! Blimey! T' aft centerin' rin' was epoxied in. Blimey! Blimey! T' fin can is now completed.

T' payload bay be me biggest hurdle as I had never built one before. I cut two airframe bulkheads and one more coupler bulkhead then drilled two holes all t' way through them. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I bolted in two 1/4" threaded rods for the altimeter sled t' rest on. Blimey! Blimey! T' altimeter bay is similar t' a LOC/Precision bay minus t' outside length o' airframe. Ahoy! Blimey! I attached a U-bolt at either end and a PVC cup for t' main ejection charge.

T' shock cords are tubular nylon. Arrr! Ahoy! 20' for t' drogue and 15' for t' main chute.

T' construction was very straightforward and, by t' instructions, you could get a very nice 4" sport scale to be proud of.

PROs: Fun rocket t' build. Plenty o' room for dual deployment

CONs: Fin tabs were too long. Arrr!

Finishing:
I finished t' IRIS with red fins and added some detail t' it. Ahoy! Tape can be added t' make t' scale rings on the actual IRIS, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but I opted nay to. T' decals for t' IRIS name are included but ones for Atlantic Research Corporation are not. Avast, me proud beauty! I had several sheets o' 1/2" vinyl letterin' in t' workshop so I decided I would make me own. Blimey! I also created t' ARC logo with some clear label paper. Begad! T' letters were spaced evenly and painted over with black paint. Removin' them was difficult but left very nice lines.

Finishin' this rocket is difficult, but nay unable t' be accomplished. Aye aye! Ahoy! It definitely needs standard Atlantic Research Corporation decals.

PROs: Challengin' t' finish. Looks good

CONs: Challengin' t' finish. Ahoy! Nay enough detail.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first flight be north o' Billings, me hearties, MT, shiver me timbers, in t' middle o' October. It be surprisingly warm for Montana. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! The rocket was prepped for dual deployment usin' a gram o' black powder for each event. Begad! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' motor, an I284W, ya bilge rat, arrr, also had an ejection charge. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' motor was put into a Slimline 54-38 adapter then loaded into t' mount. Avast! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' rocket be ready to go.

With t' igniter in place and t' altimeter armed, I was ready t' launch. After a quick 5 count, arrr, I pressed the button. Arrr! T' I284W came up t' pressure quickly. T' IRIS ripped off t' pad on a large flame and a pillar o' smoke.

T' dual deployment worked perfectly, me hearties, bringin' it back safely although a little fast. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' PML 48" chute still seemed small... T' PerfectFlite miniAlt/WD beeped 2328', me bucko, almost 1K feet short o' t' predicted altitude. Avast, me proud beauty! I still think it broke 3K.

T' second flight was t' take place at our high altitude site near Twin Bridges, me hearties, MT, matey, at t' end o' October. The only reason it did nay fly be me own procrastination. However, me hearties, me dad and I flew our Frankenrocket (essentially a stretched PML Tethys) on a K185W t' 6228' for our personal best altitude. T' weather was perfect, about 60 degrees and not a cloud in t' sky or enough wind t' ruffle a parachute.

T' second flight did take place on November 10 at t' Twin Bridges site. Blimey! T' weather be less than perfect: highs in t' mid 40's, wind at about 10 mph, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and high clouds t' makin' it hard t' see any kind o' trackin' smoke or rocket. Begad! T' motor be a J540R. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' rocket was mostly prepped from t' previous launch, matey, only needin' t' leads for the charges t' be hooked t' t' altimeter and t' motor inserted.

After another quick 5 count, t' J540R came up t' pressure almost immediately. Well, blow me down! T' four t' five foot flame was incredible, shiver me timbers, pushin' t' IRIS t' 5464'. Ahoy! Again, t' dual deployment worked without a hitch, matey, deployin' our homemade 70" parachute at 700'.

PROs: Very strong rocket that can be launched on a large variety o' motors.

CONs: None.

Recovery:
PROS: Very strong rocket that can be launched on a large variety o' motors.

CONS: None. Avast!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' BSD IRIS is a very well designed rocket that can easily be modified for dual deployment. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' parachute needs to be larger by at least a foot t' brin' down even t' stock kit. Aye aye! With proper modifications, t' IRIS can fly on many 54mm hybrid motors and maybe some full Ks. Begad! Ya scallywag! I highly recommend this rocket for anyone who has a little high power experience or a fair amount o' mid power experience. Aye aye! A solid choice for L1 and L2 cert flights.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5