Technology and Paticipation

[vicenterc at comcast.net]

In 2003 I had the opportunity to go to the Nats.  One day,  I visited the AMA museum.  When I was there I had the chance to talk with the curator.  He gave me a great tour.  During the tour he got a phone  call from a modeler in Colorado claiming that he broke the altitude for world record using a model airplane.  It was not good day for him since the curator told him that he was short for several thousand feet.  In the conversation they talk about the weight of the model.  When they finished I ask him what is the weight requirement for breaking records.  He responded " For model airplanes the maximum weight is 5 kgs or 11 lbs.  Anything over 11 lbs can not be use to set records using model airplanes".  I think this is the simple reason why the maximum weight is 11lbs to be considered a model airplane.

I think this is the single reason why we have the 5Kgs = 11 lbs limit.  This is International rule for model airplanes.  Therefore, it could be very difficult to change the weight limits.

Vince Bortone

-------------- Original message -------------- 

Troy - how about this, then?
    12 lb max weight, RTF less fuel
    Specifically state batteries are "fuel" in the engine rule
    No engine limit
    Max. wing area 1200sq in
    Monoplane only

It would at least stall/forego the "slippery slope".
    

Bob Pastorello
NSRCA 199  AMA 46373
rcaerobob at cox.net
www.rcaerobats.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Troy A. Newman 
To: discussion at nsrca.org 
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 3:14 PM
Subject: Re: Technology and Paticipation


John et al,

read this carefully. I'm not in favor or against any specific technology...But I think this point blow needs to be understood very well by us as a pattern community. Rules advantages to a given technology are a slippery slope. Regardless of the technology we choose to help out.

Big thing in the current rules the battery is not the fuel. Its the fuel tank! The electrons are the fuel. So weigh with a  dead battery.

I think that a case could be made that the current AMA rules could be interpreted either way. FAI has already set a standard in that Jason's models at the 2003 WC as well as those used at the Euro champ in 2004 were weighed with the Batteries installed.

This is an interesting idea and I'm not taking a position on other to say what the rules are giving us. I think that opening up the weight limit for Electric only is not a very good idea. The reason is we are dealing with some limits. These limits help keep our sport in a price range and in a performance range. Allowing electrics to weigh without batts gives a huge advantage to the electrics. Right now the limiting factors for electric are weight...Batteries and motor combos. The power is equal to that of glow motors not more and not less EQUAL or as the NFL would call it parity...the battery technology right now is coming up short or just making the grade. The amount of power you can have are very dependant on the batts we can use. More power means more battery in today's technology an this mans the weight is higher 4P 8000mah packs vs the 3P 6000mah packs. But the weight limit is keeping the batts to a specific size and capacity. When the batts change and get lighter or more output the weight will come down. This will allow you to make weight even with the batts easier.

If you blow the weight limit higher now you are driving more and more power in favor of the electric setup. This also drives costs. Example. Chip's DV bipe is a very big model. But with the opportunity to make weight without the batts...Chip now has a distinct advantage in using electric power. His wing loading is better being the bipe as he can carry 13 or 14 lbs with the extra wing. On the other hand a glow motor as it gets above a 140 to 160 becomes almost a problem in terms of fuel consumption vs power. Guys are complaining about fuel consumption rates now on the glow motors. This will drive people to gasoline...Not that Gasoline is bad...Just makes it now the advantage over glow. The result is you are now driving the guy that don't want electric away from glow over to gasoline.....So the glow systems are now the antiques.

Then we change the rules to encourage glow motors to make a come back....We did this with 2 stroke vs 4 stroke. The 4 strokes have less power so let us give them extra cubes...60 2 stroke and 120 4 stroke. A couple years later 4 strokes have the advantage and we give the 2 strokes a boost...No engine limits just size and weight. Then the 2 strokes came back with more power....and the limits of 2M and 5KG means the performance of the models is way more than ever before and the rules evolve to make the flying harder rolling loops, circle and snaps. Now electric comes on the scene and gasoline too..The end result is a keeping up the Jones'


Here is the JUST of my argument: So do we change the game again to encourage these technologies or do we keep the game the same and make the tools fit the game? We have already proven that an advantage in the rules will drive the technology to that as the preferred choice. If we keep the rules the same and make the technology come to us then the game is less effected and there are more choices to do the job. YS 160, OS 160, Hacker, ZDZ....Now everybody gets to play on equal footing...the game. No specific equipment is getting the granny clause because its tough to make the rules with it. It has been proven many times now that Electric is capable in both performance and rules compliant. Gasoline is also in the works and being ready to prove its mustard too. Glow is the preferred choice for now. I'm in favor of keeping the game the same and letting the guys that want the new technology to develop it to compete in the same game on the same field. Giving a hand out to one technology over another has in the past driven costs up, driven changes in the equipment and made the products we use even more and more specialized than they already are. This means decline in participation in my book.

Gasoline and Electric are already Viable and has proven to work in the environment we already have. Yes perhaps your airframe choices are less if you choose electric or gas today..But there will be more and more for both gasoline and electric as time passes. The rules changes can't take place until 2007 regardless. In that 2 years today's models will be old news and something new will be in works like Hydrogen power models or something.


Troy Newman
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