One of the spiffy things that I noticed about this particular design is that when you take it to a launch and show spectators; you really don't have to say what it does. When they look at it, you can just see the light bulb flip on inside their heads. "It's a H-E-L-I-C-O-P-T-E-R!" they shout.

Once they make this connection, they have a whole different attitude about model rocketry. They no longer see rockets as just woosh-pop, but as something with wide variation and style. They can't wait for you to prep and launch the whirly-bird. With this one rocket, you get them hooked on the hobby!

We're talking about a completely different way to use the motor's ejection charge. In this model, the helicopter rotor blades are held down during launch by a thin thread. When the motor fires it's hot ejection charge, it burns the thread into two - thereby allowing the blades to spring outward. It is a simple, elegant, and a "light-weight" rocketry concept. Strangely, it's almost totally foreign to most modelers.

However, if you think about it long enough, you start to wonder how else you might use the motor's ejection charge. That's one reason why the rocket kit is so educational in nature.

Although a "Skill Level 4" rocket may scare some newer modelers, those of you who are familiar with Apogee's kits know that we spend a lot of time to make sure are instruction sheets are clearly written, and contain lots of easy-to-follow pictures. I don't think I've met a person yet that wasn't able to complete an Apogee kit if they've read and followed the instructions.

A neat thing you'll discover as you build this kit is that you'll learn a lot of new building techniques. I mentioned previously about the bending the music wire with the pliers. You'll also learn about helicopters in general, and the "trick" to make the spin properly. What "trick" you ask?

When I started out in rocketry, for the life of me, I couldn't get my helicopter models to spin. Learning the "trick" didn't come until after about a dozen pretty catastrophic launches. You've probably gone through something similar: build -- shred; build -- shred; pull hair out...It gets pretty frustrating.

But I don't want you to go through the same nonsense that I went through. So you'll learn this trick as you're building this rocket, because the instructions clearly tell you about it. I want you to have as much fun flying helicopter rockets as I do.

The Heli-Roc spins much more slowly in comparison to the Texas Twister model. It is very graceful as it descends, and comes down a bit more gently. This is because it has large rotor blades, with a rotor diameter of over 20 inches. It doesn't exactly have a "whop-whop-whop" sound, but if you pretend hard enough you can imagine the sounds that other spectators are straining to hear from the model.

The model comes with light-weight die-cut balsa fins and rotor blades; which makes it light weight and competitive in rocketry contests. And if you paint it like the futuristic rendering shown here, you'll find that it looks like a neat floating space station. How's that for something out-of-this-world - give it a whirl!

Texas Twister Helicopter Kit

Helicopter Construction Suppiles - If you like to build your own helicopter models, we've got the items to make your job quicker and easier.

Are you new to rocketry? Do you think you know what happens when you launch your rocket? Now you can learn about the events that occur as your rocket is launched into the air. So when you launch your rocket, you'll be prepared and you'll be able to show off your knowledge to observers watching your rocket. This article also gives you links to other references that will give you even more background information about rocketry, so you can become a true rocket scientist and expert.

"With most companies today so impersonal, it's a very pleasant surprise to receive the first-class service that one receives from Apogee. I look forward to dealing with you in the future." -- Joshua Cippel