mas opinions

[Anthony Abdullah]

Gray,
I agree completely with your points. People often make purchasing decisions with no idea of the hard work and growing pains that the winning sponsored pilot has gone through. The fact remains that two things happen.
 
1. People buy equipment based on what a winning sponsored pilot uses.
 
2. The sponsored pilot proves that the equipment is valid and can be used consistantly to win at the very highest level. 
 
They pave the way for new thinking and help us decide how to spend out limited hobby dollar. If you go out and drop a big chunk of change on the electric rig, but can only get three minute flights out of it, you can be fairly sure that you are the problem and not the equipment. 

Gray E Fowler <gfowler at raytheon.com> wrote:

Anthony 

Considering Jason's use of electrics....regardless of sponsorship, he knew alot about that rig going into the worlds....alot more than the people second guessing him.  Problem here is that most that will rush out to  buy an electric rig ain't going from 10th to 1st, and if they do it will most likely be due to flying time. 
As far as the engine situation goes I have seen local and at the NATs the following engines run flawlessly 

OS 1.4 RX 
OS 1.4 EFI 
Mintor 1.7 
OS 1.60 
YS 1.4L 
YS 1.4 DZ 
YS 1.60 DZ 
Webra 1.45 

As far as the engine situation goes I have seen local and at the NATs the following engines run like crap... 
OS 1.4 RX 
OS 1.4 EFI 
Mintor 1.7 
OS 1.60 
YS 1.4L 
YS 1.4 DZ 
YS 1.60 DZ 
Webra 1.45 

The point being they all run good they all run bad, and they have lots of power- sponsored non sponsored, same with the radios. 
Point #2 is that anyone who buys equipment ONLY because they saw a sponsored pilot do well with it is headed for a disappointment. 



I think information about what the sponsored pilots are using is valuable. There is a reason everyone is curious about what equipment the winners use at the Nats. You have to remember that in most cases sponsored pilots were great pilots and fierce competitors before they became "company ambassadors". I don't know a single one that would sacrifice reliability for the sponsorship that comes with their level of achievement. That is not to say that Jason or Chip couldn't beat me in my own class flying a PT40 ARF with no ailerons, but I'm sure that they don't want to be wondering about a flame out or a glich flying against some of the best pilots in the world. On some levels and as much as my budget will allow, I try to emulate those who have had success doing what I want to do. Before the worlds no one even considered flying an electric in FAI (thanks Jason). There was even grumblings that he was risking a possibl! e team victor! y with his actions. Now there are many people including
 some on this list who are keeping a close eye on the technology and the prices. I think it is inaccurate to say that the equipment that the sponsored, which implies winning, pilots use does not at least influence sales. 
  
Anthony 
P.S. I have flown a two meter pattern plane with a YS140 DZ, I flew across straight and level at about half throttle, pulled verticle and went to full power. I blinked and before I knew it I had nearly punched a whole in the ozone layer. This leads my simple mind to a question. How much power is enough? I plan on flying an OS 140RX this year and if it has as much as or more power than a DZ140 I will be a little concerned.


Gray Fowler
Principal Chemical Engineer
Composites Engineering
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