EFlite Rhapsody RC Biplane Review
Biplanes are cool. As a first year pilot, this plane was something for me to work toward. I found its construction to be excellent and it does fly well, but I learned a bit along the way.
There were two options for power, a low power and a high power. The low power option was an EFlite Power 25 motor with a 3S 3300 battery pack. The high power was an EFlite Power 32 motor with a 4S battery pack. After watching videos of how fast it flew with the 32 motor, I opted for the 25 sized motor. While there was plenty of power, it came out a bit tail heavy. After some time trying to get the CG right, I still missed and the first flight was a bit more challenging as I realized that I had the CG too far back. Also, the stock prop recommendation of 12 x 8 resulted in some torque roll during take off and when throttling up after a slow pass.
So, rather than add an ounce and a half of lead to balance the plane out, I put in a 4S battery pack and tried a couple of different props with the Power 25 motor still installed. It flew well with an 11 x 5.5 APC prop, but really seemed happier with an 11 x 7 APC prop. Flight times are now 7 minutes without working hard to conserve power. Plenty of power for loops and good ground handling for a biplane. With a little heavier wing loading than other planes I fly (around 19 oz/sq ft) it likes to have just a bit of power still on during landing. Most other planes I fly land well dead stick, which helps prevent flying off the end of the runway. However, with the Rhapsody a bit of throttle, perhaps 20% or 25% throttle really allowed me to grease the landing.
The kit is well engineered, and the spare parts availability came in handy (I replaced the lower wings after a poor power off landing in a cross wind). I now find it a pleasure to fly and brings some style to the flying field. I highly recommend the 4S battery option, as the CG of the kit is expecting it. The motor and prop choice is personal preference. I prefer a little less pitch than their 12 x 8, and found the 11 x 7 worked well with their Power 25 motor for great flight times and good handling.
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