Participation

[John Pavlick]

Randy + Norm,
 I've seen it written as:
"4.3. Weight and Size. No model may weigh

more than five (5) kilograms (11 pounds) gross, but
excluding fuel, ready for takeoff. No model may

have a wingspan or total length longer than two (2)

meters (78.74 inches)."

If you consider a battery as the "fuel" for an electric plane...  Just a
thought.

John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com




 -----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On
Behalf Of Randy
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 2:57 PM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Participation


  I think electric are weighted without the pack.  At least I have seen it
written on this list that way/

  Randy
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: MKMSG at aol.com
    To: discussion at nsrca.org
    Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 2:32 PM
    Subject: Re: Participation


    In a message dated 1/9/05 12:57:21 PM Central Standard Time,
Norm500 at comcast.net writes:
      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

    Norm: Because most pattern enthusiasts fly glow powered models, there
really hasn't been much discussion or concern regarding how
glow/gas/electric pattern aircraft are weighed.  Competition rules should be
as fair as possible when applied across the board to all the different types
of models authorized to compete in a given category.  Rather than weigh
electric pattern ships without batteries, it's my personal view that either
1) the weight limit for pattern should be eliminated, or 2) weigh all
aircraft types  -- gas, glow, or electric -- ready to fly....with fuel or
batteries as the case may be.  I'm not pro or con any particular type of
power plant.  I've used glow engines for nearly 55 years and currently have
two electric pattern ships on the workbench.  Our AMA competition rules are
guided and influenced by international FAI rules and it will be interesting
to see how this issue is handled as more and more modelers move to forms of
power other than glow fuel.

    Mike Moritko

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