Tired of Electric Option ONLY Reviews!
10-04-2013, 04:55 PM
#26
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: hemet , CA
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
fly what you want to and be happy i have never seen any battery catch on fire seen 2 jets do that to many do gooders on all the web sites dont let people tell u what to do do what you feel like
10-04-2013, 05:04 PM
#27
My Feedback: (90)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Elephant Butte, N.M.
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
"Lazy", I think not. I used to fly gas and glow, and used to make the same stupid generalizations about electric, that a lot of people on this thread, and others are making. Until I tried it. That was 4-5 years ago, and I have flown electric exclusively since. Lazy? I build most of my planes from kits, or short kits. Only fly arfs that I have aquired thru horse trades. Even build a few from plans. I guess, I could call ARF flyers "lazy", but I will refrain.
10-05-2013, 05:53 AM
#29
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Farrell,
PA
Posts: 825
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just a rant, and surely I'll get flamed by the politically correct crowd. I am sick of seeing product reviews where there is an option for gas, glow, or electric power and it seems like it's always the boring lekky system that gets installed. Turbines are in their own class and not part of this thread subject.
Yes yes yes, I know many manufacturers send along the powerplant of their choice with a aircraft for review, so save your fingers folks! Yes it's soooooo much cleaner, more quiet, doesn't require any tuning skills, blah blah blah. It helps retain people in the hobby who have no skill or desire to appreciate the art and sound of a finely tuned internal combustion powerplant...phooey!
But it's the wave of the future, it saves flying fields you say! Oh really? How many Lipo fires have you had at your field recently? Now compare that to glow power and gas power crash fires. Go ahead, I'll wait...
A recent Lipo fire cost a member of our club several thousand dollars (thankfully they had insurance to cover the costs) in repairs to the adjoining property fence line. Nobody can remember the last time a glow or gas powered plane caused a fire, but there have been a couple of Lipo fires both before and since that little expensive crash.
How about those flimsy foil wrappings they use on LiPo batteries? Seems like they are designed to fail. At least the RC car racing side has wised up and made it industry standard to put those little bombs in hard cases to prevent rupture and fire in the event of a hard hit. But us aviators seem compelled to use dangerous, poorly protected packs in the effort to save weight.
Our hobby is being dumbed down and pushed into thinking that electric power is the ONLY way to go. I say RUBBISH! More engines and airplane noise are needed!
I'm not here too often, so I'll check back in a week or so and read the comments. Get your flame throwers filled up and lit...I'm waitng for ya!!!!
Yes yes yes, I know many manufacturers send along the powerplant of their choice with a aircraft for review, so save your fingers folks! Yes it's soooooo much cleaner, more quiet, doesn't require any tuning skills, blah blah blah. It helps retain people in the hobby who have no skill or desire to appreciate the art and sound of a finely tuned internal combustion powerplant...phooey!
But it's the wave of the future, it saves flying fields you say! Oh really? How many Lipo fires have you had at your field recently? Now compare that to glow power and gas power crash fires. Go ahead, I'll wait...
A recent Lipo fire cost a member of our club several thousand dollars (thankfully they had insurance to cover the costs) in repairs to the adjoining property fence line. Nobody can remember the last time a glow or gas powered plane caused a fire, but there have been a couple of Lipo fires both before and since that little expensive crash.
How about those flimsy foil wrappings they use on LiPo batteries? Seems like they are designed to fail. At least the RC car racing side has wised up and made it industry standard to put those little bombs in hard cases to prevent rupture and fire in the event of a hard hit. But us aviators seem compelled to use dangerous, poorly protected packs in the effort to save weight.
Our hobby is being dumbed down and pushed into thinking that electric power is the ONLY way to go. I say RUBBISH! More engines and airplane noise are needed!
I'm not here too often, so I'll check back in a week or so and read the comments. Get your flame throwers filled up and lit...I'm waitng for ya!!!!
