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Great Planes "Escapade 52.5" ARF"? - 11/27/2010 5:49 AM   
cgibbo


 

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Status: offline 		Can i get feedback on the Great Planes Escapade with a glow .46 as a second plane, first after a trainer? Thanks

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RE: Great Planes - 11/27/2010 7:17 AM   
armody



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Status: offline 		Hi cgibbo,

Escapade is really a good second plane. I lost brand new Escapade due to receiver's issue, some of my mistake especially I used Z bend for throttle rather than using clevis, few other mistakes, lesson learned. It's really a good second plane flies easy and good. If you are comfortable with your trainer's landing in cross wind and in higher winds so this tail-dragger won't be a problem for you.

Aaah I miss my Escapade

Good luck with you on new Escapade "Few pix of my Escapade before competion.


Mody

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RE: Great Planes - 11/27/2010 7:51 AM   
opjose



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Status: offline 		Yeah it's a great second plane.

It's a sweet flyer with good characteristics.

You'll not tire of it.

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RE: Great Planes - 11/27/2010 9:57 PM   
jeffie8696



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Status: offline 		I am a big fan of the Epade. Great for when its a little too windy for the trainer.


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RE: Great Planes - 11/27/2010 10:45 PM   
oldvet70



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Status: offline 		There is a 55 page discussion here; http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8067138/tm.htm

Just skip what the nay savers and must Modify people say and it got a lot of info. If you assemble the plane per the instructions and Tech sheet you will have a great second plane.

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RE: Great Planes - 11/27/2010 11:02 PM   
thebest_102


 

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Status: offline 		I bought this as a second plane but was a bit put off by it untill i learned how to use the expo feature of my radio.  Set it up as the directions say and it is a great plane comes in nice and slow and is a fairly forgiving aircraft.  I ended up getting a tiger 2 as my true second plane but did get a few more flights with this plane after that and developed it to my week in week out flyer.  The poor girl has lost her landing gear twice and is on her second tail wheel but is still flying and I love flying it. 

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RE: Great Planes - 11/27/2010 11:29 PM   
ChuckW



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Status: offline 		There is also a larger Escapade on the way:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAMXN&P=7
 

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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 4:38 AM   
crash1ace


 

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Status: offline 		A larger Escapade?? oooh baby!!! I loved the ones thats beenout now for awhile. Ive had three of them, yes three( the usual issues..) Its a great easy to assemble and found it easy to fly airplane. Id love to get my hands on a larger one! yipee!

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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 5:26 AM   
armody



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Status: offline 		I myself saw the larger .61 size Escapade, I was kinda surprised, never saw on the website that it's new but it's gonna be due in January 2011. Price is $189.99 not bad.

I'd prolly try it myself as well after a bad luck with my Escapade 40

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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 9:02 AM   
jeffie8696



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Status: offline 		My Epade has been a jewel. I did glue the tail feathers on since one of the bolts that hold it on broke the balsa it was screwed through and I didnt even have it overtight.
I didnt overpower mine, I used an Irvine 36 , kept it light and it performs amazing.



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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 9:06 AM   
armody



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Status: offline 		Jeffie8696,

I'd say you are lucky and hopefully you keep it flying good. I was the second guy who lost this plane at our club, and that guys is again flying the Escapade, we thought it was kinda jinx on Escapade. Anyway I'd say it's no doubt a good second plane. I'd like to certainly get .60 size one in future.

Mody

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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 1:56 PM   
TimBle


 

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Status: offline 		What OldVet said x2.

excellent 2nd plane, just assemble as per instructions. Keep elevator rates low at around 10mm for first flights and aileron to about 7-8mm and you're set to fly.
it's senstive to balancing so once assembled don;t be too surprised if it seems tail heavy on the CG Machine. The manual recommends 63mm from LE but mine balanced at 67mm and still flew awesome.

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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 10:02 PM   
cgibbo


 

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Status: offline 		Thanks guys for all the help- now another question. I just got finished with it on the C.G. machine and it is really tail heavy. Is that normal. I have set it up with everything following the manual, dual aleron servos, battery on bottom, reciever on top. It says to ballancce it emply, oh. i have a os .46ax in it. This is only the second arf after the trainer build. I know to try and ad weight but it seems everyone is getting it balanced out of the box?

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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 10:35 PM   
jeffie8696



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Status: offline 		Mine took a big bolt on the front to balance. I also used it to reinforce the cheeks. My first one didnt need it.


