Got a few flights on the Escapade after months in the hangar (busy with other planes and quads) I forgot how much fun it is! Mine will be getting a new fuse - one too many landing gear repairs making it look ugly.
Yes, we need some vids. Next time I fly the Escapade it will be with a GoPro filming it (and maybe a keychain cam onboard)

Nice to get some winter flying in! Mine is just put back together from a mishap, got some new wings & fuse repairs. My fuse is also not a 10/10, but hey it it should look fine in flight. I just added a HK 3axis gyro, since a gust helped down my escpade. The new version lets you turn on/off the gyro from the TX too. Now all I need is some decent weather....

How do you like your gyro? I've seen one on a 3d foamie and it seemed to do its job in a hover OK. Does the gyro make it smoother in the air, make takeoffs/landings easier? I like that it's switchable.

Jumna tell me more how that HK 3axis gyro works, iam thinking of getting it to put on my escapde for the windy days that make for hard landings with cross winds, used the co pilot on my heli yrs ago and worked great.

The gyro only counters non-commanded movement, sadly it won't save anyone from a too low flat spin or something! It has adjustable pitch/yaw/roll pots, and dip switches for reversing. I have flown the original version in my PZ T-28 most of the past season, and it has made it less work to fly in windy conditions, but a strong gust can still pop it up on landings. I have it at maybe 25%, never bothered to nudge it up much more as I've heard that as you go higher it could make rolls/loops more difficult. Takeoffs have always been easy with the T-28 anyways, but it seems to give it more level flight at slow speeds when it's getting close to stalling to one side or the other. The version 2 is supposed to be much improved over the first one, the pots are linear and there is the remote on/off, and modes for V-tail and delta. I haven't yet flown the V2 - the setup seemed trickier in that I had to reverse the rudder in my Tx to get it to work, and getting the on/off to work was weird in that it only worked after I used a servo on the channel the on/off was using. (?!) But if it works as well as the original I'll be happy.

Seems like the 61 thread isn't active any more so I thought I'd give posting here a shot too. I just ordered the 61 for $20 off and free shipping from Tower. The recommended motor is the Rimfire 80 (5055 500). Can anyone tell me if there's enough adjustability on mounting the cowl to fit a slightly longer motor in it. I'm looking at this one...

http://www.headsuprc.com/servlet/the...h-04%29/Detail

It's 5065 410kv.

Thanks for any help!

Norm

I have flown the Escapade 40 for a season with EFlite Power 25 with wheels and Power 32 with pontoons. Plenty of power in both configurations.

Bought the fibreglass cowl. Well worth the money. To answer the question about the length of the cowl, after cutting the cheek pieces I had to really smoosh the cowl to force a fit over the Power 25. Wound up using short standoffs to ease the crush. Have to use standoffs anyway with the shorter Power 32 so adjusted to fit.

The Escapade is my goto airplane for windy days - has good penetration.

The large tailfeather surfaces stabilize pontoon flight - no need for a subfin. The pontoons are the Eflite 25 size. Put a second water rudder on as per prototype. Was going to attach a photo of the pontoon setup but my camera battery is dead. Will attach after charging.

Bill

Attached is a pix of the pontoon setup on my Escapade 40. A little awkward this time of year to snap good shots with everything snow and ice outside but it gives the idea. The pontoons are the EFlite 25 size. Flies great off water.

I used direct pushwire links from the air rudder to the water rudders rather than the great looping Sullivan cables suggested by EFlite. The left water rudder is locked up and the right locked down. I ordered a second water rudder kit from Eflite.

The rear fuse strut is from my EFlite 25 Pulse XT hence the yellow colour. By coincidence the wing bolt hole spacing in the Pulse rear strut is the same as in the Escapade wing. The wing bolts secure the rear strut. The regular front landing gear strut is attached to the forward pontoon blocks.

A clear plastic hood is taped over the bottom rear cooling holes to prevent water from splashing up into the fuse.

Powered by EFlite Power 32, 3200 mah 4S LiPo, 60 amp BEC, 13x6.5 prop, Spektrum DX6i radio.

Bill

Got one--love it! Very well built with strong landing gear. Using aoliean 40-50 motor-60 amp esc-14.8 lipo 14x8 apc prop--this has to be one, if not, the best buys in an ARF--got the cowl as an extra and looks super. Got 15-20 flights on her and not a scratch.

Helping a buddy set one of these up with Electric power. Glancing threw the thread I'm seeing an issue with the CG on these for the recommended electric power set up, .46 Rimfire motor and 4S 3200 pack. I was leaning towards a Hacker A40 spinning a 13" to 14" prop but might be better to get a heavier motor for this plane to help balance. Any thoughts guys ????

Mine balanced perfect with the rimfire .46 and 4s 4000mah. I run a 13x7 Xoar pjn.

Originally Posted by neddis

Mine balanced perfect with the rimfire .46 and 4s 4000mah. I run a 13x7 Xoar pjn.

Great, maybe just the larger capacity pack will do it. What speed controller are you using ?

Guy I know built one with an EFlite .52 and a 4S 4000 pack. Balances perfectly and flies awesome with a 13x8 prop for 10 minutes.

Originally Posted by mt_100

Guy I know built one with an EFlite .52 and a 4S 4000 pack. Balances perfectly and flies awesome with a 13x8 prop for 10 minutes.

I was looking at that motor also, got one local he could buy at the hobby store. Any idea on the Amps he was getting ?

Originally Posted by mt_100

Guy I know built one with an EFlite .52 and a 4S 4000 pack. Balances perfectly and flies awesome with a 13x8 prop for 10 minutes.

Man, I get 5 minutes for 4s 4000 40c & rimfire .46 w/ 12x6, but I run it pretty wot some. Might have to run it midstick mostly to get 10 minutes I bet.