RG
10-05-2013, 06:09 AM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Kingston,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 4,925
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
It's the old" I drive a Ford,you drive a Chev. and your Chev is a POS" 
I used to fly gas and glow but all electric now by choice. When the gas/ glow guys need a hand, I'm right there to help them out and they know who to come to. To me it's just another power source. Above where it said electric fliers are lazy, why would I have it as a make work project just to enjoy my flying? Takes about as long to install a batt in my 1/4 scaler as it does to fill the gas tank. Properly set up the gasser would start with one flip. No oil to wipe off. So one is about as good as the other. This old Byron Cristen Eagle had a Quadra 52. Probably one of the biggest foamys built
Now has a 3000 watt electric Same HP for both. Although the electric pulls a bit better as it swings a bigger prop at lower RPM. 20 in. on the 52 and 22 on the electric. Only other thing the electric has going for it is the planes can be built lighter as there is no vibration. Both work well..
I used to fly gas and glow but all electric now by choice. When the gas/ glow guys need a hand, I'm right there to help them out and they know who to come to. To me it's just another power source. Above where it said electric fliers are lazy, why would I have it as a make work project just to enjoy my flying? Takes about as long to install a batt in my 1/4 scaler as it does to fill the gas tank. Properly set up the gasser would start with one flip. No oil to wipe off. So one is about as good as the other. This old Byron Cristen Eagle had a Quadra 52. Probably one of the biggest foamys built Now has a 3000 watt electric Same HP for both. Although the electric pulls a bit better as it swings a bigger prop at lower RPM. 20 in. on the 52 and 22 on the electric. Only other thing the electric has going for it is the planes can be built lighter as there is no vibration. Both work well..
10-05-2013, 07:27 AM
#31
I never understood this thinking that guys who fly EP are somehow less of a hobbyist than guys who fly Glow or Gas. Or vice versa,, It's this kinda snobbery and elitism in our hobby that turns people off, I fly all three types.. Nothing boring about my Extreme Flight Extra 300, it does anything a 50cc one will do but make noise,, it's currently my favorite plane to just hit the field with and "have fun" with.
If you feel the need to put down someone elses RC choices,, you need to really think why do I act or think this way.
If you feel the need to put down someone elses RC choices,, you need to really think why do I act or think this way.
Last edited by scale only 4 me; 10-05-2013 at 07:30 AM.
10-05-2013, 09:26 AM
#32
My Feedback: (6)
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Birdsboro,
PA
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I like what the original poster has to say. As for me, I'm a really don't care what the other guy is doing type. I am a fan of the internal combustion engine and I don't currently own any electrics. I do sort of chuckle to myself after I land, refuel and go back up while the electric flyer needs to wait for a recharge. However, I will get something electric sooner or later, if not only to fly during my lunch break or closer to home. I've built from kits, bought used and assembled some ARFs so I can't say I am prejudiced to one way or another, but I do prefer to build from kits and prefer either gas or glow. I can say that I have seen some really impressive electric jobs at our field and always admire them, but for me, dump in the go juice and go bore some holes in the sky
10-05-2013, 09:52 AM
#33
Another misnomer,, Most don't wait to recharge, they do like I do and charge the night before, I typically have 3-4 packs ready when I hit the field, I can charge a pack while I'm flying another,, so do most guys I fly with, so waiting to fly is another non issue,, next?
10-05-2013, 01:27 PM
#34
Senior Member
I started with glow fueled engines as a kid There is nothing like having to fool with with one when is cold outside, the fuel gets on your hands, and evaporates.
Then, there was the starting hassle. A big ignition dry cell, clips that would usually fall off, and engine kicking due to the overpriming needed to start in the cold.
Although I now live in a somewhat warmer climate, the thought of going back to glow fuel males me shudder. I might try gas, although I have had poor luck with small
gas engines on such things as trimmers, small tillers, generators, and chainsaws.
Then, there was the starting hassle. A big ignition dry cell, clips that would usually fall off, and engine kicking due to the overpriming needed to start in the cold.
Although I now live in a somewhat warmer climate, the thought of going back to glow fuel males me shudder. I might try gas, although I have had poor luck with small
gas engines on such things as trimmers, small tillers, generators, and chainsaws.
10-05-2013, 01:34 PM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: stony point, NY
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just a rant, and surely I'll get flamed by the politically correct crowd. I am sick of seeing product reviews where there is an option for gas, glow, or electric power and it seems like it's always the boring lekky system that gets installed. Turbines are in their own class and not part of this thread subject.
