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Great Planes Matt Chapman Eagle 580 1/3 Scale 85-100 cc Aerobat Product Video

Product Review:
Great Planes Matt Chapman Eagle 580 1/3 Scale 85-100 cc Aerobat

Perspective By:
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Manufacturer Website:
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Introduction

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Giant scale aerobats have been one of the fastest growing segments in model aviation over the last several years. Along with the growth of the popularity of 3D and Scale Aerobatics with "giant scale" airplanes, the demand for ARF airframes that get pilots in the air quick has also increased exponentially.  Great Planes, capitalizing on their successful giant scale Extra and Cap 580 designs, decided to take it one step further when the decided to re-design their ultra-popular Matt Chapman Cap 580 and bring to us the new Matt Chapman Eagle 580!


Out of the Box:

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The Matt Chapman Eagle 580 arrived in 2 large boxes via UPS.  Both packages were double boxed in order to protect the contents inside.  Form-fitting foam and cardboard throughout as well as clear plastic wrap insured that the Cap 580 arrived to me free of damage and in pristine condition.

 

Upon un-packing all of the boxes, the airframe was covered in genuine Monokote™ which was completely free of wrinkles and laid down in Matt Chapman's new Embry Riddle Aeronautical University™ scheme!  The packages included complete hardware needed to complete the airframe (control horns, fuel tank, wheels, axels, tail wheel, fuel line barbs, composite landing gear, turn-buckle style push rods, spinner and even servo arms!) as well as painted cowl, wheel pants, and even a helmet-style pilot bust!  In fact, the only piece of hardware that was required to complete the airframe was some Tygon fuel tubing to complete the fuel system plumbing.  After taking a good look at the hardware that was included with the kit, I decided immediately that there was no need to replace any of it, and that during the build process; I would use all of the included hardware.  I found this to be a great aspect to the model as it will not only save the modeler money, but also save a lot of time by having everything in one, complete package.

 

After a thorough review of the contents, it was time to peruse the detailed instruction manual and get started!

Product Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS
Stock Number: GPMA1286
Wingspan: 100 in (2540 mm) 
Wing Area: 1892 in² (122.3 dm²) 
Weight: 24-28 lb (10.88-12.70 kg) 
Wing Loading: 29-34 oz/ft² (88-104 g/dm²) 
Length: 96 in (2440 mm) 
Requires: 6+ channel radio w/10 servos & 85-100 cc gasoline engine

Equipping the Eagle 580

While the equipment required for final assembly is ultimately up to the owner, Great Planes has done their homework to make sure that the Eagle 580 is compatible with a wide range of equipment and engines from 85cc singles to 110cc twins.

 

A great improvement in the new Eagle 580 is the fact that it now comes setup from the factory with an installed pipe tunnel and can mount to install the increasingly popular canister-style exhaust systems that are available for a multitude of power plants out there.  For my power plant in the 580, I decided to go with the new 3W 110 from Aircraft International. After a quick call to Gerhard, owner of Aircraft International, I decided the new 110 would not only be a perfect fit for the Cap, but would also provide phenomenal power to wait ratio for all levels of aerobatics.  While the canister tunnel was pre-installed, I chose to go with "standard" in cowl mufflers although either installation would have been easy to complete.

 

For radio equipment, I chose to guide the Cap 580 with my Futaba 12FG 2.4ghz radio, a Futaba 6014FS 2.4ghz receiver and Futaba 9155 servos on the flight surfaces (4 aileron servos, 2 elevator, 2 rudder) with a Futaba 9206 servo for throttle.  To power all of the radio gear, I chose to outfit the Cap with Li-Ion batteries from Fromeco and to distribute that power through an EQ6 power distribution system from Smart Fly that would also handle the servo matching of our aileron servos. Though it was not necessary to outfit the Cap 580 with these particular items, the layout and design of the Cap allows for the end modeler to choose the equipment that they want to use in final assembly and I just so happen to have these items available at my disposal. The Cap also came setup for the installation of 2 rudder servos via pull-pull, although I chose to install one in my application. 

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The assembly manual included with the Eagle 580 is well written and easy to follow along with detailed pictures of each step along the way.  I started with the wing and stab assemblies, which due to the pre-installed hinges took very little time! After cutting away the covering for the servos, and making my extensions at the correct lengths for each application, it was as simple as installing each of the servos in their corresponding bays, installing the control horns through the pre-drilled hard-points in each of the flying surfaces, and hooking up the horns to the servo arms with the included turn-buckles and ball links.  Great Planes gives you the correct bolt length and horn height so that the preliminary setup is a breeze, ensuring that you can get your horns as mechanically matched as possible.

