CAP 232 loses half of elevator.
 

Just had our club BBQ on saturday - about sixty people turned up for glorious weather and superb food. It really is the highlight of our clubs year. Anyway I have a CAP 232 breitling which is a gorgues plane i really love to fly; it tracks great trhough loops and looks so good in inverterd low passes. Anyway just took off on the club BBQ with all the people beghind in the pits surrounded by a wire fence did one circuit, just throttleing up and *CRACK* off comes the left had portion of the elevator! I have never seen anything like it, anyway after a (very smooth considering) circuit brought it back ito wind (i was okay aslong as i didnt bank left) and dumped it just short of our patch to a cheer from the crowd! woo!

The problem was traced back to appaulin wood selection in the elevator, its like sponge cake! and also the new prop that was fitted. I went from a 14x10 (model flew far too fast) to a new carbon 16x8. The rubbish wood and massive torque from that prop pulled off the elevator - definatly not flutter all hinges are close fitting and wasnt travelling nearly fast enough. Also the join was VERY clean though not along a glue joint as there is no residue, there also was no through brace to speak of.

Anyway the point of this post is this: after my experiences with losing half an elevator does anyone else have any similar miraculous stories? and also to point out that i always thought ARTF's with poor wood selection were bought by other people and that it never would happen to me - well i was wrong! You guys check out your wood selection!

I thought as soon as you lost a vital piece of your plane you were toast - you would be looking for all the pieces - however again i was wrong! Just shows; i love this hobby its so engaging and i read upon eveything i can but you never can stop learning!

This is 60" span powerd by a SC91 fourstoke (just purrs along) and a 16x8 carbon firbre prop (yum! cost me a weeks pay - im 16) dual conv rx 6v rx pack etc etc...

Here's some pics: will get better ones ASAP, will try and get one of grain of wood.

Anyway i welcome your ideas and comments,

Rich

RE: CAP 232 loses half of elevator.
 

Hey,

Years ago I lost the right half of my Four Star .60 with Saito 91. There was a huge wind that was on an angle, when I started to do the second loop of a vertical 8 someone shouted that something fell of my plane. Landed it like as if it were 100% airworthy and the whole section was missing. Lucky for me that the elevator control horn was on the other side, or I would have been toast. I had built the kit my self, so it wasn't a lack of glue that caused it. I rebuilt the elevator and rudder from solid balsa core, with hardwood inserts for strength and then sheeted it with balsa. 5 years later, still flying.

Cheers,

Sebastian

RE: CAP 232 loses half of elevator.
 

Several years ago a couple of the local 'Hotshots' were having an 'Inverted Touch and Go' contest (very unofficial ;) ).

The idea was to come in inverted and see who could touch their rudder to the ground and keep flying.. :eek:

There were a number of successful runs and several that did a 'Touch and Stay' :)

- THE WINNER was declared when one fellow did a touch and go and LEFT his ENTIRE RUDDER, behind! [X(]

He then completed his circuit and landed without incident...

The only thing left of his vertical Stab was the 'Strake' :eek: