[NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries

Adam G adam.g at sasktel.net
Fri Mar 31 18:19:03 AKST 2006 

Affordable prices?  I've been expecting them, but they haven't arrived.  To my eye, there are now four or five serious competitors to Thunder Power for pattern flying.  None of them are more than about 10% cheaper, and some are more expensive.  Thunder Power hasn't decreased their prices on products they released 8-12 months ago, either.

5000mAh cell from APLorEnerland (Tanic has them for $70(!!) per cell)
Falcon
Flightpower
Polyquest

-Adam

----- Original Message -----
From: Verne Koester <verne at twmi.rr.com>
Date: Friday, March 31, 2006 9:09 pm
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries

> Actually, I'm glad all the experimenting is going on. It provides 
> choices 
> and increases manufacturer competition which will hopefully 
> translate into 
> better products and affordable prices.
> 
> Verne
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chad Northeast" <chad at f3acanada.org>
> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 7:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> 
> 
> >I am still looking for one of these gearbox thingy's to put my 
> grease in :)
> >
> > Maybe I should buy a Hacker so I have something to do at the 
> field other
> > than fly ;-)
> >
> > Chad
> >
> > Verne Koester wrote:
> >
> >>It's that thing attached to the front of a Hacker that sets the 
> power>>standard for all others to try and match.....   ;>)
> >>
> >>Verne Koester
> >>
> >>
> >>----- Original Message ----- 
> >>From: "Chad Northeast" <chad at f3acanada.org>
> >>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 7:58 PM
> >>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Gearbox...what the h&% is a gearbox ;-)
> >>>
> >>>Robert Mairs wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>300 flights your not gonna have a gear box left.  They're 
> recommending 
> >>>>50
> >>>>now.  Last one seemed a little dry at 50 to me, so I'm going 
> 40 now.
> >>>>Bob
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>----- Original Message ----- 
> >>>>From: "Richard Strickland" <richard.s at allied-callaway.com>
> >>>>To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:02 PM
> >>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>I would put the wings on and batteries in at the car, lug it, 
> another 
> >>>>>set
> >>>>>of
> >>>>>batts, and the transmitter out to the flightline, fly, remove 
> that set,
> >>>>>put
> >>>>>in the second, run the first set to the car to charge, fly, 
> remove the
> >>>>>second set, put in the third, run the second set to the car, 
> bitch that
> >>>>>the
> >>>>>first set wasn't quite done, fly, take the third set out, run 
> to the 
> >>>>>car,
> >>>>>exchange the first set for the second set, install the first 
> again and
> >>>>>fly,
> >>>>>take the airplane and trans back to the car, remove wings, 
> load and go
> >>>>>home.
> >>>>>Several times from the time I left work and the time I got 
> home was 
> >>>>>right
> >>>>>at
> >>>>>2 hours total and the field is roughly 20 mins away to and 
> from.  4 
> >>>>>flts
> >>>>>in
> >>>>>about an hour and 15 mins. with 3 sets at 1C charge rate.  5 
> flts would
> >>>>>start to stretch things out.  I left the scene about the time 
> balancing>>>>>started to hit stride.  At 1.5 C you could get 5-6 
> in 2hours or so.  No
> >>>>>field box, tools, fuel, starter, paper towels and Windex, 
> extra trips 
> >>>>>to
> >>>>>the
> >>>>>car to get going; no clean up and hauling it all back to the 
> car.   Of
> >>>>>course, there were more social evenings that took more time-
> but if I 
> >>>>>was
> >>>>>'on
> >>>>>a mission' to practice with limited time, the guys 
> understood.  BTW, 
> >>>>>the
> >>>>>Hackers and Master controllers did just fine temperature 
> wise.  Things
> >>>>>seemed so reliable in that department that I had asked Hacker 
> how long 
> >>>>>b4
> >>>>>I
> >>>>>have to do some service on the motor and gearbox-they said to 
> send it
> >>>>>back
> >>>>>about every 300 flts and they'd clean and regrease the gear-
> set, 
> >>>>>replace
> >>>>>if
> >>>>>needed(15.00), and the motor would run almost indefinitely.  
> With the
> >>>>>exception of installing the wings, it's like flying foamies-
> you do the
> >>>>>same
> >>>>>stuff-just a little bigger.  Speaking of Chip, I noticed he 
> processed 5
> >>>>>sets
> >>>>>at the Worlds'.  Man, that's livin'!   A small red Honda may 
> be in my
> >>>>>future....
> >>>>>
> >>>>>Richard
> >>>>>
> >>>>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>>>From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>[nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]  On Behalf Of 
> >>>>>J.Oddino
> >>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 3:47 PM
> >>>>>To: NSRCA Mailing List
> >>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>
> >>>>>Richard, can you explain why you got so many more flights in 
> a given
> >>>>>amount
> >>>>>of field time.  Less tinkering or what?  I've heard Chip make 
> similar>>>>>comments.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>Jim O
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>>>From: "Richard Strickland" <richard.s at allied-callaway.com>
> >>>>>To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 10:17 AM
> >>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>There is a World of difference between a sport flyer and a 
> pattern 
> >>>>>>guy.
> >>>>>>Again, once I got programmed in what it took to practice and the
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>relatively
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>small amount of time it took, I was able to go out and get 
> 35-50 
> >>>>>>flights
> >>>>>>a
> >>>>>>week-I 'found' 1 1/2 to 2 hours more often as opposed to the 
> 3-4 it 
> >>>>>>used
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>to
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>take and practiced more.  At that rate, when a guy gives you 
> a 6 mo.
> >>>>>>guarantee-he'd better know the score-and what you expect in 
> service>>>>>>turn-around.  Unlike a sport guy who flies 3-8 or so 
> flights a weekend
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>where
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>a 6 mo. guarantee would be reasonable.  I think many of the 
> folks who
> >>>>>>are
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>in
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>the battery business go from their experience as sport 
> flyers and not
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>fairly
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>serious pattern fiends where practice-practice-practice is 
> such a 
> >>>>>>large
> >>>>>>component of probable success.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>Richard
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>>>>From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>>[nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]  On Behalf Of Stuart
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>Chale
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:27 AM
> >>>>>>To: 'NSRCA Mailing List'
> >>>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>George has been quick with email responses and very 
> courteous, but it
> >>>>>>doesn't seem like he has the answers either.  I can't find 
> his 
> >>>>>>original
> >>>>>>email but he was unable to say that there are people with 
> over 100
> >>>>>>cycles
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>on
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>a pack.  He is convinced that their technology is better 
> than TP but
> >>>>>>will
> >>>>>>that translate into a longer life span?  It seems like we 
> are being
> >>>>>>asked
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>to
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>test batteries for the manufacturers instead of them testing 
> their>>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>products
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>under our conditions.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>Stuart
