Electric power WAS : Diamond stab cross section - Dean Pappas

[JonLowe at aol.com]

I hope Jason Shulman pops in here on the cost of electrics, but I understand that the big electrics are getting nowhere close to 1000 cycles out of their batteries.  What I hear is less than 100 cycles, in most cases CONSIDERABLY less.  Why, I don't know.  At $600 a pack, the cycles you get will change the cost effectiveness a lot!

Jon Lowe

In a message dated 11/22/2004 2:23:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, George Kennie <geobet at gis.net> writes:

>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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