SEMROC - Finished my SLS Skyhook...

[bsexton]

Well, I finally finished my first SEMROC kit...the SLS Skyhook. The kit is very straightforward with easy to follow instructions. The components are first rate and required little or no adjustments for proper fit. While this kit could easily be built in a day or two it took me longer because I am a fanatic when it comes to eliminating all (and I mean ALL) body tube spirals and balsa/basswood grain! I finished mine exactly like the picture on the instructions and elected to permanently mount the 24mm motor adapter in the rocket. I decided a 29mm motor in this kit would be a little too much for me (I wanted to see it again). The only "tricky" part was applying the large decal on the forward end of the body tube. You have to be careful to lay it on straight and it is difficult to avoid wrinkles because of the size of the decal. The good news is the decal is fairly rugged and can take a bit of adjusting without damage.

My first flight was on an Estes C11 with a 3 second delay. The instructions recommend a 5 second delay but I would say as much as 3 seconds might be too short, 5 seconds might be too long. It was a good straight boost with chute deployment near apogee and recovery was perfect with the nicely made 18" nylon parachute. All in all it was a fun kit to build and fly.

Now I have to go finish filling the balsa grain on my Laser-X...

In the picture I included an Estes Alpha for size comparison and in the background you can see my Laser-X in the "primer and bondo" paint stage.

 

[rstaff3]

Try an E9

 

[bsexton]

Originally posted by rstaff3
Try an E9

I consider that the top end of the motor selection and will probably convert to streamer recovery if and when I do...

 

[rstaff3]

I decided to keep mine for a while so I too stuck with the E9. I didn't glue in the adaper however, so some day...

I used the stock chute for the C11 flight but then switched to a 12" nylon chute for D and E motors. The E9 flight ended up about 40 yards from the pad, not too shabby. On grass and plowed field, the smaller chute is fine; on harder ground the long fins might require the 18".

 

[artu]

After many C11,D12 and a E9 flights;

I flew my SLS Skyhook on a G37 Ellis motor Sunday.

The orange chute was seen about close to a mile up, and that orange chute stuck as a dot in the sky for about 7 mins as it drifted about 9 miles South East never to be seen again.

I hope a young boy or girl in farm land finds it and gives it a new home.

Art Upton
K8XG