Brief:
The P-Chuter is a very easy to build single stage rocket that looks fantastic and flies great! I got my kit from John as a beta test kit. The rocket stands a little over 20" tall, flies on 18mm motors, and recovers by parachute. In my opinion, the rocket actually looks a lot better than it does on the web page. John has appropriately classed this rocket as a "competition" rocket.

Construction:
The kit includes a BT-50 body tube, standard 18mm engine mount, balsa nose cone, screw eye, 1/8" elastic shock cord (nice long one in my beta test kit!), 12" mylar parachute, 1/8" launch lug, 3-fin laser cut fin sheet, and P-Chuter decal and trim Monokote for decoration. The shock cord was long enough that I didn't have to substitute it, although I did add an 8" length of Kevlar® at the shock cord attachment point.

The instruction sheet contains easy to follow, numbered instructions and helpful illustrations. Installation of the motor mount is standard, including an engine hook for positive motor retention. I appreciated the "small parts" bag that keeps all the little things in one place. A fin-marking guide is supplied to properly align the fins. John's instructions for attaching the fins using a "double glue joint" are very good. This method helps assure that the fins are aligned as placed, since they set much quicker. The laser-cut fins were perfectly matched, so minimal sanding was required, and the body tube didn't require any finishing to fill in the seam lines. The spirals were hardly noticeable after primer and paint. A tri-fold shock cord attachment was provided to connect nose cone and body tube. As is usual on any rocket I build, I installed a length of Kevlar® in the shock cord attachment with a loop at the end to attach the elastic shock cord. To minimize abrasion from the Kevlar® against the body tube, I soaked in CA around the top 1/2" of the body tube and tied the Kevlar® so the knot in the loop meets the lip of the body tube. I glued on the launch lug, installed the screw eye into the nose cone, and attached the shock cord. The parachute comes in a separate plastic bag complete with instructions. Once assembled, you're ready for finishing.

Finishing:
The balsa nose cone and fins require standard finishing. I used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish, but any balsa filler will work fine. The rocket went together really fast, especially since I didn't have to eliminate the seam lines. Also, the trim Monokote was a lot easier to apply than decals, although the P-Chuter decal laid down nicely and looks great on the rocket. I'm not sure if my beta test kit is the same as the retail kit, but I forgot to check the fit of the trim Monokote. It was a little too long for the fins, so I wrapped it around the back of the fin. Uh, well, the instructions did say to test-fit parts before installing. That's a really good idea. This is a very easy rocket to build and the shaped fins look great and probably contribute somewhat to the extreme altitude this rocket can achieve. I liked it so much I actually bought another from him.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
My only flight so far was on a B6-6 but I had to check the motor upon recovery because I thought I had put a C6-7 in by mistake. It's very fast! Flight was perfectly straight with ejection right at the top. However, I forgot to powder the chute after re-packing it. I had left the parachute folded in the body tube a few months before the burn ban was lifted. It came down too fast with wad recovery and put about a 4" crimp along the seam line. That is no fault of Red River Rocketry, it's just my forgetfulness. This rocket should achieve some serious altitude on an "A" motor and will likely go out of sight on a "C."

Recovery:
Regardless of the recovery problems I had, the provided 12" parachute is plenty big for the rocket and appropriately sized I think given the altitude capability.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
The P-Chuter is an excellent rocket that can be built in a couple of hours. Its shaped fins will make it a unique addition to your fleet and it is reasonably priced. Just make sure you've got plenty of room to fly if you put that C motor in it.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5