Diamond stab cross section - Dean Pappas

[George Kennie]

I don't fly
electric!....................................................YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, and it's a very big HOWEVER,  I keep hearing about how
unbelievably expensive it is to participate in this aspect of the
hobby. I don't know that I can concur with this conclusion.
I think most of us lower eschelon participants are probably paying
approximately $15 per gallon for fuel and the guys that are burning
30% heli somewhat higher. Now, using the lower figure and running a
16 oz tank I'm getting about 8 flights out of every gallon I
purchase(how many of you guys are running 20 ouncers?) To me that
approximates roughly $2 per flight. All of the sources that I have
been able to query indicate that the current crop of lithium
technology paks should cycle in the 1000 cycle area if properly
charged and discharged(no over-charging & no deep discharging) which
is easily achievable with currently available programable ESC's.
Now even if you figure on a pak like Jay is running where each half
pak costs $350(total $700), the 1000 cycle cost comes out to .70
cents per flight. If you take it one step further and consider a
smaller size airplane, the cost per flight goes down substantially
as some of the local guys, in my area, are getting 3 ten minute
flights per charge.
I don't know about you, but in my book, the numbers are pretty
compelling, rivaling the price that I used to pay for my 60 size
ignition powered Super Cyclone on Amoco gas.
Additionally, I have yet to see an electric motor advertized for
$700 like some of our glow motors.I think if I was Mr.Yamada I would
have a little bit of an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach
regarding the future. I think the writing on the wall is either
pulsating or glowing 'cause it has electrons behind it!
Just think,.......... no glow plugs, no glow fuel, no exhaust
manifolds, no pipes, no starter, no starter motor batteries, no fuel
pumps, no tanks, no fuel tubing, no fuel dots, no fuel line T's, no
fuel line filters, no Cline regulators, no check valves, no Mixture
Carb servos, no soft mounts, no 7amp field box battery, no 409
clean-up solution, no paper towels, no igniter battery, no remote
glow receptacle and the list goes on and on. How much money did you
just save????? You may be able to retire earlier than you
anticipated!
Nope!, I'm still not convinced that electric is sooooo- expensive. I
will acknowledge that if you are an individual that burns 2 or 3
gallons a season, it's going to be a while before you start to
realize the differential.
Georgie



Del Rykert wrote:

>   Electrics won't ruin pattern but it will drive some away from
> the sport...  Those that can't afford to switch will be left
> playing with a dis-advantage similar to the 60 versus 120 size
> fiasco.  Many claimed it wasn't going to make that big of
> difference but it will or else so many wouldn't be going through
> all the trouble of developing electrics.  No the sky isn't falling
> but it sure isn't going to bring a bunch of new fliers to pattern
> either.                          del
>                NSRCA - 473
>
>      ----- Original Message -----
>      From: Bob Richards
>      To: discussion at nsrca.org
>      Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004 11:11 PM
>      Subject: RE: Diamond stab cross section - Dean Pappas
>       Electrics are going to ruin pattern!!! :-) Kick butt,
>      Jason!!
>
>      Jason <jasonshulman at cox.net> wrote:
>
>           Don't forget how bad an electric pattern plane
>           will be...especially at the Worlds....Sorry,
>           had to say it.
>
>                -----Original Message-----
>                From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
>

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