Electric VS Glow fule
06-13-2005, 10:51 PM
#1
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Electric VS Glow fule
i cant deside which type of plane to get either electric or glow powered. can some one post the pros and cons of having electric over glow and vise a versa. and aslo lets say i do pick an elctric or the glow one, is it better to get the same trainer plane, or not
06-14-2005, 12:46 AM
#3
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RE: Electric VS Glow fule
Depending on how much money you have to spend, it may not matter. After a certain size, the batteries/motors/speed controls for electrics start getting expensive. Electric aircraft under or around 1 pound seem to be cost effective.
What kind of flying did you want to do? How far do you want to drive to do it?
What kind of flying did you want to do? How far do you want to drive to do it?
06-14-2005, 03:59 AM
#4
RE: Electric VS Glow fule
Both are good! Both are fun! Both follow the same principles of flight so you fly them the same way.
Broad Generalizations -
Glow planes tend to be larger, faster, heavier and louder .
Electric planes tend to be smaller and quieter.
There are small glow planes and there are big electrics, but in general these points hold true.
BUDGET AND BUILD - There are many many low cost electric ready to fly packages available under $200, completely built with everything you need to fly. If you like the hobby, you can add all the tools and accesories you want but your first purchase to get into the air can be quite modest. These RTFs have all the electronics installed, and come with radio, battery and charger. There are not as many RTF glow packages and the glow RTFs tend to be larger and more expensive than the electrics from a first cost point of view.
WHERE TO FLY - SPACE AND PERMIT - Many places that will not allow glow planes due to noise concerns will tolerate or even encourage electrics. There are many electric slow flyers, so that you can fly in small spaces, even indoors. However these slow flyers are not as good in the wind as either faster electrics or glow planes.
SIZE AND POWER - glow planes still have a power/cost advantage when you get above a certain level and that power can be had at a lower investment. If you want to fly bigger planes, say over 4 pounds, you can fly electrics, but glow planes tend to be more cost effective in this range. Electrics are getting there but glow has the edge here today.
EASE OF OPERATION - With electrics, there is generally no tuning of the engine. Put in the battery, push the throttle and the motor turns every time. You can shut the motor off in the air and glide if you like because you can just restart with the push of the throttle. There are many electric launched gliders too that use the motor to climb to height then turn off for gliding.
Glow planes, as with any fuel based engine, need more tuning to avoid stalls in the air as you can't restart without expensive accessories that are not commonly used. However some people like to tinker with the engines. That is part of the fun for them.
TRAINING - All planes are safer and easier to learn with help and/or an instructor. In my opinion, with glow planes instructors are more important due to the fact that they tend to be larger, heavier and faster. Also front props are the norm on glow planes. There are pusher designs, but they are less common. If you lose control, you can cause a lot of damage to property and people.
Electric pilots will benefit from an instructor as well, but more of the electrics are built for the self training market and since they tend to be smaller, lighter and slower, they can be less dangerous if you lose control of the plane. Many are made of foam with pusher props so, if you do hit something, you are less likely to do damage or cause significant injury. Also these simpler electrics tend to be simpler set-ups, simpler to fly. Of course these simple to fly planes are less capable but they can be a good first step and a lot of fun.
Other factors - if you like the sound of a screaming glow motor, then that could be your decision factor. If you like the convenience of plug in the battery and fly, then electrics have the advantage.
Both are good! Both are fun! Both follow the same principles of flight so you fly them the same way.
And don't forget unpowered or electric powered gliders They can also be excellent first planes and lots of fun.
Broad Generalizations -
Glow planes tend to be larger, faster, heavier and louder .
Electric planes tend to be smaller and quieter.
There are small glow planes and there are big electrics, but in general these points hold true.
BUDGET AND BUILD - There are many many low cost electric ready to fly packages available under $200, completely built with everything you need to fly. If you like the hobby, you can add all the tools and accesories you want but your first purchase to get into the air can be quite modest. These RTFs have all the electronics installed, and come with radio, battery and charger. There are not as many RTF glow packages and the glow RTFs tend to be larger and more expensive than the electrics from a first cost point of view.
WHERE TO FLY - SPACE AND PERMIT - Many places that will not allow glow planes due to noise concerns will tolerate or even encourage electrics. There are many electric slow flyers, so that you can fly in small spaces, even indoors. However these slow flyers are not as good in the wind as either faster electrics or glow planes.
SIZE AND POWER - glow planes still have a power/cost advantage when you get above a certain level and that power can be had at a lower investment. If you want to fly bigger planes, say over 4 pounds, you can fly electrics, but glow planes tend to be more cost effective in this range. Electrics are getting there but glow has the edge here today.
EASE OF OPERATION - With electrics, there is generally no tuning of the engine. Put in the battery, push the throttle and the motor turns every time. You can shut the motor off in the air and glide if you like because you can just restart with the push of the throttle. There are many electric launched gliders too that use the motor to climb to height then turn off for gliding.
Glow planes, as with any fuel based engine, need more tuning to avoid stalls in the air as you can't restart without expensive accessories that are not commonly used. However some people like to tinker with the engines. That is part of the fun for them.
TRAINING - All planes are safer and easier to learn with help and/or an instructor. In my opinion, with glow planes instructors are more important due to the fact that they tend to be larger, heavier and faster. Also front props are the norm on glow planes. There are pusher designs, but they are less common. If you lose control, you can cause a lot of damage to property and people.
Electric pilots will benefit from an instructor as well, but more of the electrics are built for the self training market and since they tend to be smaller, lighter and slower, they can be less dangerous if you lose control of the plane. Many are made of foam with pusher props so, if you do hit something, you are less likely to do damage or cause significant injury. Also these simpler electrics tend to be simpler set-ups, simpler to fly. Of course these simple to fly planes are less capable but they can be a good first step and a lot of fun.
Other factors - if you like the sound of a screaming glow motor, then that could be your decision factor. If you like the convenience of plug in the battery and fly, then electrics have the advantage.
Both are good! Both are fun! Both follow the same principles of flight so you fly them the same way.
And don't forget unpowered or electric powered gliders They can also be excellent first planes and lots of fun.
