Participation

[Norm500]

Just some thoughts from an electric flyer that hasn't started in 
Pattern yet.  I have flown electric power in IMAC, but am 
interested in Pattern because of the 2-meter size limit.  My IMAC 
plane, a 2-meter Staudacher which weighs just over 13 lbs. RTF, 
and is as large as I want to go.  In larger electrics the price 
starts going up exponentially, but 2-meters start looking rather 
small alongside of the now typical IMAC planes.

BTW, my battery pack weighs just under 3 lbs. so if the rules were 
ever changed to allow electrics to be weighed without the pack, 
I'd only be at about 10 lbs.  Not too bad for a plane that was 
originally built and flown with a Quadra gas engine.

Anyway, the point of all this is that you might be able to start 
attracting some electric powered flyers that want to compete 
simply because of the 2-meter limit on size.  I know it's not 
something that's going to happen overnight, but changing the rule 
about weighing with the battery installed would surely help.  I 
also know that some of the top rung people are already flying 
electric pattern, but with state of the art planes that's hard for 
entry level builders to achieve.

I've been trying to decide on a pattern plane to build for some 
weeks now.  I'd like it to be a 2-meter if for no other reason 
than my eyesight isn't very good and the larger planes are easier 
to see.  Thinking of building a Typhoon 2K with Mike Hester's 
modifications, but the project looks daunting to someone who's 
never built a wing with tubes, adjustable wing and stabs, etc. 
Also have been considering the Focus II, but figure it will be 
overweight with the batteries.

Oh well, that's my input for today.

Norm



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