Brief:
This is an extremely simple monocopter design that uses a section of 29mm motor tubing as the central hub.

Construction:
The parts list:

• 3/16" Basswood sheet
• 29mm tube
• BT-20 motor mount
• ¼" dowel
• ¼" launch lug

This kit requires Elmer's Glue All, and an X-Acto knife with a new #11 blade. It's almost so easy that it could be considered ARF (almost ready to fly). You start by cutting the pre-marked holes from the 29mm tube. The patterns are polygons so this involves multiple straight cuts. These are best accomplished by starting inserting the tip of the blade at one vertex with the cutting surface directed along the line. If you carefully insert the blade the rest of the way, the cut will be made.

The parts are all inserted and fillets are applied inside and out. Because the holes are supposed to be snug, I found it helped to insert a motor in the motor mount when it is installed.

I'd recommend waiting until these fillets at least partially set before proceeding...but I didn't. The wing fits in the end of the tube and needs to be trimmed slightly. The fit should remain snug and internal fillets are again applied. I checked several times as the glue set to ensure the wing was aligned properly and was straight.

Finishing:
Art says to apply two light coats of enamel to protect the kit from moisture. I used Helmsman Spar Urethane as a clearcoat.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
You form a thrust ring with masking tape and friction fit the motor so it won't fall out. The motor is oriented with its nozzle down. If you put it in backwards, you will win closest to the pad (don't ask). You need a sturdy pad with a short ¼" rod (1" or so). Art provides plans for a suitable monocopter pad in the instructions.

A C6-3 gave this little monocopter a nice ride.

Recovery:
After burn out the model quickly slows and tumbles to the ground.

Flight Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
Art's hit another home run with the Helix monocopters. They are simple, elegant, and fly great. It's the easiest way I know to get into monocoptering.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Brief:
The Helix is an innovative and simple monocopter design from Art Applewhite. It is extremely simple to build and goes together quickly. Its also a hoot to fly.

This 18mm variant is the largest of the series which can be built "right out of the package". The 18mm Double Helix and above require a small amount of sawing. This one requires only a razor knife for construction.

I was lucky enough to get to watch the flights of the prototypes as Art was developing this line and now it seems like he is the source of a monocopter renaissance. It's a lot of fun.

The components for this kit consist of a pre-marked body tube, a motor tube, a 1/4" launch lug and a balance beam and a basswood wing. Also included are thorough instructions on building the rocket and instructions for a simple launching pad. This one is not meant for an Estes setup.

The body tube, such as it is, is marked by the simple expedient of being wrapped by a sheet with all of the relevant locations indicated by polygons of the appropriate size.

Construction:
This kit comes with instructions on both the monocopter and the building of a suitable launch pad. Besides that, it contains the body tube, launch lug, balance beam and wing.

The first step in construction is to cut out the polygons on the body tube. This is done with an #11 X-Acto knife and the blade needs to be a new one. The method recommended in the instructions and, which worked quite well, is to push the blade in perpendicular along one line of a polygon, slowly push it in until the blade completely covers one line segment, remove the blade and repeat as needed until all sides are cut out.

When the pieces are in, they need to be adjusted for symmetry; all of the pieces need to be centered. With that done, a fillet of white glue is applied inside the BT to the visible parts of the intersections with the motor tube. With that done, all of the protrusions can be filleted with white glue on the outside.

The last item to be installed is the wing. It is made from a precut piece of basswood. You can round the edges if you like but I did not. I slipped it in the marked end of the BT. It will slightly deform the tube but that is expected and explained in the directions.

Alignment is not a problem. A filled triangle marks the point on the BT which should be aligned with the center of each side of the wing. Then it is just a matter of making sure it is sitting perpendicular, something aided by having its end sit flush on the balance beam. The wing is then glued into place with white glue.

Finishing:
The instructions recommend a couple of light coats of sealer or a light coat of paint. Since I was building this for a demo to some elementary school kids at the local museum, I elected to go the paint route and chose purple. I gave it just one good coat. The instructions warn against using too much and throwing off the balance.

