pascal

Hello,

I ve purchased a Capitol Flyer but I can't get the plane in the air.
I ve tried several handlaunched but the airplane quickly crashes in the ground.
(There was almost no wind)

What could I be doing wrong?

I ve also noticed that the shaft has been slightly bent. How serious is this? Could this be the cause?
How hard do you have to run with the plane. Do you have to give it a push?

RandyT

Sorry I don't know your plane, but is your CG correct, is the elevator slightly up~? Are your controls in the correct direction~? Have you tried to just glide the plane to see if it will glide properly, it shouldn't go directly into the ground even with a light push~? Your going to have problems if your shaft is bent, there will be a terrible wobble. Good luck.

jakjr

My Feedback: (18)

Not familiar with that plane, but in general, make sure your plane is not nose heavy, and make sure your elevator is either is level or trimmed "slightly" upwards. The plane should go fine with the elevator level, but it is sometimes helpful to trim it slightly up to give you a little extra time to get your hand back onto the remote after a hand-launch.

If you trim it up too much the plane will just stall and nose into the ground after you launch it.

Make sure your either launching your plane into the wind (or in other words against it) or with the wind blowing crosswise, NOT with the wind at your back. Ive had absolutely no luck getting a plane to hand launch if the wind is at my back, however ive had no problems with crosswinds, but in general its always best to launch it into the wind.

Depending on how badly the shaft is bent you might still be able to run it until you get a new one. Ive flown my planes with a slightly bent gearbox shaft with no problems. If its bent to the point you can very easily tell its bent you shouldnt fly it like that as ou risk damage to the ESC, Motor, and the plane itself. However, if its only slighlty bent you should be OK until you get a new shaft. Ive succesfully restraightened a few shafts and flew the plane afterwards, but id only recomend doing it in a pinch and getting a new shaft ASAP.

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

You don't want to fly with a bent prop shaft. Maybe you can straighten it, but if not, replace it.

A proper handlaunch involves setting the plane on the air with a little forward motion. You don't throw it up, that's a sure formula for a stall, crash, and maybe cartwheel. Get prepared to handlaunch, maybe try a couple in tall grass with the engine off, to make sure it will glide (thus demonstrating you have a balanced plane.) Then do the same, at full throttle : Glide the plane toward a point closer than the horizon.

If you throw it at a point above the horizon, gravity will be slowing the plane, working against the propellor. If you throw it at a point closer than the horizon, gravity will help the plane gain speed.

Don't move the control stick until you have reached flying speed. You'll know if you pull elevator too early, because the plane will just stall and head for the ground. Let the plane gather speed until the last possible second before it meets the ground... then just pull enough elevator to level out, and let it gather more speed, while flying level. Then go for your shallow climbing turn.

As I recall, the Capitol Flyer is a Megatech item, with an attractive low price. You might want to search RCU for comments.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

Matt Kirsch

My Feedback: (21)

Quite the contrary, Scar. The Capitol Flyer isn't all that inexpensive ($179.99 IIRC) and has a BAD reputation. Definitely not a good plane for a beginner, regardless of what anyone says. The wing is way too small for what the plane weighs, and it has inadequate power even without the bent shaft eating half of it up.

Return it to the dealer if you can. If you can't, take the advice from the people above and see if you can fly it.