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Are any Estes BP E's and F's reliable, at this point?

  • RD-ROX
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2 years 1 month ago - 2 years 1 month ago #11029 by RD-ROX
Having come back into the hobby last Spring, after a 25 year absence, Deb and I tried to get handle on “the state of the hobby” in a variety of areas, including motors. We were interested in the Estes E’s, but there seemed to be an alarming number of CATO’s associated with them – both in FB posts and at club launches. So we just steered clear of Estes E’s and F’s, sticking to Aerotech for the flying season (which has its OWN set of problems…).

So with the new season ramping up we wanted to take a fresh look at the mid-power Estes offerings. Are the motors still plagued with CATO-inclinations? Is it just some of the mid-power motors (which ones?). Or does Estes seem to have their QC issues sorted at this point? I’d love to hear some specifics about what’s reliable and what we should steer clear from in the line. Thanks in advance!
Last edit: 2 years 1 month ago by RD-ROX.

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2 years 3 weeks ago #11030 by deangelo54
I have had my fair share of CATOs with E12's and E16's in the past. I think it was in 2020 that Estes retooled their manufacturing of large BP motors such as E's and F's. Those motors became available in October 2020. There is a video where Bill Stine talks about this but I can't find it. I recently bought a three pack of E12-4's. I flew two of them so far and they worked fine.
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2 years 3 weeks ago #11031 by ClaudeMaina
I may be the exception but I have not had any trouble with any 29mm E or F motor and I've flown quite a few of them. I did have two E12 CATO's; but that was when they were first introduced and, if I remember correctly, there was some issues with production at the start. I have not had any trouble with E12's since then and I have never had an E9 CATO.

I wouldn't worry.

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2 years 3 weeks ago #11032 by deangelo54
Last night I tried to find the video where Estes VP/GM Bill Stine talked about the retooling of the large BP motors. I thought it was at NARCON 2020 or 2021. That gave me a lot of confidence in those motors as long as they are produced in October of 2020. I plan on using E12's this year and maybe the E16's if I can buy them locally. I get the E12's at a local Hobby shop. Hopefully I can find the E16's locally. I would rather support a hobby shop by paying full retail rather than paying Haz Mat fees.

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2 years 3 weeks ago #11033 by RetroRocketGuy
Replied by RetroRocketGuy on topic Are any Estes BP E's and F's reliable, at this point?
So far, my only experience with an Estes  E had blown its nozzle out, and made for a very anticlimactic "lift off" (lol). (@RD-ROX, you may remember it from August, you posted a nice collage of pics from the event)

However, like Mr. DeAngelo said above,I'm not gonna halt any plans to fly on their large engines. One of my next projects is a MD 29mm 3d "Jus-Send-it" type rocket, which will incorporate an F15. 

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2 years 3 weeks ago #11034 by DeltaVee
I've purchased several packs of E12s... the only one that catoed was the one I sold to Frank!

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