T' CiCi is a traditional canard-style boost glider. Begad! The canard be t' name for that smaller front wing, ya bilge rat, or horizontal stabilizer. A canard-style glider is simply a glider where t' canard is forward o' t' main wing. A boost glider is a glider that boosts straight up like a rocket, me bucko, me bucko, and then ejects some part, usually t' engine, to change into a glider. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This is as opposed t' a rocket glider, me bucko, me hearties, ya bilge rat, where no parts are jettisoned, arrr, but rather other changes are made (movin' t' wing surfaces, me bucko, me hearties, me hearties, changin' t' angle o' elevons, me bucko, etc. Ya scallywag! ) t' make t' transition from vertical boost mode t' horizontal glide mode. Aye aye!

Upon openin' up t' zip-lock-bag-style package o' t' CiCi, me bucko, I was first surprised by t' fact that t' instructions consisted entirely o' a single 8 1/2 x 11 sheet o' paper, printed on one side only! This was particularly surprisin' for this rocket, me hearties, considerin' that t' Deltie, also from Edmond's Aerospace, me bucko, ya bilge rat, me hearties, had a 10+ page booklet for instructions. Although sparse, t' instructions here are obvious and straightforward. Avast! Unlike most rockets, t' order o' assembly for t' CiCi is largely irrelevant. T' instructions are fairly complete, except that they never mention trimmin' t' glider, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, or t' supplied lump o' clay and what t' do with it. Basically, matey, t' instructions seem t' assume that you have trimmed a boost glider before. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' second thin' that I noticed about t' kit contents was that a piece was missing. Ahoy! T' instructions say that thar be a small, triangular piece o' wood, curved on one side, ya bilge rat, me hearties, that can be used t' mark a straight line on t' engine tube, me hearties, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but thar wasn't one in me kit. Well, blow me down! No big deal, there are o' plenty o' ways t' mark a straight line on a tube. T' third thing that I noticed be that another piece be missing: t' launch lug. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Again, matey, nay a show-stopper, matey, me bucko, since I have some extras lyin' around, ya bilge rat, but a rather inauspicious beginning. Ya scallywag! Avast!

T' kit itself is quite nice, with thick, sturdy balsa parts that have been precision cut. All parts fit well, ya bilge rat, and there was absolutely no confusion about how t' assemble t' rocket. Blimey! Construction was simple, quick and easy, with no fuss. Ahoy! Full assembly took me about 1 hour, but could be done much faster. Begad! Make no mistake, ya bilge rat, t' quality o' t' parts is first-rate, ya bilge rat, and t' kit be well thought out. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' only time I deviated from the instructions was with t' clay. Well, blow me down! I added a small amount (about t' size of pencil eraser) t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' main (rear) win' and the left vertical stabilizer. Begad! T' purpose here was t' make t' CiCi tilt left a little bit in flight so that it would glide in circles, rather than in a straight line. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! You want it t' glide in circles so that it stays on t' flying field. Arrr! Arrr! (Note that these pictures were taken before I added t' clay. Begad! )

T' instructions don't mention it, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but I attempted some hand-tossed glide tests prior t' flight. Begad! Hmmm. Aye aye! . . it glides ok, matey, but flies and lands in a rather nose-down attitude. Nose-down enough that t' balsa nose cone hits before the front edge o' t' canard. Avast! Ahoy! Perhaps a small amount o' weight in t' aft might help. I added a small amount o' t' supplied clay (again about t' size o' a pencil eraser) t' t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' fuselage and t' main wing. More hand-toss glide tests. Hmmm. Avast! . Blimey! Aye aye! . a slightly better glide attitude and landing, but still noticeably nose-down, matey, and thar was no discernible arc to t' left (so that it will glide in circles). I added just a tiny bit more clay t' t' inside o' t' corner formed by t' main win' and t' left vertical stabilizer. Arrr! After a couple more throws, I still couldn't discern any arc t' the left, but I didn't want t' add too much weight for fear o' adversely affecting the flight characteristics. Begad! Time for some real flight tests.

It was a pretty nice day for launchin' rockets. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Moderately windy, ya bilge rat, but not too bad. Aye aye! Begad! I was anxious t' try out t' CiCi, ya bilge rat, so it be first in line. Avast! I figured the light weight o' t' rocket, combined with t' moderate wind and t' fact that this was t' maiden flight, me bucko, me hearties, dictated usin' an A8-3. Aye aye!