 

Upon completing the wings and horizontal stabs, I moved on to mounting the landing gear, the rudder, and the tail wheel.  The rudder was pre-drilled for hinges, which only required a quick test fit before gluing them in. I chose to use 30-minute epoxy for this, but there are many adhesives out there that would do the job.  After the glue cured, I installed the tail wheel with the supplied hardware along with the main gear, axels, and wheel pants. All blind nuts were preinstalled for the main gear, and the wheel pants were as simple as lining them up, applying some Loctite to the supplied bolts, and tightening them down. 

 

After completing the landing gear, I moved on to the "business" end of the Cap 580 and installed the 3W 110 from Aircraft International.  I was pleased to find that the firewall on the Eagle was already pre-marked with the drill locations for the mounting bolts.  Whether you opt to use the 3W110, 3W106, DA100, or DA85, you can use the pre-marked drill holes and ensure that your engine will be mounted in the precise location it needs to be in order to have the correct placement within the cowl.  For the installation of the 3W 110, the kit also supplied the necessary engine standoffs to space the engine out correctly

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After buttoning up the business end, I installed the Futaba 9155 rudder servo, mounted the rudder horn in the pre-drilled hard point, and installed the pull-pull cables with the included hardware and set them up according to the manual. Great Planes once again thought ahead and installed cable guide-tubes down the fuse for the pull-pull cables as well as for the servo wires for the 9155 elevator servos. Once they were tightened down, it was on to install the EQ6 power distribution system, along with the Futaba 6014FS 2.4ghz receiver, which I was conveniently able to install aft of the throttle servo, and ahead of the rudder servo. I installed some guide tubes for the RX antennas to place them in the correct location, and installed the batteries in the recommended locations.  At this point, all that was left to do was to install the switches, mount the cowl, and install the included pilot figure on with the hardware in the pre-drilled mounting location as well as drill and mount the Vess 28B propeller that Robert Vess recommended for our power plant and airframe combinations.  Once those items were completed, I grabbed my Futaba 12FG radio, bound the RX to the transmitter, and began writing the program for the model. The manual includes recommended settings for both initial setup and 3D flight.  I chose to program the model with my own settings based on my preferences, though I feel the recommended settings would have been a good starting point.  From this point, it was off to the flying field!!!!!!!

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In the Air:

The weather looked great on a Sunday morning up here in New England so I decided it was time to load up the Matt Chapman Eagle 580 and take it to my local club for its first flights. 

 

After doing the necessary pre-flight checks and range checks, it was time to fuel the airplane for the first time and fire the motor.  I flipped the choke on, set the idle, and turned on the ignition.  Within 5 flips, the 3W 110 drew fuel and fired. I clicked off the choke, and in 4 more flips, the motor purred to life.   I once again completed a range check with the engine running, checked the directions of my flight surfaces one last time and then taxied out for the maiden.

 

Take-off was absolutely uneventful. At the stock needle settings, the 3W 110 transitioned smoothly up to power and the Eagle 580 rose off the ground and headed skyward.  After climbing to altitude, I noticed that I had yet to input ANY trim settings.  The airplane flew straight and level hands off, and I only input a couple clicks of rudder trim to get it dialed in perfectly!  After performing some sequence/IMAC style maneuvers in order to start the break in process for the motor, I decided it was time to kick the switches to my 3D flight mode and see what the Cap was capable of.  I could tell from the initial trim passes that I had set up the Eagle 580 slightly more nose heavy than I prefer which I thought might affect the 3D flight envelope.  I was happy to see that although I will shift the cg back down the road, the overall affect did not hamper the Cap's performance.  Harriers, inverted harriers, rolling harriers, rolling loops, blenders, walls, and hovering was all well within the flight envelope of the cap.  I was also pleased to see that I had very little pitch coupling in high alpha knife-edge.  My previous experience with Caps lead me to assume that I would be fighting pitch couple in a knife-edge attitude. This simply wasn't the case with the Eagle 580. As you will see in the video, KE flight was effortless, even in steep degrees of high alpha flight.