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>>>>From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>>[nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Earl
> >>>>>>Haury
> >>>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 10:58 AM
> >>>>>>To: chad at f3acanada.org; NSRCA Mailing List
> >>>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>Chad
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>Your questions are probably best answered by Falcon
> >>>>>>George at FalconBatteries.com . I think that you'll find George 
> quite 
> >>>>>>open
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>with
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>info, and I'd like to see your assessment of his answers.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>Earl
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>>>>From: "Chad Northeast" <chadnortheast at shaw.ca>
> >>>>>>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 9:42 AM
> >>>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>>Earl
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>Does the Falcon warranty cover simply manufacturers 
> defects...or will
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>they
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>>replace any abuse/over charged/overdischarge/cycled out pack?
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>I can't honestly believe that a manufacturer will replace 
> every pack
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>that
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>>fails, or they will be out of business in a short period of 
> time :) 
> >>>>>>>If
> >>>>>>>that is the case I can buy 4 sets of packs and never again 
> purchase>>>>>>>another battery for as long as they will supply 
> them regardless of
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>usage.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>>Just looking for some clarification on their warranty 
> statement.>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>Do you know who is making the cells?  Their other packs are 
> APL I
> >>>>>>>believe...wondering if they went to Enerland (like 
> >>>>>>>Apogee/Tanic/Flight
> >>>>>>>Power) did for the higher C cells.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>Chad
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>>>>>From: Grow Pattern <pattern4u at comcast.net>
> >>>>>>>Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006 8:26 am
> >>>>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>Earl,
> >>>>>>>>       You raise a very interesting point, What is sponsored?
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>I used to think it was either that you got paid to fly by a
> >>>>>>>>manufacturer/supplier/business, or that you got your equipment
> >>>>>>>>free. But
> >>>>>>>>what if, for example, you got a discount on your OS 1.40 
> EFI ,or
> >>>>>>>>free fuel
> >>>>>>>>etc. Or another would be that you bought and built a plane but
> >>>>>>>>your
> >>>>>>>>batteries were post gratis.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>This could be harder to define than a pattern snap-roll. 
> Hmmmm?>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>To be clear to the potentially-paranoid-pattern-people",  
> I am
> >>>>>>>>interested
> >>>>>>>>for my own edification. (No hidden agenda). I do get asked my
> >>>>>>>>opinion on
> >>>>>>>>certain subjects and when I am not sure, I ask for my 
> opinion :-)
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>I would also add that many of the responses to the 
> electric issues
> >>>>>>>>that I
> >>>>>>>>have raised have given me a much better and more balanced view
> >>>>>>>>than the one
> >>>>>>>>I had a few months ago.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>So, thanks in advance,
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>Eric.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>>>>>>From: "Earl Haury" <ehaury at houston.rr.com>
> >>>>>>>>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>>>>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 8:04 AM
> >>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>Stuart
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>I'm using the first 4 packs sold. I've 48 cycles on one 
> set 18
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>on the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>other.
> >>>>>>>>>So far they've been fine, very little (if any) balancing
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>activity. Don't
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>have any idea what the cycle life will be - only time 
> will tell.
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>As the
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>weather improves, opportunity for more flying will 
> accelerate cycle
> >>>>>>>>>accumulation a bunch. I hope that there's no need to 
> exercise their
> >>>>>>>>>warranty, but it's a nice feature.
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>Just so there's no misunderstanding - I gathered flight 
> data to
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>help
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>Falcon
> >>>>>>>>>define the pack parameters and received a bit of a discount
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>(that local
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>sales tax mitigated) for that work. Don't know if that's 
> considered>>>>>>>>>"sponsored", but I'm using them because they 
> work and Falcon
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>provides> excellent service. (I understand that they had some
> >>>>>>>>website problems
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>recently, if anyone has problems with it - a phone call 
> will work.)
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>Earl
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>>>>>>>From: "Stuart Chale" <schale at optonline.net>
> >>>>>>>>>To: "'NSRCA Mailing List'" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> >>>>>>>>>Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2006 6:32 AM
> >>>>>>>>>Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Falcon F3A batteries
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>Is anyone using the Falcon F3A cells advertised in the K-
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>Factor?  Is
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>there
> >>>>>>>>>>any track record behind them?
> >>>>>>>>>>Thanks,
> >>>>>>>>>>Stuart
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>_______________________________________________
> >>>>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> >>>>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>_______________________________________________
> >>>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> >>>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>_______________________________________________
> >>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> >>>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>_______________________________________________
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> >>>>>>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> >>>>>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
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> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
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> >>>>>
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> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>_______________________________________________
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> >>>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
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> >>>>
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> >>>>
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> >>>
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> >>
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> >>
> >>
> >>
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