L1 Cert Rocket

[stantonjtroy]

Not a new question to the forum but I can't make up my mind. My wife wants to get her L1 cert and I can't decide which kit to get her. I got her hooked a couple summers back (boy did she get hooked) and we've been going to club launches once or twice a month since. We're both going to Cert L1 in Jan or Feb (Mine will be a recert) with the NAR. I had flown with Tripoli in the past but now that the wife and kids are into it, the NAR seems the better route. BUT I DIGRESS . Her build skills are good, Not Awsome but good. I figured for a Cert the KISS theory should rule so I'm thinkin 3/4FNC. That brings me to the LOC Forte or the LOC Fantom 438. Both are realatively inexpencive, straight forward building, all around solid flying rockets (and well within her skills). I'll help if needed but I made it clear for a Cert, She has to do the build. It'll probably go up on an I161. MDRA has a great site, huge recovery area so I'm not too worried about drift. Besides the walk will do her....I MEAN US (Love you baby!!!) some good . I've built a couple LOC kits myself in the past but not either of these. I'm six on one, half a dozen on the other. Any informed opinions on these two kits would be appriciated.
Thanks

 

[New Ocean]

Larger kits are nice to future proof if she wants to do bigger motors, but I certified level 1 twice (ugh) on the same rocket: a Loc Graduator which has now flown over 40 times. It is from the late 90s, and still kicking. With some modification of the recovery hardware inside, I think you will find it up to the task of just about any 29mm motor. Lots of ProX motors out there now that are great.

 

[redsox15]

I certified on a LOC Fantom. It was a relatively straight forawrd build, being my first HPR build. I did add a few modifications such as positive motor retention but other than that it was a stock build. It flew very nice on an CTI H125 to about 2500' give or take a couple hundred feet. A little note...put a small spill hole in the chute, I didn't put one in and it drifted for a while almost out of the field :y: . Either way it was a great rocket to cert on.
Good luck to you on the recert and good luck to your wife on her cert

Matt

 

[stantonjtroy]

I think I will go with the Fantom for her. I like the fact that it has the EXL option. Makes 2stage deployment a simple mod. I think like many I'll encourage her to mod the shock cord and mount and go with positive motor retention ( I love her but she's NOT loosing my reload case. ).The deal is She builds it and I paint it (I paint for a living). Thanks for the spill hole sugestion. Seems like anything bigger than a small H sends this thing up like a BOoH!

I certified on a LOC Fantom. It was a relatively straight forawrd build, being my first HPR build. I did add a few modifications such as positive motor retention but other than that it was a stock build. It flew very nice on an CTI H125 to about 2500' give or take a couple hundred feet. A little note...put a small spill hole in the chute, I didn't put one in and it drifted for a while almost out of the field :y: . Either way it was a great rocket to cert on.
Good luck to you on the recert and good luck to your wife on her cert

Matt

 

[kramer714]

polecat aerospace goblin, 3" or 4" (I would go with 4")

Not too hard to build and flies great on a variety of motors, my kid has flown his on a G,H,I, and J.

https://stores.whatsuphobby.com/-strse-28/Polecat-Aerospace-3"-Goblin/Detail.bok

 

[rocketlaw]

I got my L1 on the Loc Phantom and I expanded it to dual deploy and got my L2 on it. Great little kit.

 

[Handeman]

The LOC Fantom sounds like a great L1 kit to start with. If it's a calm day, you might want to use the I284W instead of the I161W. It should still stay below 3,000 ft.

Good Luck to your wife on her L1