LOC onyx

[r1dermon]

anyone else with the onyx find that the parachute is WAY too small?
other than that though, its a really nice kit. that and the surface mount fins are the only two drawbacks. its a very sturdy kit though. really big. hopefully easy to spot. i have 7 G80's to burn through it. lol.

 

[DumasBro2]

Yes the chute seems a tad small, I just use a bigger one laying around. My son has flown his alot and never has broken off a fin, even with less than ideal landings and the stock chute.

steve

 

[r1dermon]

was it glassed? i got it in the mail yesterday and the launch is tomorrow. plus i work 8 hours, so there's no time to glass or anything, i just want to glue her together and fly her. no paint or anything. as long as there are no clouds, the BT and NC are white, so that would be tough. lol. i made an 18" chute and i have a 24" with the spill hole cut out. we'll see what the onyx needs.

 

[DumasBro2]

No, it's unglassed. G64 is the largest motor we've flown it it though.

steve

 

[lalligood]

For maximum results, Sand up the body tube with 220 grit and build with yellow wood glue (aliphatic resin). It'll dry faster & be lighter than epoxy but still more than strong enough for that G64 (or even an H128) without glassing it.

Just my $0.02...

 

[astrowolf67]

Mine has been rebuilt three times. It kept ripping fins off on landing. On my last rebuild, I cut new fins, with tabs to the mmt, drilled out the rear ring, and poured expanding foam in. The stock chute works great now

The damaging landings I had, were on the stock chute, and during breezy conditions. Other flights had been very good, and I had used a chute from my Initiator (22 inch ?).

 

[Phil125]

Have you seen any instability in your Onyx flights?

 

[astrowolf67]

No instability yet, but it's only flown on F motors so far. F20's, F23's, and last launch was on a NCR F62, which was the best flight yet.

 

[r1dermon]

none at all in my original onyx. people have told me they're way unstable on G's, but i put it up on an F50, quite stable, and a G80 also quite stable. slight rotation, but it went high and fast. lost though. i started another one with hangar 9 epoxy. the stuff if junk. my fin broke off after 24 hours of curing. gave it an easy stress test and broke under less than 10lbs of pressure. junk. im getting west systems.

 

[Weekends]

I had a fantastic flight with my Onyx early this winter with an Aerotech F20-7W. She landed within 30 feet of the pad. I've kept the stock 'chute size with little problems. It does come down a little fast, but I have yet to have damage.

I did have 1 problem with rod whip 2 years ago at Nypower. Other than that, no major problems. I just have to order more F20-7Ws.

Mike

 

[Rocketmaniac]

My LOC Onyx is one of my most reliable rocket I have. (LOC Wart-hog is the other) I did not build my Onyx, (got it off ebay for $10) but it is not glassed. I use a bigger chute and have never had any damage. I have flown it mostly on F50s and G40s, but I might try a G80 or small H next launch.

And stabilty? I have never seen an Onyx have anything but a stright, stable flight.........