Nitro Capitol Flyer Review HM - High Definition Radio Control

HM Review
Jeff Troy
MegaTrainers
Megatech’s popular Nitro AirStrike is joined
by the Nitro SkyLiner and Nitro Capitol Flyer.
M
Nitro Capitol
Flyer ARF Kit
Includes
• Factory-assembled and
professionally covered
airframe components
• Factory-assembled
pushrods
• Rugged aluminum main
landing gear
• Light foam wheels
• Nylon spinner
• Rubber bands
• Factory install fuel tank
and fuel lines
• Engine mount and
mounting hardware
• 8-page instructions
• Two strurdy
wood/aluminum
laminated wing braces,
one with dihedral and
the other without.
egatech International offers an incredibly diverse line of radio control
models, running the gamut from park flyers, beginner’s startup cars
and boats to their 40-class Nitro Air Strike Trainer and 40-class
Floats. Recently, Megatech has widened their airplane selection with 40-size,
glow power versions of their electric RC and free flight models, the Capitol
Flyer and the SkyLiner.
The Nitro Capitol Flyer and
Nitro SkyLiner are available in
both the ready-to-fly and almostready-to-fly formats. The RTF versions come fully factory assembled,
and are equipped with the rugged
and reliable M-46 two-stroke
engine and a factory-installed
Airtronics four-channel RC system
with buddy box. These models are
virtually ready for action within 15
minutes of opening their boxes.
Megatech International markets their
Fusion CA and “Poxy” adhesives in sevThe Nitro Capitol Flyer and
Nitro SkyLiner are also available as eral weights ideal for hobby use. As
good as they are, pilots who choose
ARF’s. These models are the ideal
the new Nitro Capitol Flyer or Nitro
choice for experienced modelers
SkyLiner will never need them.
who already own an engine and
radio equipment, or for first-timers who would rather end up with an airplane
by putting a few bits together instead of merely opening a really big box and
limiting their “work” time to charging a radio system.
Megatech provided a
pair of ARF aircraft for
my review, and I selected
an Airtronics flight pack
and a Megatech M-46
engine from my own
stock to finish them out.
Jeff Troy chose a pair of Megatech International M-46 engines to power
Hobby Merchandiser’s review airplanes. Muffler is included, and the
Platinum Number 3 Glow Plug is also a Megatech proprietary product.
94 FEBRUARY 2003 HOBBY MERCHANDISER
The Nitro Capitol Flyer and Nitro SkyLiner both come with their engine mounts installed, and their fuel tanks
and fuel lines installed and ready for hookup. The engine lugs are sandwiched between the aluminum mounting
rails and two steel caps, secured on each side by a pair of Phillips head screws, washers and hex nuts.
Assembling the models begins with joining the wing panels. No adhesive of
any kind is needed. The wing halves slip over a sturdy joiner that sandwiches a
piece of T6 aluminum between two layers of hardwood. Megatech has also
developed a novel way of keeping the
wing panels together. The dihedral
brace and the bottoms of the wing
Pushrods are factory assembled
and require no additional assembly. Servo trays accept most standard servos. Airtronics 102 servos were used in HM’s review models.
Nitro SkyLiner
ARF Kit Includes
panels are drilled to accept a pair of bolts that secure the panels to the joiner.
The bolts each have a a wingnut jammed tight to their heads for easy threading,
so no tools — not even a screwdriver — are necessary to assemble the wings.
Megatech’s M-46 and other engines of similar displacement will fit nicely
into the factory-installed aluminum engine mount. The mounting rails are
drilled to accept a pair of Phillips head screws that pass through two steel
plates and retain the engine between them. No need for a nut driver for the hex
nuts under the mount; the mounting rails have hex-shaped recesses to prevent
the nuts from turning as the screws are tightened.
Once the engine is mounted, the throttle pushrod can be connected to the
throttle arm, and the muffler and gasket
mounted with the two hex screws.
• Factory-assembled and
professionally covered
airframe components
• Factory-assembled
pushrods
• Rugged aluminum main
landing gear
• Light foam wheels
• Nylon spinner
• Rubber bands
• Factory install fuel tank
and fuel lines
• Engine mount and
mounting hardware
• 8-page instructions
• Strurdy wood/aluminum
laminated dihedral brace
No glue required. Two threaded
rods at the base of the vertical fin
pass through holes in the horizontal stabilizer. These, in turn, pass through the fuselage, where they
are retained by a pair of washers and wing nuts under the fuselage.
HOBBY MERCHANDISER FEBRUARY 2003 95
The fuel
tank and all its
plumbing are
factory assembled and come
already installed
in the fuselage.
Purchasers have
only to connect
Aluminum landing gear fastens with the carburetor
three heavy-duty thumb screws. No and vent lines to
confusion about which way to
complete the
mount the gear; the tri-bolt pattern model’s fuel sysmandates the correct orientation.
tem installation.
This is a good time to mount the tail surfaces, and
the procedure goes smoothly. The vertical fin has two
lengths of music wire that protrude from its base. These
steel rods pass through two holes in the horizontal stabilizer, then the whole tail assembly is placed over the stabilizer saddle and the wires travel right through the fuse-
Pushrods are all factory assembled and install in short
order. Nylon clevises and fuel line keepers are at the control surface ends, and Z-bends are used at the servo ends.
