Fw: Glow Engine Vs. Electric Engine for 2 m' pattern plane

[George Kennie]

Boy, you guys are submitting a lot of very valuable info. We are
indebted!
Many Thanks!
Georgie

Richard Strickland wrote:

>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Richard Strickland
> To: discussion at nsrca.orgSent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 11:22
> AMSubject: Re: Glow Engine Vs. Electric Engine for 2 m' pattern
> plane
>  Guys, I'll jump back in here; Jim, your perceptions are correct.
> My decision to go to Electric was based on some fairly bad luck
> with engines last year--It was time to up-date power-plants as I
> was driving my old stuff to pieces trying to get all the power I
> could out of them.  I purchased what I thought was going to be the
> hot ticket engine and had a series of unfortunate events with it.
> By the end of the season, I hadn't done a lot of flying--but had
> had a load of problems.  It was time to re-evaluate what I was
> doing.  My business doesn't allow for scads of practice time, so
> when I get the chance--I like for it to count. Since I try to do
> things as right as I can, I generally end up with three sets of
> everything eventually--you know; the Primary, the Back-up, and the
> One you're building--never seems  to quite work out that way--but
> at least it's the plan.  I was flying Temptations, but had crashed
> one and hurried to get the second done and while pretty good
> airplanes, I was beginning to think there might be a change to a
> wider body style in my future. So basically I was looking at a
> clean slate.  AND I had 15 years of accumulated stuff to sell
> since the last time I sold off my stuff to start over.  I heard
> and read about some of the guys having success with electric and
> was intrigued, fooled around with the smaller park and indoor
> stuff and got to know a little about it--decided with proper care,
> all parts of the systems are pretty reliable and reasonably safe.
> I talked to a couple of the old hands and a couple of fairly young
> guys and they were all enthusiastic about the larger stuff and so
> I thought--"Hey, I've got to get to know some new power-plants
> anyway--why not get up to speed with electric?! "  I got hooked-up
> with FMA through the small stuff because they treated me fairly on
> some of the issues I was having and were designing some battery
> protection features, cell balancing chargers and some new
> batteries for the larger stuff. Initially, I thought
> about--actually, I had made up my mind--to do a Plettenberg
> outrunner so I wouldn't be dealing with gear-sets.  Eventually, It
> became clear that between what was available a few months ago and
> the Hacker--that the Hacker set-up was going to give better
> performance.  One person likened the Plettenberg to a good 110
> system and the Hacker to a good 160 system.  That may have changed
> by now--but you still have to look at weight vs. performance.  I
> ordered an Impact--but had the brand new IC powered, reasonably
> light Temptation that wasn't selling and decided to convert it.
> That turned out to be fairly easy.  First I started with a
> conversion mm kit from Esprit out of Florida--but we saved 5 oz.
> by going to a solid CF nose plate and end grain reinforced balsa
> in the rear opened up and then the whole front of the airplane is
> open for cooling.  The batteries mounted exactly where the tank
> was--I beefed the mounting up a bit.  I put on a set of Matt's
> gear.   I'm making weight by all of .5 oz.  I may be a smidge tail
> heavy and may run the rec. batt to the front. Flying.  I'm fooling
> with the throttle curve a little--experimenting with the feel.
> I'm guilty of probably not experimenting enough sometimes when
> something already works pretty well.  It's probably not a whole
> lot different than the difference between two and four cycle--but
> my experience is limited there also.There may be some interaction
> between what the FMA discharge protection modules(DPMs) and the
> controller is doing in regard to throttle response and how the
> motor surges to signal you're running low on electrons--but so
> far, everything is working reliably.  We also know we're driving
> the hell out of the 3200s--but I can't stand any more weight--so
> I'm sorta stuck for now.  They've got some experimental 4000
> 10s2ps that Orland is going to try--but they weigh a few oz.
> more--but he's got lighter airplanes and can stand it. I mentioned
> time--45 CONSECUTIVE flights with a complete pattern in each.  12
> or so trips to the field and power-plant related problems have not
> ruined a flight.  I haven't had to 'tune' for the first couple in
> a session--first is identical to the last.  I'm working on
> throttle management--it's different.  I'm looking at this as a
> transitional year--to learn, to see what works best for me, to
> figure out the logistics of charging at home and the field--or on
> the way, to make it safe--all that good stuff.  So far I'm
> satisfied with the results. Got windy again, I
> see.......... Richard
>
>      ----- Original
>
>      Having flown Tony's Partner only once (but watched it
>      fly quite a bit), and having seen just a few other
>      electric pattern planes (Jason's, and Billy Meadows'),
>      the flying advantage of the electric was enough to make
>      me want to get one going, regardless of the learning
>      curve.  From my perception, the pilot does feel the
>      difference between the glow and electric setups
>      regarding less vibration.  The plane is going to be
>      easier to setup for a constant speed envelope, where
>      there is less of a "gap" between slow and full-throttle
>      horizontal velocity.  With the narrowed speed envelope,
>      it MUST be a tad easier to setup the plane as the "one"
>      setup has a smaller velocity range to work and be
>      consistent in.
>
>      I'm just trying to stir up another side of the
>      discussion.  I hope that some of the folks who have more
>      of the "flying" experience with the electric 2M setup
>      will relay their experience, and describe to us the
>      piloting differences, trim differences, etc.
>
>      Thanks All,
>      Jim W.
>
>
>
>
>

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