Yes yes yes, I know many manufacturers send along the powerplant of their choice with a aircraft for review, so save your fingers folks! Yes it's soooooo much cleaner, more quiet, doesn't require any tuning skills, blah blah blah. It helps retain people in the hobby who have no skill or desire to appreciate the art and sound of a finely tuned internal combustion powerplant...phooey!
But it's the wave of the future, it saves flying fields you say! Oh really? How many Lipo fires have you had at your field recently? Now compare that to glow power and gas power crash fires. Go ahead, I'll wait...
A recent Lipo fire cost a member of our club several thousand dollars (thankfully they had insurance to cover the costs) in repairs to the adjoining property fence line. Nobody can remember the last time a glow or gas powered plane caused a fire, but there have been a couple of Lipo fires both before and since that little expensive crash.
How about those flimsy foil wrappings they use on LiPo batteries? Seems like they are designed to fail. At least the RC car racing side has wised up and made it industry standard to put those little bombs in hard cases to prevent rupture and fire in the event of a hard hit. But us aviators seem compelled to use dangerous, poorly protected packs in the effort to save weight.
Our hobby is being dumbed down and pushed into thinking that electric power is the ONLY way to go. I say RUBBISH! More engines and airplane noise are needed!
I'm not here too often, so I'll check back in a week or so and read the comments. Get your flame throwers filled up and lit...I'm waitng for ya!!!!
Yes yes yes, I know many manufacturers send along the powerplant of their choice with a aircraft for review, so save your fingers folks! Yes it's soooooo much cleaner, more quiet, doesn't require any tuning skills, blah blah blah. It helps retain people in the hobby who have no skill or desire to appreciate the art and sound of a finely tuned internal combustion powerplant...phooey!
But it's the wave of the future, it saves flying fields you say! Oh really? How many Lipo fires have you had at your field recently? Now compare that to glow power and gas power crash fires. Go ahead, I'll wait...
A recent Lipo fire cost a member of our club several thousand dollars (thankfully they had insurance to cover the costs) in repairs to the adjoining property fence line. Nobody can remember the last time a glow or gas powered plane caused a fire, but there have been a couple of Lipo fires both before and since that little expensive crash.
How about those flimsy foil wrappings they use on LiPo batteries? Seems like they are designed to fail. At least the RC car racing side has wised up and made it industry standard to put those little bombs in hard cases to prevent rupture and fire in the event of a hard hit. But us aviators seem compelled to use dangerous, poorly protected packs in the effort to save weight.
Our hobby is being dumbed down and pushed into thinking that electric power is the ONLY way to go. I say RUBBISH! More engines and airplane noise are needed!
I'm not here too often, so I'll check back in a week or so and read the comments. Get your flame throwers filled up and lit...I'm waitng for ya!!!!
10-05-2013, 02:29 PM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: California City,
CA
Posts: 545
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have both glow and electric planes. Both usually go with me to the flying field, but when I'm pressed for time or decide at the last minute that I want to get a few flights in I grab the electric and go. My preference is glow, particularly 4-strokes, and always will be. Well, at least until I can afford to replace my glow Saitos with gas ones - got to admit $4/gallon for gas is a lot easier to justify than $20+/gallon for glow fuel.
As for the OP I do agree that it would be nice to see glow or gas chosen rather than always electric for reviews. I feel old enough without adding technologically inferior to the mix.
As for the OP I do agree that it would be nice to see glow or gas chosen rather than always electric for reviews. I feel old enough without adding technologically inferior to the mix.
10-06-2013, 04:29 AM
#38
My Feedback: (22)
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: palm harbor,
FL
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At first I was going to say how stupid are people but I didnt.i was a ceo and I remember when we would introduce new technology or find ways to to to the job easier and safer.dept.heads would ***** saying the old way worked fine.my point its just change.and change threatens many people.makes them say things that are not true and while it has an element of truth promotes ignorance and stupid comments like the original rant.like anything else electric is merely another source of power to fly a rc plane.my rant if it is one is that we are not building the models.when I first started rc you built a plane there was no arf or foam.i am re doing a sig liberty sport a kit made popular in 1973.but I wont be using my os 91 four stroke decided to try an electric.it will shock many at the nearly all electric field because its not a foam airplane and I did what? Built it? Butthats me.flyers are not lazy who fly electric.does that mean a guy spending mega bucks for his 100cc gas arf is lazy as well? Kits are expensive because the price of cheap balsa went thru the roof.the price of electric batteries , lipos, are fairly inexpensive and handled properly pose very little safety threats.
