EMRR's OOP: Area 51 Saucer (RTF)

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REV 2.4 - Tue Aug 17 09:22:55 2010

OOP
Quest Aerospace
Area 51 Saucer (RTF)

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SPECS:

3.25" x 8" - 2.7 oz

ROCKSIM FILE:

MISSING - please submit here

SpaceCAD FILE:

MISSING - please submit here

REC'D MOTORS:

B6-0, C6-0

[Picture] (04/01/04) I purchased the Area 51™ Saucer to add to my 18mm U.F.O. comparison article. It is labeled as a Ready-to-Fly model from Quest made from plastic.

CONSTRUCTION:

The instructions are printed on the front and back of a single 8½ x11 page of paper. They include illustrations for attaching the legs and for flying.

UFO Attaching the legs is done by sliding a plastic holder into a slot on the underside of the U.F.O.'s body. Not the easiest thing to do, and if not careful one could break the tab off of the black holder.

For comparison sake, the Estes Snitch is much easier to add legs, while the Area 51™ Saucer has foot pads and better overall looks.

The rocket comes with a build-in motor retainer hook.

Overall, for CONSTRUCTION I would rate this kit 3 points. Not terrible thrilled with the attachment of the landing gear.

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Quest recommends the C6-0 only.

My Area 51™ Saucer weighed in at 2.7 ounces.

Flight preparation is simple. Pull back the motor hook, insert the motor, install igniter and fly.

I have flown the Area 51™ Saucer three times all on C6-0's and all in our front yard. It gives very stable flights with slow and laborious lift-offs. At apogee it flips over and falls until it bounces on the landing legs. Had no issues with flight.

I did notice that while installing the motor for the third flight the motor hook didn't seem to spring back so well. I'm afraid this hook does not have a long life.

For FLIGHT/RECOVERY, I would rate this rocket 4 points. It is a nice rocket for backyard and U.F.O.-type rocketry.

I give the rocket an OVERALL rating of 3 ½ points. It has excellent looks (my wife says, she really likes it) and it has consistent flights. Slow lift-offs are cool, too.

(Contributed - by Chris Taylor)

[Rocket Pic] This is another complete ready to go rocket with pad etc. . . again pad [stunk] but I got another one of those launchers.

About the pad; take an Estes' Pad and make it look like the picture. Okay, now remove the screw in launch rod mount . . . it just sits in there. No secured angle adjustment either. It is by a measly leg swivel that props up one leg like sticking a rock under a leg. Now, to make it worse, make the plastic lots and lots of times thinner . . . to the point of a wrong twist cracking a leg.

Now the Launcher on the other hand is cool. It is an ergonomic hand grip with the red tab safety key on top. When you plug it in, it lights up and it makes noise to show continuity. (Cool) And the 9V battery has plenty of kick.

This ship is VERY COOL it is a BLAST to watch fly even though it does not go very high. You can NEVER get enough of it. You can NEVER get enough of it. I fly on C engine ONLY. It does NOT go very high and B's would be plain boring.

The U. F. O. is made of all plastic with decals already in place, and the launch lug are just molded holes on top and bottom of motor tube (all plastic) in the center. The plastic hook are little hooks that hold the three metal legs in place. There are two hooks for each leg and they tend to break on landing. Not that big of a deal, really just a nitpick of mine.

Construction was, well, EASY although the legs can be confusing (not difficult) to get in and the little plastic hooks tend to break so I personally would epoxy the legs joints.

Recovery - it falls and bounces on it legs and usually on FLAT ground will flip back right side up. I also like to fly on C6-3 for on the way down it fires the ejection charge like retro thrusters. I have flown about a dozen times and it flies flawlessly every time. I want to get an apogee D10 and see how that does, but at $7. 50 a pop I am not to sure!

The whole kit was only $20 WELL worth it !

Construction - EASY nothing to do except those legs I would say 4. 9 out of 5.

Performance - 5 out of 5 without question.

The following excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". The intention is to allow guests to get a basic feeling about a kit. We strongly suggest that you get a copy of the referenced Sport Rocketry and read the entire article. Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. For more information, use the two links above.

(Sport Rocketry - Jul/Aug 1998 - page 30 - by Joe Talento)

"This circular saucer is a light weight plastic craft with three ribs radiating from a central engine mount. "
"Before flying, wire legs must be fitted into aligning notched on each rib. "
"The saucer launches in the upright position, but is recovered upside down. Hence the need for the top protruding spring coils. "
"Only Quest C6-0 motors are recommended . . . "
"Each flight of the UFO was excellent"
"I encountered only one minor problem during a drip recovery. One of the black plastic "T" shaped tabs that holds each wire leg to its respective rib snapped off. "

The entire article gives the impression is that this is a nice RTF kit, even for novice rocketeers.