Megatech’s trainers are smooth and steady in the
turns, with no tendency to tuck or drop a wing.
Megatech electric starter, power panel and fuel
pump assure quick starts for the Megatech M-46.
Once the rods are in and the controls checked, the
modeler has only to adjust the control deflections to the
recommended measurements, make sure the RC system is
fully charged before heading for the flying site.
Engine break-in is matter of preference. While many
modelers believe in extensive bench running before flying
an engine, I have always believed that the results can be
just as effective, maybe even a little better, when breaking
an engine in on a model in flight.
Once at the flying site, I range-checked the radio gear,
then filled the tank with a 15 percent nitro/18 percent
50/50 oil blend and drew the propeller through a few
turns. I put the heat to the glow plug, hit the spinner with
my Megatech starter and the mighty Megatech M-46
Megatech International’s Nitro SkyLiner (left) and
almost instantly sprang into life.
Nitro Capitol Flyer are excellent subjects for student
I expected to spend a few minutes finding the engine’s
or intermediate pilots. Both available ARF and RTF.
“happy” point, but no such exercise was needed. Once
lage, where each one is captured by a flat washer and a
running, I closed the high-end needle to achieve a slightly
wing nut. I recommend a little blue thread lock here. Like
rich setting at full throttle, checked the idle and felt that I
the wings, the tail surfaces come with their control surcould do no better. This engine was singing beuatifully, so
faces permanently hinged and the horns installed.
I headed the SkyLiner for the runway.
Getting the radio systems into
The Nitro
these birds couldn’t be any easier or
SkyLiner is one very
progress any faster. I slipped an
friendly trainer. The
Airtronics 94102 standard servo into
roll down the tube
each of the servo slots in the tray,
was almost perfectly
drilled holes for the mounting screws
straight, requiring
and tightened them down. The leads
only a slight touch of
pass under the tray, where they enter
right rudder to mainthe receiver and battery compartment.
tain heading. Once it
Megatech provides foam wrapping
built up speed, the
for the receiver and battery, so after
model lifted gently
connecting the servos and switch to
with only a slight
the receiver, I wrapped the battery and
bump of up elevator
receiver and stuffed them into the
Nitro SkyLiner’s takeoff run is straight and sure, only command. Climbout
compartment, then used a dowel to
slight application of right rudder was used to keep it was steady with no
rolling right on the line. Gentle bump got it airborne. trim changes needed.
hold them securely.
96 FEBRUARY 2003 HOBBY MERCHANDISER
With zero degrees of dihedral, the Nitro Capitol Flyer
becomes a very aggressive model, able to perform inverted
flight as easily as upright, and spins and rolls in every
direction on command. Limited experience pilots should
be told that the flat wing requires the addition of rudder
during turns to keep the model from slipping or sliding
excessively in the yaw axis.
Either way it’s set up, the Capitol Flyer is a great airplane, and one heck of a smart choice for the pilot who
wants a solid trainer but doesn’t want to buy another
model when it’s time to take the next step forward.
I let the airplane have its head while the runway
slipped gradually away beneath its belly, then I applied a
little aileron input to see how the model would react in a
turn. The SkyLiner begins to roll with the application of
aileron, then the high dihedral begins to induce a very soft
turn. A bit of back pressure on the stick while the airplane is coming around will complete the turn smoothly.
The SkyLiner exhibits no threat of tucking or dropping a
tip, and is an absolute delight to fly.
The Nitro SkyLiner and Nitro Capitol Flyer are both
excellent performers, although there are very distinct differences between the behavior of the two airplanes. One is
a primary trainer; the other can be anything you like.
Good looking and rock steady, Megatech’s nitro trainers can make learning to fly RC almost effortless.
Megatech’s ARF nitro trainers assemble quickly and
fly very well. The covering is durable and attractive, and
the quality of the workmanship is equal to or above that
of other factory assembled aircraft models. Dealers should
remember that these airplanes are also available in the
RTF format, with engines and radios factory installed.
For more information about the Nitro Capitol Flyer,
the Nitro SkyLiner, the Nitro Air Strike and the M-46
two-stroke engine, circle #6 on the Reader Service Card,
see the ads on pages 3, 26-27 and 104, or telephone
Megatech International in North Bergen, New Jersey at
201-662-8500. HM
Settling in on final, the Nitro SKyLiner maintains its
stability at all speeds, even in the stiff winter wind.
The SkyLiner has a flat bottom wing with a slight
Phillips entry, and is therefore very predictible and easy to
stay ahead of at all times. The Nitro Capitol Flyer has a
semi-symmetrical wing and will deliver far more aerobatic
agility in the hands of an experienced RC pilot.
Unlike the SkyLiner, the Capitol Flyer comes with
two wing joiners. One is just like the SkyLiner’s, producing a high dihedral that keeps the airplane on an even
heading and helps to prevent Dutch roll. The other joiner
has no dihedral, and installing this joiner and the accompanying center shim results in a perfectly flat wing.
Nitro SkyLiner from Megatech International cruises
down the flightline for a glamor shot.
HOBBY MERCHANDISER FEBRUARY 2003 97