how weight equals $$$

[Anthony Romano]

>From: "Terry Brox" <tbrox at cox.net>
>

>        I am envisioning a new pattern plane for the new weight.
>It will be a monoplane, 78" ws, 78" length, fuse height 18", fuse width 
>10", wing root 25", wing tip15", 15degree sweep at the quarter chord, 12% 
>airfoil making the wing root 3" thick, stab 28" and nearly 2" thick.
>

If Terry can make this thing fly and Dave wins the Nats with it then of 
course everyone will want one. Now to make this behemoth fly Dave starts 
testing the new Webra 3.2 twin with twin mixture control carbs and dual CF 
pipes. To make all those control surfaces work it requires dual 8611 on 
Rudder and ailerons as well as each elevator half. Now those dual m/c carbs 
each require two very fast mini servos(digitals of course) and the new 
Futaba 14 or the hush hush Jr 22 to control it.

Now a historical example. Prior to the two meter rule does anyone remember 
the 80" Pythons and George Asteris' original Omen?  Those who do also know 
how many 1.20 AC they destroyed trying to power those monsters on 40% nitro. 
Who also remembers the Giant Dr Jeckyl that was built a few years ago.
Chip has spent several years developing the DV which he originally started 
with the Hydeout. Now it takes lots of CF, lots of power and at least seven 
servos to perform.
Not to long ago you didn't see dual servos on any surface $$ or computer 
radios$$ or mixture carbs$$ or adjustable wings$$ and stabs$$ or ball 
bearing linkage$$.  Now most would not consider competing without them.
The 5kg limit has been around forever and for years never even a concern. 
Since we have now dropped most of the other limits weight has become a 
limiting factor. With each drop of a restriction the planes have become more 
complicated and more expensive. The competitor in all of us will lead us all 
right to the limits of what ever the new limits are. Very few will just be 
content to show up to a contest with there 6kg sport plane in anything above 
sportsman. In ten years I can count on one hand the number of time I have 
seen that at a contest.


The reason all of the lower pilots want to have the Gee whiz airplanes? Why 
do the hacks at the golf course have ti clubs? Why do guys buy sports cars 
and never drive them?








BECAUSE THEIR KEWL!!!


  Your plane is your tool, your buddy, your friend and it should be as loyal 
as a good dog and as tempting as any mistress. No one has ever owned a plane 
with a a good personality. It was so well pointed out any perceived benefit 
becomes a perceived reality. It is the reason my brother in law has a $600 
dollar tennis racketwhen he plays once a month and why my co workers have 
$4000 dollars worth of golf clubs when they can't break a hundred.

As Pappas said to me some years ago the hobby is spending money the rest is 
just details.

No offense, anger or malice toward any one who disagrees but for about ten 
years I have been trying to convert sport pilots to pattern pilots and have 
found it to be the hardest sale I have ever made and no rule change will 
make a difference.

The only way I have been able to make a difference is volume. Run more 
contest, do more primers and fly at more local clubs were hopefully someone 
will watch me fly and say that looks like fun.



Anthony


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