GUEST's OPINION:
07/01 - "This is lots of fun on a C6-0. But to really wow the crowd, try a composite D engine! I've flown it several times on an 18mm reloadable Aerotech D13. Very loud, smoky as all heck, and it doesn't go up much further than on a C engine. Use the short delay but don't add the ejection charge. Safely discard the ejection charge, and don't put on the ejection cap." (R.J.)

GUEST's OPINION:
"The Quest UFO retails for about $13. I would have to say it is well worth. The rocket is a real pleaser for the kids. On a C6-0 the flight is low and slow. I've had a 1/2 dozen flights so far and it is pretty solid. The lack of ejection makes prep very quick and this is one I let the kids set up. Don't make the mistake of using a B6-0. It WILL fly, but it's pretty lame. It's not a high performer, but it is a FUN rocket to have and fly." (M.K.)

SPECIFIC ROCKET TIP:
09/06 - "If the little tab on the black holder breaks off as you slide it into the slot on the underside, keep the black holder on that particular spot and smear the black holder with a generous dollop of medium CA. The CA will still hold it securely in place without dramas." (P.D. )

Date	Name	Motor	Ejection/ Altitude	Wind	Notes
08-17-2006	Peter Davidson	Qst SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Maiden flight a delight to watch. Rocket took off slowly to about 75 feet, tumbled back to the ground and ended back up on its padded feet.
08-17-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Second flight even more awesome than the first, this time with an Estes C6-0. Same height to maybe 75 feet but the Estes motor sure does put out noise and smoke!!! Again it ended up back on its padded feet. This rocket sure is a hoot to watch in flight.
08-25-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Launched by Jodie White. Rocket possibly made it to nearly 100 feet, was hilarious to watch in flight as per usual. That Estes motor sure does smoke!!!
08-25-2006	Peter Davidson	Qst SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Launched by Marlo Davies. Repeat of the previous flight though the Quest motor seems to have nowhere near the noise and smoke of their Estes equivalents.
08-27-2006	Peter Davidson	Qst SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Albert Park Lake (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - Rocket launched and flew at a slight angle into the wind. Very funny but nice to watch.
08-27-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Albert Park Lake (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - Rocket launched with lots of customary noise and smoke. Two seconds into flight, the rocket arched over and flew horizontally under power but nonetheless descended normally. This flight had me in fits of laughter!!!
09-12-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Not-so-good launch as the launch rod whipped badly as the rocket was launching. Rocket subsequently turned into a cruise missile for the flight duration, nonetheless landed without fuss 10-20 metres away.
09-17-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	Roswell Relic - An amusing launch (as always). Upon recovery one of the plastic tabs supporting the upper legs had broken off, leg still works perfectly fine.
09-17-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	Roswell Relic - Another amusing launch, no further damage.
09-23-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Nice easy flight. Rocket seemed to make it higher than usual, definitely close to 100ft. No damage.
09-28-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	Roswell Relic - A great flight, the Roswell Relic seems to be reaching higher altitudes lately (close to 100ft). Could it be I've got a good batch of motors??
10-22-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	5-10 mph winds	Event: Albert Park Lake (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - As always a great entertaining flight.
10-29-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Great flight!!! Lots of noise and smoke, what more could I want???
11-05-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	5-10 mph winds	Event: Dandenong Wetlands (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - Great launch (considering the high winds) though the rocket did weathercock somewhat. No damage.
12-23-2006	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Awesome launch, the rocket easily cleared 100ft to the delight of passers-by. No damage.
01-13-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Rocket affected by rod whip and gusty winds upon launching causing it to arc over and travel horizontally. Amusing to watch nonetheless, no damage.
02-08-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	5-10 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Launch initially straightforward but high winds caused rocket to arc over and fly horizontally. Rocket gently tumbled to land less than six feet from the launch pad, quite amusing to watch.
03-02-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Great flight with the rocket belching lots of customary noise and smoke. Very nice, very amusing.
03-12-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Fantastic evening launch, red flame from the motor exhaust looked brilliant against the darkening sky. Arrow-straight flight, no recovery dramas.
04-01-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	Roswell Relic - Great flight with a slow labouring takeoff while belching smoke. Recovered fine, no damage.
04-15-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Dandenong Wetlands (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - Great flight for the one and only Roswell Relic, awesomely slow and laboured flight. Recovered very close to the launching area, no damage.
