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

[Grow Pattern]

John,
          I think that you might agree that what appears to be working for "sponsored" pilots may not yet be that realistic for those who spend their own hard earned dollars on the hobby. 

I really don't feel that electric is that viable yet. Not from a technology point of view, but much more of a durability and reliability point of view. I note that the pioneers are starting to use less amps/volts in the motors to get more longevity out of not just  the motors but also the controllers and the battery packs. (A few months ago you did not hear this type of statement.)

I also note that it feels like and may well be true, that you have to know a lot more about the limits of electric motors and the associated equipment to be successful and safe. I contact many of the "electric" suppliers and find it very hard to get definitive answers on what I should and should not do as regards the set-ups and the limits.

Where this leads me is that I am currently on the side of caution with this stuff because you can use up a very large amount of money before you realize that you have not gone the right route. With glow most of us can sort out the enthusiast vs. the zealot vs. the professional user of the equipment. With electric I can't.

I read about the rave reviews of how well a certain system performs and then I get the flow of private e-mails with more factual and less glowing (No joke intended) realities of the set-up. In most cases I can't print what I am sent but it does concern me that when I tried to emulate the top system of the day it was both expensive beyond my expectations and did not perform all that well.

It was not enough to put me off pattern, but I had been a beginner it might easily have sent me away.

Regards,

Eric.


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Ferrell 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 9:04 PM
  Subject: Re: Glow Engine Vs. Electric Engine for 2 m' pattern plane


  Sometimes you drink what you can afford...

  John Ferrell    
  http://DixieNC.US

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: J.Oddino 
    To: discussion at nsrca.org 
    Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 12:03 PM
    Subject: Re: Glow Engine Vs. Electric Engine for 2 m' pattern plane


    If electric works better it will dominate even if it costs more.  Remember, life is too short to drink cheap beer.
    Jim O
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Koenig, Tom 
      To: discussion at nsrca.org 
      Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 3:54 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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