bwick
Posts: 340
Score: 105
Joined: 8/5/2004
Last Login: 5/21/2013
From: The Woodlands,
TX, USA
Status: offline
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I don't believe the new unknowns are going to make people switch to electric, specifically. Tony is right. The difference between Andrew and everyone else in the unknowns was astounding. After the first unknown I turned to Bryan and said, "well, there's no way I can beat that". He had no issue with power, no issue with getting through the unknown, and certainly didn't seem to ever be in any sort of predicament because of his choice of equipment.
I don't fly YS because I wouldn't be able to get through the pattern otherwise. Both options are viable, and both options can win, but flying YS gives me the best chance of winning. There are a number of factors at play.
Let's start with presentation. First and foremost: the sound. The sound of a YS is the sort of thing that gets overlooked by most and undervalued by the rest. I don't believe I have ever run into someone that has told me they prefer to listen to the high pitched squeal of an electric over the low rumbling tune that a YS produces. "But," you say, "judges are impartial to the power plant and the airplane". Yeah, right. Like I said, no has ever told me they don't enjoy the sound of a YS. There's nothing impartial about that. Second, the flexibility. The YS has more flexibility with presentation for two reasons: prop choice and low end torque. The two most successful pilots with the slowest presentation at the worlds (also, the two who placed 1st and 2nd!) were flying glow! Indeed, Gerhard Mayr did fly slower than both, however as we all know he's now experimenting with a slimer. Flying slow is not a fad, we are simply at the early stages of figuring out how to fly slow with authority, that is the key. Slow and close is more impressive, more impressive means more points (wait, I thought we avoided "impression judging"?). The YS motor gives me the ability to fly slow because I can prop the airplane for airspeed when I need it (into a strong headwind) but maintain throttle resolution and authority in low airspeed situations (because of the low end torque).
That flexibility with speed also means Bryan and I can have more flexibility with the airframe. A YS setup is lighter than your equivalent electric setup as well, so we can use that weight in the airframe to make it better.
On top of all that, when I'm practicing I can easily make it through 2 full sequences in a single flight which is a fantastic advantage when that horizontal eight with 4 rolls in each loop is kicking your butt. I think most people can personally attest to the fact that there is no bigger productivity killer than an interruption. I can't think of a much bigger interruption than having to land.
It's true that electrics are easier and more convenient. It's true that at times, I miss out on a day of practice because I'm trouble shooting a bad module or a broken valve spring (that was a new one this year!). Sometimes the "Allure"  of electric is pretty strong; but, it never lasts long. I get that YS going again, start practicing those horizontal eights (and there's a lot more of that left, trust me), and it's like nothing else in the world exists. It's me against myself, with a soundtrack playing better than any Mozart or Beethoven I've ever heard. After all, I don't fly pattern because it's easy or convenient. I fly pattern because I love to. I assume that CPLR and Onda probably feel pretty similar.
I suppose most pattern pilots don't have that sort of passion, and that's OK. However, for me, there's no choice about it. YS, for now, is the only way to go.
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Brett Wickizer
Futaba, YS Performance, Central Hobbies, Morgan Fuels
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Pattern Universe - RC Pattern Flying >> RC Pattern Flying >> RE: F3A Results - SPOILER 
RE: F3A Results - SPOILER - 
you never know whats around the corner! 