04-15-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Dandenong Wetlands (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - Area 51 vs. Snitch!!! Drag racing Mal McClenaghan's Estes Snitch, the Area 51 lifted off the pad first to be then overtaken by the Snitch. Fantastic drag race, no damage to the Roswell Relic.
05-12-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	Roswell Relic - Great flight for the Roswell Relic, 'nuff said.
05-27-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	10+ mph winds	Event: Dandenong Wetlands (AUSTRALIA) Roswell Relic - Truly picturesque drag-race against Mal McClenaghan's Estes Snitch. The Roswell Relic lost the race!!!
07-01-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - One great evening flight, rocket looked awesome climbing into the dark sky. No recovery dramas.
08-12-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Awesome evening flight, 'nuff said.
09-17-2007	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Great evening flight. Rocket lifted off arrow-straight, great to watch in flight. No damage upon retrieval.
04-06-2008	Peter Davidson	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Roswell Relic - Nice low and slow labouring flight, equally nice recovery.
03-19-2004	EMRR	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	- A repeat of the first flight. Nice
03-19-2004	EMRR	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	- Hey, this one looked very cool coming off the pad. Got a nice picture too.
03-19-2004	EMRR	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	- The motor hook is not working very well. Needed to bend it in for the third flight.
05-27-2004	EMRR	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	- Drag race with the Estes Snitch. Quest got faster start but the Snitch passed it and went higer. Got two nice pictures.
05-29-2005	EMRR	Est SU B6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	- Always fun to watch.
08-24-2009	EMRR	Qst SU C6-0	None - Tumble	Calm	- Great launch. Enjoyable.
09-21-2002	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-0	None - Unknown	10+ mph winds	Ulgly UFO - Nice flight even with the wind. Leaned into the breeze and landed about 4 feet from the pad
07-06-2003	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Ulgly UFO - Another perfect flight
07-06-2003	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Ulgly UFO - Perfect flight and landing.
07-06-2003	Rocky Firth	Qst SU B6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Ulgly UFO - Nice low flight. Landed 6 ft from the pad.
08-03-2003	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-3	None - Tumble	Light winds	Ulgly UFO - Pretty flight. Caught an almost calm window.
03-21-2004	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Mikki's OOFO - First Flight, lots of fun!
03-21-2004	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Mikki's OOFO -
06-11-2005	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-3	None - Tumble	5-10 mph winds	Mikki's OOFO - First of 3 flights, all part of drag races against Snitches.
06-11-2005	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-3	None - Tumble	5-10 mph winds	Mikki's OOFO - Second drag race
06-11-2005	Rocky Firth	Est SU C6-3	None - Tumble	5-10 mph winds	Mikki's OOFO - Last drag race. She won Lowest and Slowest all three times.
03-25-2000	Robert Geer	Est SU C6-0	None - Unknown	Calm	- Second flight, Straight up, nice flip at apogee, straight down.
03-25-2000	Robert Geer	Est SU C6-0	None - Unknown	Calm	- Straight Boost, flipped over and came straight down. No damage.
04-18-1999	Bob Kaplow	Est SU B6-0	Didn't Record	Didn't Record	-
01-11-2004	Mike Kimbler	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	- Great flight
01-31-2004	Mike Kimbler	Est SU C6-0	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	-
05-14-2006	Todd Mullin	AT RMS D24-7	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: DART Launch -
05-14-2006	Todd Mullin	AT RMS D24-7	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: DART Launch -
06-03-2006	Todd Mullin	AT RMS D24-7	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	-
07-08-2006	Todd Mullin	AT RMS D13-7	Very Late	0-5 mph winds	Event: Fiesta Island - Aerobrake recovery. Installed ejection just to get the bang! Ejection fired maybe 5' off the ground to wake up the flight line! Great roar off pad with this motor!
10-14-2006	Todd Mullin	AT RMS D13-7	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Fiesta Island -
05-26-2007	Todd Mullin	Est SU C6-3	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Fiesta Island -
05-26-2007	Todd Mullin	AT RMS D24-7	None - Tumble	0-5 mph winds	Event: Fiesta Island - Last flight under my ownership... Gave the saucer to a little boy who was very excited to be out flying rockets for the first time.
08-07-1999	Bob Sanford	Apo SU D10-3	Just Past (1-2sec)	Calm	Event: NARAM-41 - Really gets up and goes with a D10! Lot's of smoke. Good flight
12-25-2007	Andy Turits	Qst SU C6-0	Apogee - Perfect	Light winds	- Saucer rises slowly up to about 200-250 ft and flips...lands harder than I expected on icy snow...no damage.
12-25-2007	Andy Turits	Qst SU C6-0	Apogee - Perfect	Light winds	- Saucer maybe caught a wind and arced a bit this time on the way up 250 ft apogee flips over and flutters down...landed hard again no damage again...this is fun!
12-25-2007	Andy Turits	Qst SU C6-0	Apogee - Perfect	Light winds	- I could do this all day but I've got some others to launch! Get one of these from Quest directly as of this log they've got great deal on 'em!