So I just got an easystar II, got it all together and took it out for its first flight. I only got off the ground once and in the air and it flew great! The only problems I was having was hand launches. It just kept nosing in. Belly launched worked good but after my second attempt at a belly launch it flipped and the vert stabilizer broke off. Any ideas on what caused the flips or the poor hand launches?<br type="_moz" />

Good choice on your first plane ! Multiplex makes great foam planes that can take a beating. The vertical stab will glue back on in no time!
I had a plane similar to this and most if not all pusher planes like this will tend to nose dive on hand launch. Having someone else launch it is the best bet here. To do it yourself you should get a neckstrap for the transmitter. Then hold the plane in your throwing hand and hold it as high as you can. With your other hand throttle up to full and steady the transmitter . Take a running 3-4 steps and sling it (throw/release) the plane out in front with a slight nose-up attitude. Then quickly get your hands on the elevator stick and give the plane a little up elevator....not a lot or it will stall and fall. . The trick is to quickly get ahold of the transmitter after throwing the plane. It takes practice to get the procedure down.
To launch it by taxing it on it's belly on the grass is another way and you found out what can happen there. The trick here is to make sure the grass is not too high and to get the plane moving while keeping it straight by using the rudder. Add throttle as it starts to slide ,keeping it straight with the rudder and then add some up elevator and it will rise. If you don't keep it straight and/or the grass is too high, a wing tip will catch the grass/ground and either spin the plane or flip it. Again this takes practice as welll.
The good thing with these planes is that the engine and prop is up high and will be more difficult to damage in a rough landing.
When you get better after more practice ,you can read-up on adding ailerons to the wing and really start having fun with it.
Good luck !

Thanks for the advice. This sadly isent my first plane but my 3rd. I never knew about the long grass catching to that's good to know! I already have ailerons on it. Maybe ill just practice taxing on her belly for a bit. Thanks again!!

OK. The ailerons will be better to use to help keep the wing level.
What you could do is fashion a skid for each wing tip out of small diameter music wire or old control rod. Bend it in a ""S" shape, bend one side of the "S" up at a 90 degree angle and attach them in.onto the wings on the bottom side toward the tips before they turn upward. They will ride on the ground as you taxi and keep the wing from digging into the ground.
Or buy these and install&gt;
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&amp;I=LXTDS6

What if I put some wheels on it?

G'day

I have had an EasyStar Mk 1 for ages and I recently bought a Mk 2. I noted the "dive on launch" at my first attempt so I hold my radio so that my thumb is over the elevator stick and holding some UP trim for launch. My EasyStars do not have ailerons, I like them better that way as gliders. I also fly Mode 1 (most of Australia does) and this means that I hold the transmitter with my left hand and my left thumb is holding the UP trim. To do what I do, if you fly Mode 2 and you probably do, you would have to launch left handed.

A friend has a similar plane but he has a 1900kV motor in it. It easily launches off the ground. My Mk 2 will though not well. His goes just about straight up.

I have put some fibre reinforced packing tape under my plane. This keeps it cleaner and also adds quite a bit of strength for little weight. It also makes it slip better over our rather gravelly field.

Enjoy your EasyStar. They are a really great plane.

Mike in Oz

I wouldn't put wheels on it. They would have to be lightweight  and small and they would be worse in the grass.
Practice hand launching and you will get it. As stated you could click in a bit of up elevator trim on the radio before you launch and  then set it back once you are in control. Mark the trim position  on the radio if analog trims or count the beeps if digital trims.

Thanks guys!

my first electric plane was a multiplex easystar that i bought in 2001. they are a great plane to fly and learn on. they fly best in calm conditions and light winds. i flew it with the stock brushed motor and still have it to this day. a couple of years later i bought another easystar and this time i fitted it out with a new brushless motor. all in all i believe its the best electric plane for a beginner. hope u have a good time with yours. ps. i put some clear glass tape on the bottom of the fuselage to protect it from hard landings. does a good job.

Short answer is that it noses over on launching because it's going too slow. Be careful about trying to gain altitude immediately, because putting the nose up just slows the plane down. A straight fly out for the first 2-3 seconds is much safer. Without actually seeing your plane fly it's impossible to say, but it may be nose heavy as well. If it tends to drop its nose and glide fast when you cut the throttle and if it's hard to flare for landings a slight shift back in the CG is in order. That will improve both flying and launching since it will make the plane less prone to dropping its nose when going slow.

Are you hand launching the plane at full throttle? These "pusher" type motorized gliders like the EasyStar should be launched at no more than 50-60% throttle. Because of the thrust angle of the motor, the plane will dive momentarily at full throttle. I have an AXN Floater Jet and fly with friends who have EasyStars and Bixlers. They will all nose dive at full throttle until the wings find lift, some more than others. The AXN Floater Jet is the most notorious for doing this. Try launching at 50-60% throttle. You'll be surprised at the results.

I think I should mention I've got a 2700kv motor in this easystar

Thanks again every one for all the tips and advice. I got out again today and the hand launch at about 40-50% throttle was a complete suck success!!  But it was a little to windy for my comfort zone and it resulted in a stall and then a crash. Not to worry though a little boiling water and some ca and you can't even tell!

Taking that further...

For my hand launched small planes, I set a switch on the left side of the TX, that adds a pre-set amount of up elevator and throttle.

When I am ready to launch I'll move the throttle to normal flying speed, flip the switch and throw the plane.

It will go into a climb as I get my hands onto the controls and turn off the "launch" switch.

This makes it SOOOO easy to hand launch planes... I'm not worried about getting my hands on the controls quickly enough...

I'm using a dx5 and am not sure how I'd do that with that radio <div>
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Hi JG, you really don,t need anything fancy and you have already found your answer and proven it. As Chucksolo69 pointed out that handlaunching a light high thrustline glider like airplane at full power will always pitch over untill trim speed is reached and the very simple solution is to simply only use partial power and after launch you can power up to whatever you would like.

I have a number of old timers which are the opposite problem and I hand launch them often, the solution is exactly the same. They will pitch to vertical if hand launched with full power. Hmm launch at partial power and then go vertical if I want. Same solution reduced power at launch.

I also have some seaplanes with a high mounted engine above the wing and although much heavier so do not hand launch. But these also will then to pitch downward every time untill trim speed is reached when throttle is suddenly applied. What these airplanes do as well as some light glider like foamys is to angle the engine mounting to an upward angle (up thrust) an this will tend to minimise this although not completely.


John