[NSRCA-discussion] Header Brace now turned smaller planes and vehicles

[Bob Richards]

Ed,
   
  A lot has been said about the smaller planes being less expensive, but as soon as the smaller size is established then the expense will come right back in the way of high tech composite airframes and all the other equipment.
   
  What you are saying about size makes perfect sense -- being able to transport easily. I have a full size Ford van, and before the 2m limit was imposed, there were no 2m planes, everything was was smaller based on the displacement limit. I could fit my Finesse (and the Runaround before that) in the back of my van in one piece, which made my practice sessions very quick and convenient. Very little setup time, pretty much fuel and fly.
   
  Bigger does fly better, however. There was a similar situation considered in IMAC, they created the Mini-MAC class. To my knowlege, there has not been the Mini-MAC class flown at any of the recent IMAC contests, apparently since there has not been much interest in it.
   
  The video that someone posted of a profile pattern plane is interesting. There are a few guys in our club that have flown the OMP Fusion, and it does pattern pretty well. I've bought one, and my son may end up flying that in a few pattern contests if we get the chance.
   
  http://ohiomodelplanes.com/67fusionarf/
   
  As for using a pickup, I have a small Nisson Frontier. I have considered building a custom box to fit, which would extend past the tailgate so I could transport larger planes than would fit in a normal shell.
   
  Bob R.
  

Ed Miller <edbon85 at charter.net> wrote:
  >From a practical standpoint what has been going on in auto industry is 180 
degrees to what pattern has done, we have grown BIG, Guppy like 2M planes 
while cars and trucks are getting smaller. I've been out recently looking 
at a replacement ( about 2 or 3 years away ) for my 2001 Astro van which 
easily fits 2 - 2M planes and could carry 4 just as easily along with a 
driver and passenger. In light of GM and Ford's decision to stop producing 
minivans and the demise of the Astro van in '05, it looks like domestic 
full size vans/pickup trucks or foreign minivans is all that will be left. 
I chose the Astro in '01 to carry 2 - 2M planes with support gear AND it's 
ability to tow more than a paperweight. An Astro van set up like mine 
easily tows my 6x12 enclosed trailer with my Harley dresser inside ( approx. 
2600 lbs ) AND it has also towed an 1800 lb flat trailer with 6 Harley's on 
it over 250 miles several times, figure a total weight of approximately 5500 
lbs. With tape measure in hand I have been measuring P/U beds and it seems 
the GM full size "short bed" is 80" from inside the forward wall to the 
inside of the tailgate. To me the fwd minivan offerings, though they make 
great people and plane movers, cannot tow anything more than 1,000 lbs 
reliably over the long haul, so they are not an option at least for me. 
Besides, as long as I can I will buy from one of the big 2, I consider 
Chrysler a foreign company now. I'd hate to "downsize" from the 2M planes 
as they fly much better than their older, smaller counterparts but it would 
be nice to be able to buy smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles to transport 
them. Is anyone out there using an extended cab ( 2 rear mini suicide 
doors ) GM P/U with the standard 6.5ft bed to transport 2M planes ?? I know 
the same truck is available with the 8ft but it is really too 
looonnnggg.........
Ed M.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dean Pappas" 
To: "NSRCA Mailing List" 
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 9:39 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Header Brace


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