So my rant is not so much what the guy said against electrics as the the attitude and acceptance of other forms in the hobby.do you hate helicopters or how about quad copters.theres a raging issue about drones and the use domestically.that scares me .people uninformed may control our destiny much more than whether or not we fly electric or gas.the use of drones for domestic survelliance represents a big threat to our hobby imo.the hobby is is diverse and bustling.stop tearing down fellow odellers because they simply chose another source to power thei man toys.
So my rant is not so much what the guy said against electrics as the the attitude and acceptance of other forms in the hobby.do you hate helicopters or how about quad copters.theres a raging issue about drones and the use domestically.that scares me .people uninformed may control our destiny much more than whether or not we fly electric or gas.the use of drones for domestic survelliance represents a big threat to our hobby imo.the hobby is is diverse and bustling.stop tearing down fellow odellers because they simply chose another source to power thei man toys.
10-06-2013, 08:13 AM
#39
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MIRAMAR, FL
Posts: 511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BVM Electra "Shake", Windows Media, HD, 171MB
BVM Electra "Wanna' Ride?", Windows Media, HD, 209MB
Mythos 125e "Pattern", Windows Media, HD, 182MB
Mythos 125e "Night Flying", Windows Media, HD, 146MB
ESM PC-21 "Maiden", Windows Media, HD, 165MB
Carbon Victory "Maiden", Windows Media, HD, 125MB
Sebart Mig 29 "E-Jets", Windows Media, HD, 125MB
Boomerang Sprint "Maiden", WIndows Media, HD, 139MB
BVM Electra "Just for fun", WIndows Media, HD, 70MB
Jack
10-07-2013, 02:51 AM
#40
Banned
My Feedback: (8)
Originally Posted by [email protected]
fly what you want to and be happy i have never seen any battery catch on fire seen 2 jets do that to many do gooders on all the web sites dont let people tell u what to do do what you feel like
I never understood this thinking that guys who fly EP are somehow less of a hobbyist than guys who fly Glow or Gas. Or vice versa,, It's this kinda snobbery and elitism in our hobby that turns people off, I fly all three types.. Nothing boring about my Extreme Flight Extra 300, it does anything a 50cc one will do but make noise,, it's currently my favorite plane to just hit the field with and "have fun" with.
If you feel the need to put down someone elses RC choices,, you need to really think why do I act or think this way.
If you feel the need to put down someone elses RC choices,, you need to really think why do I act or think this way.
10-07-2013, 03:10 AM
#41
My Feedback: (13)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Prior Lake,
MN
Posts: 1,380
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Swify overstated that all electrics are boring....He should have said 98% are boring.
jfetter....The 9 planes you pointed out of the thousands of EP flyers available is a very small percentage of electrics that are even tolerable to watch fly.
I have three electric planes and didn't even take one out this year. I just finished a MoJo MoAss 60 with an electric set up, and if this doesn't get me going I'm out of the EP plane BS permanently.
Here are the two main things I don't like about electric....the only noise they make is anoying, and nothing like a real plane, and the loss of full power as the flight goes on. Oh, and one more thing is the expense.
I made an ass kicking flight with my 50cc Yak, which has a great sounding exhaust system. The comment from one of the electric flyers as I came in was....Great flight, but that plane is noisy. We were in an Industrial Park, and noise is not an issue there. It is a great sounding engine set up, and not the weed whip sound most are use to. I love the engines in our planes, and the engines is the main reason I got into RC in the first place. There is just something off putting about EP planes to me.
I don't have a problem with the EP guys flying their mostly boring planes, but don't tell me that I should fly more EP planes, because I know better. I am not telling you to fly more fuel powered planes....I really don't care what you fly.
Greg
jfetter....The 9 planes you pointed out of the thousands of EP flyers available is a very small percentage of electrics that are even tolerable to watch fly.
I have three electric planes and didn't even take one out this year. I just finished a MoJo MoAss 60 with an electric set up, and if this doesn't get me going I'm out of the EP plane BS permanently.
