[NSRCA-discussion] Back to glow???!!!

[Mike Hester]

Now for a genuine (not sarcastic) opinion on this.

Yes, several "top" pilots are making noise like they're going back to glow set ups. But I believe there are a lot of different reasons behind this shift. Anyone who thinks they know one underlying reason is probably mistaken.

What I am about to say, take with a grain of salt (that's good advice anyway!) I'm not a "top" pilot myself, just a really active and outspoken participant. I am currently sponsored by Morgan Fuels and YS Performance. I was toying with the idea of electric for my next planes (ok actually I already had the stuff and was in the building/planning stages) until last year's Nats. Up until that point, the overwhelming majority of pattern flyers were thinking electric was THE way of the future, and if you don't switch to electric, you might as well stay home. Sad and twisted, but true....and not exactly a secret.

After the Nats, that impression shifted....HARD. Not by the hardcore pilots who were already deep into electrics and having tons of success, but by the casual flyer and the fence sitters. The YS and OS engines held thier own in the terrible conditions, and a lot of electric set ups were failing.....because of many reasons, one was that they were being pushed hard in the awful nats conditions. Most still did well, but it wasn't the one sided goat rope like everyone expected.

So, people in general no longer believe they are at a severe disadvantage going in. They may still be, there is definitely still some judging bias out there, but that will never change. I hope it does when the new wears off, and people remember to judge what the plane is doing, not the "wow" factor. This is the underlying reason for myself and most of the people I have spoken with on the subject.

It means nothing in the long run, except the playing field might be a little more level than it was a year ago....and that's not a bad thing. I could be wrong, of course. Who knows what awaits at this year's Nats? If it's dead calm and under 95 degrees, the electrics might really sweep everything again.

And about the fuel and YS sponsorships: this was a fairly recent development. I had already installed the DZ160 and was flying it for a long time before I recieved any offers or help. My decision was already made. As of this writing I haven't benefitted at all from the YS field rep position, as I bought and paid full price for my stuff and it hasn't even worn out yet. And yeah, they know about my anti-YS sentiments in the past, and we had a good laugh over it. =) Bottom line, in my opinion, the DZ160 is the baddest dog in the boneyard. And it's darn near bullet proof IF it's set up and maintained correctly. Watching Jim Ivey put 2 long hard years on his without ever touching it was the first clue, watching my OS 140 strain at the nats last year was the final push.

Also the OS 160 as Jon and Ryan have proven is a REAL alternative to the YS. It does however require a lot of tinkering to get it right, and that was the reason for the article jon wrote for the K Factor (I still can't even fathom that someone complained about that!). And of course, there is the old reliable plug and play OS 140. if OS pulls it's head out of it's rear end and makes that engine a 170 or so, then they will have a top class 2 stroke again! they are working on a 4 stroke 200fi....it's real, I actually had it in my hand, it's not a myth LOL

But, I am sold on the YS. I promised to give it a fair try, and I did. What I found was utter and complete reliability and the best power I have ever felt in a pattern plane. This engine is NOTHING like the quirky old 140FZs and Ls of yesterday. it requires a pateint, almost expert touch in the initial set up and break in/tuning, then you follow 2 simple rules: don't touch it, and filter that fuel!!!! And it just keeps going and going and going......

Ok, got kind of sidetracked but....it's relavent. 

Electrics are still alive and well. But as of this typing, I feel just as competetive with my glow set up and that's a GOOD thing!!!!

-Mike

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Adrien L Terrenoire 
  To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org 
  Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2007 9:57 PM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Back to glow???!!!


  Just recently I was having a discussion with several top pattern fliers adn the sentiment seemed to be that we will be heading BACK to nitro power, and away from the current, pun intended, trend.

  Any thoughts out there?

  Terry T
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