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Upon "stretching the Eagle's legs" and seeing it was capable of, it was inherently apparent that the 3W 110 was a brute of a motor on the front of this airframe. Weighing in at a hair over 26 pounds dry, the 3W110 and Vess 28B propeller provided "rocket-power" for the Eagle 580!  As the motor started to break in, the power continued to increase resulting in an extremely impressive power to weight ratio.  As I got more comfortable with the Eagle 580, I found I could not come up with a maneuver that the Cap couldn't do. Inverted slips on the deck, rolling harriers, falling leafs, parachutes, walls, the Cap was capable of them all.  Best yet, when I flipped the rates down to my precision flight mode, and Cap flew sequence flight well, and had plenty of control/rudder authority for rolling circles, ratchet-rolling circles, positive and negative snaps. With the forward cg location, getting the nose to depart for snaps took a little more elevator, but this will be remedied by shifting the cg slightly back from where I set it up.  All in all, the Matt Chapman Eagle 580 was a great performer and I think any avid 3D'r or aspiring precision pilot would be happy with! Plus, after an exhilarating flight, the Cap settles in gently for a landing, touching down at a crawl!


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Conclusion

Great Planes did their homework with the release of the new Matt Chapman Eagle 580.  Thought was put into the construction methods used and the layout of the airframe.  The high degree of pre-fabrication allows the modeler to get in the air fast.  With most holes pre-drilled, hinges installed, and hardware completeness, it is possible to get the Eagle 580 in the air in just a few short days, even if this is one of your first gasoline powered giant scale models.  Once completed, the flight envelope of the Eagle 580 is almost limitless. The kit gives the modeler the flexibility to use the equipment they prefer along with a variety of power plants. While my setup may differ from others out there, I feel that there are a multitude of setups that would be successful in the Eagle. Great Planes has realized this, and designed a product to meet those needs! If you are looking to get into a 33% to 35% with an 85cc to 110cc engine, the Matt Chapman Eagle 580 might be just what you are looking for!



www.greatplanes.com/
 
Default Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF

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Old 05-08-2009, 07:33 AM   #2
klu0906
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
sounds pretty good. Wish i could get one here...
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Old 05-08-2009, 07:29 PM   #3
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
I will watch the video......
I have wanted to see the new 3w110 run.!!
I have the splatball Cap580 (prevy version)
It also flew straight and level hands off w-NO adjustments.....
I wish I had the New 3w-110 insted of the da100....in it...
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Old 05-08-2009, 08:17 PM   #4
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
Well I must say it is a strong plane. It looked as if you were trying to fold the wings with some of those hard pulls at speed but it held up, great job.
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Old 05-08-2009, 08:52 PM   #5
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
Well, i have the Old version, (the cool one! :P ) Well i like mine, even though its like flying a pig, its still very fun and attractive. The worst part about this version is, you don't have any target on the bottom, so you can't have any of your friends trying to shoot paintballs at it while your torquerolling. LOL Just kidding. Well i hope you bring this to the Snap A Huckfest, I will have mine there along with my 30%yak and a few other things. Hope it all goes well. Take Care
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Old 05-08-2009, 09:35 PM   #6
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
I need this for the Embry-Riddle RC Club. Looks awesome!!!
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Old 05-23-2009, 12:16 AM   #7
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
Quote: Originally Posted by 3dAndrew
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Well, i have the Old version, (the cool one! :P ) Well i like mine, even though its like flying a pig, its still very fun and attractive.
Mine flew great.....Replace the wheels with Kavans, take out the heavy hardware for the canopy and replace with 4-40, and cut the pilot out and the braces, replace the 2-anchors with a sigle servo... and easily at 25lbs- with all the other stock hardware!!..... that is easily over a lb taken
out right there and only 25$ spent...
That isn't a pig, even by todays standards.... with a 100cc twin in it...
Give it a try... you will be pleased...and don't add smoke!>.
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Old 06-24-2009, 05:38 PM   #8
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
Plane looks awesome!!!

Excellent review and great video John. Thanks!!

Tim
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Old 06-24-2009, 07:11 PM   #9
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
$1000 for a 33% give me a break. I'm not knocking the plane, but Great Planes and Horizon Hobby just love there price hikes!
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Old 06-24-2009, 11:32 PM   #10
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
How is a 1000.00 too much for this. Its pretty much in the same ballpark as all the other 35%ers. I had the old version that was considerably cheaper when I bought it...but no worse or better than most of the other 35% planes out there. From what I understand..this one really is improved over the old version...
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Old 06-24-2009, 11:54 PM   #11
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
That's just it! It's a 33% for a grand! I'm not saying the plane is bad or good. I don't know! But a grand for a 33% is rediculas! Compare it to thier 38% Extra and how much more plane you get and do you see what I'm talking about. One is value and one is overpriced.
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Old 06-25-2009, 12:07 AM   #12
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Default Re: Great Planes Matt Chapman 1/3 scale Cap 580 ARF
$800-$900 seems to be a more reasonable price for a 33% plane.
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