Flying the Great Planes CAP 580

MY SHORT FLIGHT WITH JOHN'S TEST model was very enjoyable. I was very pleased with the plane's ease of control. It gave me a good, confident feeling pretty much from the moment I took the transmitter. The roll axis is probably one of the best I have flown for this type of model, albeit a little less than precise, due most likely to the servo choice. The model's weight was just below 30 pounds; nevertheless, the plane has a nice, light feel to it. It slows down nicely, and the stall is straight ahead-controllable and predictable. Just relax the back stick a bit, and the plane is flying again. Rudder and aileron control are maintained throughout the stalls.

All of my pulls to vertical and the entries into loops were effortless. The plane tracks perfectly through the pull without any wing drop in either direction. On low rate, the rudder was plenty effective in the hammerhead turn. I didn't have an opportunity to land the plane, but I did notice that both the approach and touchdown speeds seemed very controllable-all at very slow approach speeds. The plane looked very happy doing 3-point landings.

I hadn't been a huge fan of the bull's-eye on the bottom of the plane-until today. Seeing the CAP 580 in the air sold me on the design! I had absolutely no problem with model orientation while flying this plane. It looked great in the air and really stood out in the pits.

I have my kit in the shop now. Today's flight has inspired me to dust off the box and get started on the plane.

Copyright Air Age Publishing Aug 2005
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