I've flown an Alpha III every year throughout the decades that my family has been rocketeers. After numerous flight, some of the alpha's components become weak and brittle. The one this purchase is replacing is about 20 years old. We've swapped out the parachute for a streamer recovery which is likely why we haven't lost it with the C6-5's. I'll probably upgrade to a better shock cord and a length of kevlar cord glued into the motor mount to prevent nose cone and recovery system detachment from the fins and tube. For those who are more about flying rockets than building them, this is where you start.