Here are the two main things I don't like about electric....the only noise they make is anoying, and nothing like a real plane, and the loss of full power as the flight goes on. Oh, and one more thing is the expense.
I made an ass kicking flight with my 50cc Yak, which has a great sounding exhaust system. The comment from one of the electric flyers as I came in was....Great flight, but that plane is noisy. We were in an Industrial Park, and noise is not an issue there. It is a great sounding engine set up, and not the weed whip sound most are use to. I love the engines in our planes, and the engines is the main reason I got into RC in the first place. There is just something off putting about EP planes to me.
I don't have a problem with the EP guys flying their mostly boring planes, but don't tell me that I should fly more EP planes, because I know better. I am not telling you to fly more fuel powered planes....I really don't care what you fly.
Greg
Last edited by OldRookie; 10-07-2013 at 03:23 AM.
10-07-2013, 03:29 AM
#43
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MIRAMAR, FL
Posts: 511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At the risk of being flamed... I think GAS and GLOW are noisy and annoying, The oily residue, stink, noise and general annoyance to me has to be equally as bad as any "electric" annoyance to die hard glow guys. The grease slick left on all the tables, the dripping of gas on the way to the flight line, the stalled engines on takeoff, incessant tuning and re-tuning and running for 5 minutes in the pits because the low speed or high speed is off, ack! There are so many things I find intolerable about NON-electric planes that I wouldn't fly if it weren't for electric! But I don't say anything because "they" have the same right to fly as I do, so we all get along, joke about the things in common (or rib each other about the differences) and just continue do it in different ways...
Jack
Jack
10-07-2013, 05:14 AM
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Kingston,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 4,925
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
I think it's a matter of having respect for your fellow fliers,glow, gas or electric. We can sit down with a beer and talk about flying, doesn't matter what's up front. If a guy rips the landing gear out from under and needs some epoxy to fix it, does it matter that it's a glow plane whether I give it to him or not?
Gord
If a guy rips the landing gear out from under and needs some epoxy to fix it, does it matter that it's a glow plane whether I give it to him or not?Gord
10-07-2013, 07:17 AM
#47
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sterling,
VA
Posts: 1,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used to fly glow and it was fun but my planes were always a mess to clean up and the cost of fuel kept going up. It seems to me that anything .60 sized or less is better off running electric these days (I do) unless you like paying thirty bucks a gallon for fuel. For larger planes there seems to be a tipping point where gas or glow makes more sense like in the case of IMAA birds.
Last edited by topspin; 10-07-2013 at 07:19 AM.
10-07-2013, 08:26 AM
#48
My Feedback: (4)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Owatonna,
MN
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have seen LiPo fires and they are not pretty. I've seen a LiPo powered Yak go down in a corn field and rupture the battery. One cell touched off the next. Fire was controlled because the recommended fire extinguisher was handy but the battery was so hot 15 minutes later it was carried back on a shovel. Airplane was a total loss obviously. How about the houses and cars being burned up as batteries erupt while being charged. I know of one incident where the owner burned up as well. Ever been hit by someones airplane that started unexpectedly? I have. Can they be used safely? Certainly. Is it worth the risk? Only you can answer that. I've rid myself of the potential danger of two bigger electrics. Nitro and Gassers for me. Never had one of those try to run over me.
10-07-2013, 10:38 AM
#50
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Victoria,
MN
Posts: 3,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have only had glow and gas...
I lost my 60 size reactor bipe last month due to running out of glow fuel.... yes my fault but at the same, if I had electric power, it would have NEVER happened....
I love IC engines, and don't fly enough to even worry about fuel prices....
I personally would like to have a electric bail out option... that I would go for...
I want the OS 40cc 4stroke gas and the YS115 Warbird edition.... that is next on my list.... and the os quad...
I lost my 60 size reactor bipe last month due to running out of glow fuel.... yes my fault but at the same, if I had electric power, it would have NEVER happened....
I love IC engines, and don't fly enough to even worry about fuel prices....
I personally would like to have a electric bail out option... that I would go for...
I want the OS 40cc 4stroke gas and the YS115 Warbird edition.... that is next on my list.... and the os quad...