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RE: Great Planes - 11/28/2010 11:37 PM   
cgibbo


 

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Status: offline 		Is that just a standard bolt and 4 nutz from homedepo? Thanks


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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 12:57 AM   
TimBle


 

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Status: offline 		cqibbo,My earlier post says it will come out tail heavy on the CG machine.Establish the distance it does balance from the leading edge of the wing.You may find it will move forward 1mm and it will not be so tail heavy. Do this before bolting lead to the airframe.

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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 1:16 AM   
cgibbo


 

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Status: offline 		Timble- im not understanding. first, find out how much further back the CG is and then what? Sorry, im new but really interestedthanks for the help

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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 2:58 AM   
carrellh



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Status: offline 		You may be able to move the battery pack forward. Some models have room under the fuel tank. If not, the "bolt" is a good idea. I'd use nylon insert lock nuts to keep everything from coming loose. I'd also grab a handful of fender washers in case more weight is needed.

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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 4:28 AM   
jeffie8696



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Status: offline 		I used a threaded rod and double nutted it .


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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 5:09 AM   
oldvet70



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Status: offline 		If you need to bring the CG forward the easiest way to do it on an Escapade is to move the RX battery next to the fuel tank. There is plenty of room there for it.

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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 9:24 AM   
jeffie8696



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Status: offline 		I used a smaller tank and placed the battery in front of the tank.


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RE: Great Planes - 11/29/2010 10:20 AM   
TimBle


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: cgibbo

Timble- im not understanding. first, find out how much further back the CG is and then what? Sorry, im new but really interestedthanks for the help



When youbalance the aiorcraft on a CG machine, its upside down and the supports for the aircraft at at 63mm away from the leading edge. It hangs tail heavy.
What I am suggesting is, move the aircraft forward on the cg machine so the supports holding the aircraft up and indicatring where the cg is from leading edge, moves furtherrearward,i.e. you are finding how from the leading it actually does balance.
Mine balanced at 67mm from the leading edge, i/.eI moved the aircraft 4mm forward on the cg machine. It still flew nose heavy.

Do this and report the number.

If you absolutely must have it on 63mm, then I suggest you follow what others have mentioned, add weight either via a bolt through the cheeks (very inelegant, I prefer silicone rtv between the engine mount and cheeks to damp vibration and add weight), or move the battery further forward.

In the end I moved my engine forward 5mm because I fitted the optional cowling. This made the Escapade even  more nose heavy so I fitted a heavier tail wheel to compensate.
I have flown the Escapade with the CG as far back as 70mm from the leading edge and it flew great. More sensitive on the elevator so around 40% expo will tame that at 10mm throw up and down.


First establish where it balances before simply adding weight. Moving the battery forward is an option but balancing it at 63mm  will make it fly extremely nose heavy. Some people like it this way, prefer a plane more neutral.
Also each ARF is different, they will balance at different points.

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RE: Great Planes - 12/6/2010 8:59 PM   
Lone Star Charles


 

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Status: offline 		I brought home an Escapade about a month ago.  Installed a Evolution 46 and went flying.  I've got to say that the airplane performed very well in all flight attitudes.  Landings, even for a taildragger, were very straight and gentle (mostly).  My son flew the plane as his second plane after learning to fly on a PT-40.  He was very successful with the airplane and enjoyed it a lot.

Two areas of concern that you should address prior to flying:

1.  The left elevator fluttered severly in level flight at full power.  I don't know whether the elevator assembly was loose from the factory, or if the looseness was the result of the flutter, but check this out prior to first flight.  The right elevator is directly connected to the control pushrod and did not flutter at all.

2.  Make certain that the canopy seats firmly.  The two dowels in the front of mine were not securely glued and came loose during assembly of the aircraft.  I did make sure that the rear hooks worked and that the magnets contacted their keepers prior to flying.  (There is a warning in the instructions about inadvertantly loosening the canopy while starting - take that to heart).  All I can say now is that when my new canopy comes in (unless I can find my old one) I will connect some sort of rubber band between the canopy and the fuselage so that it will not fall off during flight.

Once you address those two issues,  I think that you will enjoy your Escapade.  Good luck.

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RE: Great Planes - 12/7/2010 3:38 AM   
jeffie8696



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Status: offline 		I installed two springs on the dowels to hold the canopy in place and it works great, seems simple and cheap enough they should have done it from the factory.
The elevator joiner is a well documented problem, it is suggested to reinforce and glue the joiner rod in place whenever using a hot engine to eliminate flutter which has claimed a lot of Epades. It has occured with as little as a 46 in a dive.


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