It was a good, quick boost, me bucko, as you can tell from t' blur it gives in this photo, even with 400 speed film. In spite what this photo o' t' early flight path might indicate, me hearties, it was, overall, me bucko, matey, a fairly straight boost to, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, oh, maybe 150 feet or so (I didn't measure it). Aye aye! Even though it arced over on its back after burnout, it make a smooth, controlled transition t' right-side-up glide. Arrr! The glide be ok, arrr, arrr, but still with a bit o' nose-down attitude, ya bilge rat, and it definitely falls faster than a Deltie. Aye aye! Arrr! It made about 1 3/4 circles before landing. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! . . with a crack. Avast! Uh-oh. Begad! Well, blow me down!

As you can see from this photo, it snapped clean in half on landing. Begad! Well, blow me down! Note that although it's photographed here on cement (for clarity), me hearties, it did land in t' grass when it broke. Disappointing, me hearties, but not the end o' t' world. Blimey! A bit o' thin CA, me bucko, me hearties, and she'll be good as new. Arrr!

Also visible in this photo be t' slight blackenin' in t' forward half of the center o' t' main wing. Begad! Begad! This is just soot from t' black powder, not scorchin' o' t' wood. A bit dirty, matey, arrr, but nay a safety concern.

Unfortunately, me hearties, t' second flight, ya bilge rat, under nearly calm wind conditions, was an exact duplicate o' t' first. Begad! Blimey! T' A8-3 gave a good, me bucko, straight boost, with a nice transition t' glide, a decent but slightly too rapid, nose-down descent, and a landin' with a crack. Ahoy! Blimey! Broke shipshape in half again, me hearties, this time about 3mm further rearward (CA is strong stuff). Avast! Blimey!

Batten down t' hatches! Do nay try t' followin' with your model!Bein' a bit o' a tinkerer, matey, matey, I thought I'd make a more serious attempt t' fix that nose-down attitude. Begad! Avast! So, prior t' t' third flight, I sanded an airfoil into t' top o' t' canard. Begad! Begad! I left t' bottom o' t' canard completely flat. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I left t' bottom o' t' canard completely flat. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' idea was to have this canard generate more lift, me hearties, and thereby lift t' nose in flight, givin' a flatter glide. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! Hand-tossed glides didn't show any visible difference, but I was confident that it would be noticeable at speed. Well, blow me down! Arrr! DO NOT TRY THIS WITH YOUR MODEL! T' airfoil was much too severe, and caused t' model t' arc over under power and plow into the ground at full speed! Ironically, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' damage be only slightly worse on this flight, with a small piece breakin' off o' t' canard as well as t' model snappin' in two at t' usual spot. If your model also breaks on landing, me hearties, and you want t' try t' airfoil t' canard t' help that situation, arrr, start with a very slight airfoil, and perform actual launches before sandin' any further. Well, blow me down!

Overall, arrr, me hearties, I give t' CiCi a 3 out o' 5 points. Well, blow me down! Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! T' kit itself gets a 4 out o' 5 points, shiver me timbers, havin' high quality parts, ya bilge rat, but missin' a couple minor pieces. Avast! Avast! T' instructions should include trimmin' instructions, but were otherwise adequate, me hearties, shiver me timbers, despite their brevity. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' construction gets a ratin' of 4. 5 out o' 5 points bein' simple and straightforward. Blimey! Avast! T' flights (before the airfoiling, matey, me hearties, at least), arrr, were both excellent, matey, matey, ratin' a 4 out o' 5 points. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! O' course, t' big downer be t' recovery, particularly t' landin' damage, ya bilge rat, which is easily fixed, though nay easily avoided. Well, blow me down! T' recovery gets a 1. 5 out o' 5 points. Aye aye!

I'll probably repair t' CiCi again when I get a chance. If you're looking to buy your first boost glider, ya bilge rat, I'd have t' recommend t' Edmond's Aerospace Deltie. Ya scallywag! Blimey! But, arrr, me bucko, shiver me timbers, t' CiCi certainly has t' potential t' be a great boost glider, perhaps as your third or fourth boost glider model. Avast! Blimey!