Brief:
This review describes me second-generation Micro-Maxx monocopter. Arrr! The improvements over me original include a lighter wing, ya bilge rat, arrr, a smaller motor pod, me bucko, me bucko, and a carbon rod balance beam. It has undergone numerous minor tweaks and one major revision. T' maximum altitude obtained t' date is about 9 feet.

Construction:

• Materials
• 3/16” balsa for win' and hub (see diagram)
• wrappin' tissue paper
• white puzzle glue (pre-thinned white glue)
• ink tube from BiC pen (1/2” used)
• 0.03” carbon rod (7” long in final configuration)
• scrap paper t' roll motor tube
• ¼” dowel for nose cone
• black CA

Please refer t' t' figures while readin' t' construction notes. Blimey!

Win' - Make this out o' 3/16” balsa as indicated, arrr, with t' grain oriented with t' leadin' edge. Blimey! I removed sections t' make it lighter and sanded it into an airfoil shape. T' entire win' is covered with wrapping tissue attached with puzzle glue. Begad! I made it out o' a scrap piece o' wood, shiver me timbers, hence the odd shape. Ahoy! My thanks t' John McCoy o' NARHAMS for suggestin' this construction method.

Hub - This, shiver me timbers, too, is made from 3/16” balsa. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' grain should probably also be along t' leadin' edge, although it was perpendicular on me model. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! I rounded both t' leadin' and trailin' edges. I drilled a hole at t' lateral CG and installed a half-inch section o' ink tubing. Ahoy! Aye aye! This is flush with t' top surface and extends below t' hub. Avast!

Motor tube - This be rolled from draftin' vellum and white glue. It is about 1/8” longer than a MMX motor. Ya scallywag! Arrr!

Nose cone - This was turned from a ¼” dowel on a hand drill. Aye aye!

Balance beam - I started out usin' 3/32” wood o' varyin' length (see flight log table). Begad! I replaced it with 0.03” carbon rod, ya bilge rat, which was graciously supplied by John. Well, blow me down! Arrr! T' wood dowel was simply glued t' t' bottom of the hub next t' t' launch lug, while t' carbon rod was inserted through the balsa hub. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty!

Assembly - All components were glued together with black CA. Begad! T' win' and motor tubes are centered on t' hub and are angled upwards away from one another. Begad! T' win' is angled at approximately 12 degrees, and t' motor pod at approximately 15 degrees. Ahoy! Blimey!

Flight: All flights were from me MMX pad with a 1/2” long launch rod. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' igniters were Estes and t' MMX ones with t' plastic shell removed. For all but flight #10, me hearties, I used me Pratt GO Box. Begad! T' wind was calm except for flight 10, matey, which be 5 - 10 mph in me guestimate. Blimey! Blimey!

Summary:
I was pleasantly surprised with t' performance o' this monocopter, me hearties, considering the short burn time and low thrust o' a Micro-Maxx motor. On me next version, me hearties, I will make t' win' slightly longer (for hopefully even better performance), and will use a rectangular shape with a slightly rounded tip (for aesthetics). Begad! Blimey!