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

[Richard Strickland]

Tom,

As of yesterday, 45 complete flights-P05 in an all-up converted 10lb.-15.5oz.Temptation, Hacker with a 22/12, FMA/Kokam 10s1ps 3200s with cell protection modules.  We are experimenting with using a little less amperage to extend battery flight time (and to stop abusing the eq.)--but I have made it through all flights in any wind and landed with power.  It uses more power in a calm day than windy--I've got some thoughts on that--but it'll take more evaluation.  It's about equivalent to a Bully 145 with a 16oz. tank flight time.  Wide open power is a little more than we need.  Flying is a little different--torque comes on differently and I haven't mastered the correct way to handle downline braking and spins as far as where to have the idle set.  Flys like a pattern airplane.

I have an Impact ready to go and  got it JUST under the max. wt.  I suspect I'll be able to fly it a little slower and extend flight times.  Orland McKee and I have been working with FMA helping with the battery evaluations.  They will have some nice features soon that will hopefully extend battery life and battery available power for flight time.  I have been chatting mostly via e-mail with Jerry Budd, Tony Frakowiack, and Jason Schulman and each guy has been very helpful and encouraging.  The guys at FMA have some great ideas also and are working at having some very competitive battery systems and chargers. Yes, we are getting a break on batteries--but not free--and we are purchasing everything else at street prices.  One very cool item they have is we can charge up both 5 cell packs with one charger--but you only get a few charges out of one deep discharge 12v battery.  But it is rare that I get the time to fly more than 4-5 flights so I'm not impacted as of yet. A second charger and another deep-discharge batt. would be needed.  You need three sets of flight batteries.  Don't go nuts buying batteries as they are changing all the time.  There is some VERY cool stuff coming down the pike!   I charge on a power supply at home.  I'm becoming an expert with Velcro.   Good luck.

Richard
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Koenig, Tom 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 5:54 PM
  Subject: Glow Engine Vs. Electric Engine for 2 m' pattern plane


  Ed and others

  I'm not so sure it is such a silly comparison for people outside of the US, where costs can be considerable in the fuel department. Our figures indicate that at we would be at 'break even' point if we get 100 flights a pack. Anything more and its gravy. We are not including things like I/C engine rebuilds etc either. We simply treated the packs as 'fuel' in our estimations. Like anything, maintenance and correct installation is an issue/learning curve...and done properly I can see Electric making economic rationale.

  Now if anyone can just give us more info on how it actually 'feels' to fly the FAI pattern?

  Anyone...please????

  best regards

  Tom
    -----Original Message-----
    From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Ed Alt
    Sent: Monday, 30 May 2005 8:39 AM
    To: discussion at nsrca.org
    Subject: [SPAM] Re: [SPAM] Re: [SPAM] Re: [SPAM] Re: Glow Engine Vs. Electric Engine for 2 m' pattern plane


    Yes and you need to figure out the jump in your electric bill.  Getting silly isn't it?  It's a 2:1 comparison, assuming the batteries last, which apparently, they don't.

    Ed
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Nat Penton 
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