I am happy with the result. The text from the BT can still be read under the paint, but then again, it's nice to have little reminders such as which side is the top.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight:
As I mentioned above, this one was built for a demo to an elementary aged group at the local museum. For the same exhibition, I also built a 13mm Helix and a 13mm Double Helix, both of which worked great. The "field" we launched in was exceptionally small and bounded by the San Antonio River, several buildings and many huge magnolia trees. I figured the chances of retrieving any given rocket at just 50% with even small motors. That was about right.

Since I had already given successful demos with the 13mm variants and since this was my first foray into monocopters of any description, I decided to go wimpy with a 1/2A6-2, just to see what would happen. It was...interesting.

The motor ignited and the Helix immediately began to spin, just as it was supposed to do. It climbed its way the entire length of the 3 inch long launch rod and promptly ran out of thrust. It then tumbled to the ground. Nobody was bothered by any of that fruitless need to tilt the head up and watch all the action: it all took place right in front of everybody. With a straight face, I managed to tell everyone that it was a "successful and easily viewable example of a monocopter flight profile."

After that, the kids were anxious to start launching the rockets they had built and the demo rockets were put away.

I would not recommend using the 1/2A although I think the use of an A for demo purposes would be entirely justifiable. A Quest A6-4 with its nice smoke trail would be a good choice. For performance, stick with Bs and Cs.

Recovery:
After thrust ends, the rocket flutters down.

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

Summary:
I like the Helix series. This one has yet to get a proper outing but proved easy to build and is expected to perform likes its 13mm siblings.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Brief:
The 18mm Helix is a monocopter from Art Applewhite's new range. I got the kit as part of a set of six rockets Art sent me for placing in EMRR's youth participation contest. I gave 4 of the rockets to members in my club, keeping this one for myself, as I'm really liked the Popsicle stick monocopter that Art gave the plans for on TRF.

Construction:
The kit comes in a sealed plastic bag and consists of:

• Detailed instruction sheet with plenty of pictures
• Basswood wing
• 29mm main tube, thick walled
• BT-20 motor mount
• ¼ inch dowel balance beam
• ¼ inch launch lug

To build the kit I used

• Model knife with new blade
• White PVA glue
• Spray paint
• Varnish

The Helix is a really simple build, especially with the detail in the instructions and the pre-marked main tube.

Polygons have to be cut out of the main tube to house the balance beam, launch lug, and motor mount. The instructions give the easiest method for cutting the polygons out, and it is far easier than cutting circular holes out.

After cutting the holes out, its best to test fit the tubes and make sure everything fits. On my Helix everything fit perfectly--tight but not too tight.

The basswood wing requires a 1/16th by 1 inch strip removing from either side of the wing at one end. The wing is then test fit into the main tube. This should just slightly oval the tube.

Next everything is glued together with Elmer's Glue-All. The main tube has two black triangles marked on it, which the wing has to be aligned to. The hardest thing is waiting for the glue to dry. All joints were then filleted with more glue and again allowed to dry. The whole build, without drying time, is about 10 minutes.

Finishing:
The instructions suggest two coats of enamel as a moisture barrier. I sprayed mine a light brown. Then I spray varnished the Helix.

Construction Rating: 5 out of 5

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended motors are: B4-2, B6-2, B6-0, C6-0, and C6-3.

The instructions give details on how to build a launch rod for the monocopter. I improvised with a long thick headless nail hammered through a 4mm sheet of hardboard. The end of the nail anchors the board into the earth.

The motor has to have a tape thrust ring added to it. This consisted of a band of 5/8th inch masking tape added to the nozzle end of the motor. This is the only prepping needed.

Two flights were made on the same day. Motors used were C6-5 and a B6-2. Each time the monocopter performed as one would expect. The C motors give the best performance with the monocopter climbing rapidly. At "ejection" the monocopter rotates back down to the ground.

Flight Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

Summary:
This is a great kit. Almost idiot-proof instructions and building is straightforward. At the end you get a solid performing monocopter.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5