Sagitta Cantina

Taking everything you've experienced, seen, heard or watched, in your opinion what is the engine (or motor) most likely to have a problem? OOP Not included.

I really don't know. I have had CATO's on every BP engine except the 13mm and the new 29 mm E/F. NO particular one stands out. Estes does put out a good reliable product.

Estes E's. I wouldn't use one in anything of mine, ever! Same for a C5.

I never had a problem with either the Estes or Centuri C5's. In fact, I still have several properly stored C5-0's I still use occasionally for 2 and 3 stage rockets. I have seen more C6 CATO's then C5.

I've heard more about CATOs than actually experienced. I think living in Colorado, where it is pretty dry, combined with storing my motors in my basement, which sees little change in temperature year-round, makes a big difference. I also keep my motors out of direct sunlight at launches, to keep the temperature cycling to a minimum.

Years ago I had a D12 get so hot it bubbled the paint on the rocket. It flew OK, and ejected the chute, but the rocket was severely damaged near the motor mount. It was in a batch of assorted motors I had bought years ago from someone getting out of the hobby. They were out of the packaging, in a box. I have no idea how they were stored. Most now are just really old motors in my collection (this odd lot contained some B14 motors from 1969).

The ONLY C5's that cato regularly are from ONE date-code lot in ALL of the Estes production of that motor.
I have had VERY few Estes catos overall.
I even flew D-kaboom-13's without incident as well as E15's without incident from Estes first foray into E motors.
The only catos that really stand out were several C5-3's from the bad date code (one each destroyed my first Mars Lander and first 1284 Space Shuttle) and a couple D12-0's that spit the nozzle decades ago used in Omega and Comanche-3 boosters.