[NSRCA-discussion] Electric vs. Glow

[Michael Laggis]

I have been flying indoor electrics for 6 years.  I have been flying LiPolys
long before they were truly commercially available.  We bought individual
cells and made our own packs.  I have packs that have 100+ cycles easy.  I
understand the benefits of electrics.  I personally can't make the initial
jump into electrics

4 packs			$2960
2 chargers			 $400
Power Supplies		 $200
New Air Frame		$2500
2 Motors			?????
2 Speed Controllers	?????

Total Approx		$7000?

I know that with the amount I can fly all in a summer the equipment would
probably last me years.  It is just the initial dump of $7000 that I can't
lay out

Michael Laggis
NSRCA 3618



-----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Joe Lachowski
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 1:33 PM
To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Electric vs. Glow

I'll throw something else in the mix which you can't put a price on. Loss of
hearing due to exposure time to noise generated from internal combustion
motors and the risk of cancer associated with the exposure to the fuel which
we come in contact with.

Of course on the electric side, you have risk of fire.

Let's throw in one more benefit in the electric direction, a big one,
keeping flying sites. Not to start a war here, but I've heard of a number of
fields over the last 5 yrs being lost or restricted in one way or another
because of loud IMAC style airplanes. Ask Dave Lockhart, because of some
IMAC planes he has had to by necessity to resort to flying electric in order
to take advantage of using a field local to him in the weekday evening
hours.

Del, glow fuel manufacturers don't guarantee their fuel why should the
battery mfg. Like the glow setup it is all up to the individual to
operate/maintain his equipment within the parameters they are designed to
operate. I've read enough on the web and magazines to now feel confident
that in most cases if you properly use and maintain your electric equipment
you should be able to get several hundred flights out of a pack. 
Unfortunately, in our application we are on the bleeding edge and the jury
is still out. There are some who have over a hundred flights on a flight
pack already. Only time will tell and the technology still keeps improving. 
On the downside, for some, if you don't fly several hundred flights a year
on your pattern rig, it is not worth it to fly electric due to battery shelf
life.

yada yada yada<g>