I have been flying a trainer for about 3 months now and i have become quite the avid flyer. I am recieving a low wing cap 232 30 size for Xmas and I was wondering, other than the taildragging part, is there any major difference in handling of the model. For instance, will I have to do anything drastically different than i already do with a trainer??

HUGE jump from a trainer to a Cap.... May be a bit more of a jump than is wise.

Its not just that its a low wing, or a tialdragger... Higher power to weight ratio, differnet wing design (going from flat bottom rectangular to symetrical tapered) and the much larger control surfaces with shorter moment arms means the plane will be MUCH more responsive.

You can partially overcome the snappy characteristics by having the CG forward a bit. Typical for the Cap would be close to 32% MAC, go with about 25 to 27% MAC (move it forward about 1/2 inch) This will degrade aerobatics some... but its just a shift in battery location to do it... so the CG can be moved as you get used to the plane. (and your skills improve) Tape about 6 inches of 1/4 inch triangular stock to the center LE on each side of the fuselage, and the center will stall earlier. (reduces tip-stall tendancy.) Again... reverseable.

It would be BETTER to fly something similar to a 4*40 before flying the Cap... Take a smaller step in aircraft performance, which will aid you in gaining flying skills and it will mean you'll have less problems long term.

The advise that swooper and FHHuber have given you is sound and you should take heed. Another big problem I have had with new pilots transitioning from high to low wing is orentation. The model will look very different in the sky and you will easily become disoriented. I had one student (recently soloed) who crashed his four star 40 on it's maiden flight. He built another one and asked me to buddy with him. He would roll inverted coming out of the turn onto the downwind leg of the pattern (parallel to and out from the runway) two out of three times. After he got used to the models outline the problem went away. This pilot was no dummy. He was a full scale pilot and had grasped the fundamentals quickly and soloed faster than most.
Rixter

I transitioned from high wing to low wing using a Goldberg Tiger 2. Today its one of my favorite planes to fly. I highly recommend it.

Roodester

I agree a slower low wing aircraft with a flat bottom or thick symetrical airfoil would be very beneficial in terms of transitioning and the slower flying and landing speeds would be benefical until you get up to speed.

Also, the symetrical and double tapered wing of the cap will have a much more pronounced stall break than most trainers. What would have been a mush on approach that you could power out of may be more like a stall spin with loud crunching noises at the end if you let the approach speed get too low.

I'd suggest trying the Cap in Realfight if you have access to it. You can also compare the handling differences between the Cap, Spacewalker and PT-40 in that sim. The spacewalker is pretty firmly in the middle but closer to the PT-40 in terms of skill required.

Realflight is not "real flight" and would not be definitive, but it is the best sim around and would give you a better idea of where your skills lie. Our LHS just installed a computer with the Realflight on it to allow people to test fly an aircraft similar to what they plan to buy, and think they can handle, to give them some feedback on whether their skills are really in the ballpark. Lawn darting the P-51 30 seconds into the flight seems to help most people reassess their ability level without wasting a perfectly good airplane.

What trainer do you fly now?

I already bought the airplane and i have no acces to a flight sim. I have good experince on a hobbico avistar with some aerobatic manuevers. But i think the cap will be a true test to my skill. Hopefully that test wont cost me 130 bux.

Take heed my flying friend and listen to the words of experience. I trust that is why you posted your concerns in the first place. There are several low wing planes that make a very nice second challenge but the "Cap" IS NOT ONE OF THEM. Save your hard earn dollars you've spent on your cap and keep the plane in its' box. You will have plenty of time in the future to enjoy it after learning to fly something alot more forgiving. Happy flying - John

Good advice by all posters to follow . An intermediate low wing is your best bet. A 30 size Cap sounds small enough to be a real hand full.

But there is another method to help with the transition to a more high performance plane. Gradually move the CG back on your trainer (to a limit-not too much) and gradually increase the control throws. You will see you have a completely different aircraft. This will help you to get used to the quicker response of the Cap. But don't stop there. You can gradually add more weight as well to simulate the added wing loading.

When you get to the point where the trainer responds not by moving the sticks but just by thinking about it, you can start to think about flying the Cap. Of course the Cap will still fly differently but at least your reflexes will be up to the task.

After learning to fly with my little three channel Kadet Jr., I made these changes and none of the "instructors" could fly it. "Way too touchy!!" I got used to it and every plane I've flown since has seemed gentle as a trainer no matter what the type.

Someone already suggested a Goldberg Tiger. I can't comment on that plane, but have heard an awful lot of nice things about it.

If I might make another suggestion for a low-wing transition airplane, try a Sig Four-Star (either a .40 or .60 size, BIY or ARF). The 4*'s are great planes, lots of fun, and an excellent plane to transition on.

I also agree with keeping the CAP in the box. While I don't have a CAP, I do have a Somethin' Extra and they are similar in response (at least to a relatively new pilot). I wouldn't suggest a SE for a 2nd plane either. But it sure is fun once you have a few more hours under your belt.

Just being a busy-body, as usual! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Bob