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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>"After reading all the responses on this issue, John
Fuqua has decided to amend his draft rule change proposal to require that
electric-powered airplanes be weighed with battery, but be given 4 oz relief
from the 5 KG (11 lb) maximum weight . His logic is that, even the
Intermediate/Advanced glow-powered airplanes use about 10 oz of fuel in a
flight and 10 oz of fuel weighs about 8 oz. So, halfway through the
flight, a glow-powered airplane in the Intermediate/Advanced class, which
barely makes the weight limit, is likely to weigh about 11 lb 4 oz.
The guys in the Master class would still be at a disadvantage, but a 4
oz relief is still better than a stick in the eye."
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<DIV>Ron Van Putte</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have really wanted to stay out of this thread
but after reading the above posting, I could no longer bite my
tongue. There is "no" logic in the so called amended draft rule
change. This would be a major rule change, that by concensus, would have
a very good chance of having a huge negative impact on or sport and this so
called logic is based on conjecture and on entry level planes that might be on
the heavy side. Fly electric, fly glow, fly rubber power but leave the
weight and size rules alone. The balance in the cost and the performance
of the planes in our sport is very good but it could very easily be lost and
to do so unnecessarily would be a tragic mistake. Electric is viiable
now and we are told it will get even more so as time passes, fine. If
those among us want to do the work and spend the dollars to use electrics
(when other options are available) then so be it. They can meet the
rules now so there is no valid reason for change at this time. I wanted
to go electric in the worst way, awhile back, I did the math and it was
very apparant, with the amount of flying that I do, that electric flight
was way of of my league. As the prices come down (not enough) I will
continue to evaluate them. However if the cost was not a factor I
am sure I could meet the requirements of the rules just as many others have
done to date, and it would would never enter my mind ask for a
rule change to be passed if I couldn't do it or just to make it
easier for one power source to be used. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dan Curtis </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dan
Curtis</FONT></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>