Super Decathlon 40 (GPMA0185)
Tech Note

Some questions have arisen on the Internet and other sources about possible ground-handling problems and tip-stall tendencies.

Are you a little nervous about flying your new Great Planes Decathlon? Don't be. The Decathlon is a terrific flying airplane.

To help you enjoy your first flights and expand your flight envelope, here are a few hints:

The Decathlon doesn't really have a ground-handling problem. The problem some modelers have had is that they tip stall the airplane immediately after takeoff. This is most prevalent when the plane is powered with a .70 4-stroke.

The best thing you can do do avoid this is to build or twist 2-degrees of washout into the wingtips. This really tames this airplane down, making it less prone to tip stalling. Please refer to our FAQ on how to install washout for more information.

The biggest mistake you can make is to set up the plane with more elevator throw than is recommended in the manual. That small throw is all the plane needs—anything more will degrade the performance and will make it more likely to tip stall.

If you will be strictly flying from a hard surface runway, you can move the main landing gear aft 1/2" to 1". This will improve the takeoff and will reduce the tendency to become airborne again on landing. Flying from grass, the stock main gear location is good.