Bipe Flyer

In recent years, many people have been switching to electrics to get away from the horrible noise and yucky mess of those darn "slimer" engines. At first it was just the small stuff replacing 1/2A engines, but as time went on, larger and larger models have been seen using clean, quiet and environmentally friendly electric power. A buddy of mine flies pattern, where electrics are starting to become popular. These are serious 2M pattern ships used for competition and require some real power. So much in fact, that field batteries just aren't up to the charging requirements of the large LiPo packs. So, along with the motor, esc, charger and battery packs he purchased a gasoline powered generator! Ah, no longer the annoying noise of engines 200 feet overhead for 15 minutes at a time, just the noise of a larger engine running 10 feet behind the flight line for an hour and a half!

To be fair, his reason to have a brushless in one of his pattern ships has nothing to do with noise or mess, but I still thought it was funny.

digital_trucker

[sm=lol.gif]

vertigo72480

I fly both nitro and electric, and my electrics are park flyers. But I have to admit, I am sick of everybody wanting to "electrify" every gall darn plane on the face of the planet. How many gallons of fuel can one buy for the price of some of those high discharge LiPo's? UGH, I'll stick with nitro and gas for now.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Bipe, it's almost absurd. And, it's easily well over a grand in lipos considering you need at least two or three sets of packs to fly all day. Some of those F3A-size lipo packs are $500 a piece.

The other side of the coin is that they are reportedly getting instant full torque through the entire throttle range while spinning ridiculously large props. It costs a fortune, but the power is unmatched.

Bipe Flyer

I think he's in over $5000 for the one electric F3A ship.

supagloo

.......And you're lucky if the batteries last one season.........

johnvb-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

Love it!

burtcs

BF:

If you do a cost/benefit anaylisis the electrics really suck - what about their power? Of course nuclear power plants, coal fired plants and turbine generators are darn clean power (except for the nuclear waste, sulfer emissions, other things and noise). Then theres alway hydroelectric plants (if you don't mind cutting bait). Do Lecky flyers generate their own power off bicycle generators like hamsters?

regards - Steve B.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

All I can say is that I'm glad I like small models because the low wattage lekkies are getting quite affordable.

However, the fire hazard really disturbs me. I wonder if the ammo can or li-pos I keep in the garage on the concrete floor (I just couldn't think of a better place) - is more "safe" than the nine gallons of glow fuel I keep in the guest room closet (to keep the temperature stable) - or the plastic one-gallon can of gas I keep on the far side of the garage.

Comments?

Jim Thomerson

If you look around at the experimental stuff being done, you come to think that Lipos are a passing phase. I saw one study successfully using bacterial enzymes to generate useable electicity from air with 3% Hydrogen, and this example using a sugar solution.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/inde...-batteries.xml

This in contrast to the total budget of $17.85 for development of a better toy IC powerplant.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Jim, you are right. Lipos are a stopgap technology. Already, other, safer chemistries are being used such as A123 with more down the road.

fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

You guys are gonna get me on my soapbox again! I don't necessarily have anything against electrics but I, too, am sick of articles titled "How to Electrify a ..." WHO CARES!?! Is there really any big secret revealed in any of these articles? If you are capable of building an airplane in the first place you are probably also capable of figuring out how to stick an electric motor in it! Oh wait, I forgot that most people who fly only electric don't know how to build anyway. I realize that I am generalizing here but it has been my experience that the people who fly electrics exclusively do not build their models. I fly one electric airplane which is a Brio 10. I like the plane but the last time I flew it I saw yet again what I don't like about electrics. I was nearing the end of a good flight when I noticed the battery getting weak (something I never have to worry about with gas and glow). I brought the plane around into the wind and before I could even turn onto final I discovered that I didn't even have enough power left to line up with the runway and the plane snapped right into the ground. Not the plane's fault, not really even the battery's fault. That is just one of the limitations of electric power but it is frustrating to damage an airplane because of a decrease in power.

I like the park flier size electrics because they are convenient, clean and quiet; I can fly them close to home (that is assuming I can find a park or field that doesn't already have someone conducting some activity on it). But if I have to drive more than about 15 or 20 minutes I may as well go to my regular flying field and fly my gas and glow stuff. Most fields don't have a big noise issue so I can't understand why anyone would want to get into larger electrics. They are so expensive and you have to fly them in a regular RC field anyway, why not stay with fuel? The cleanup isn't such a big deal that I am willing to deal with the expense and headaches of electrics. I just don't think electrics are really all they are cracked up to be.

Brian

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Brian, I have been trying, and I mean seriously trying with genuine effort, to justify the investment in a brushless/lipo setup. I spend hours doing research, narrowing down the hundreds (maybe thousands) of motor/esc/battery choices on the market until I get to what I think would work well in a model. Then I add it all up and say to myself, "Why, for what reason?" I love glow engines, the way they sound and smell. The idea of having to worry with all the mess of constant charging, lipo fires, measuring amp draw, weight issues, overheating, over-discharging, etc., etc., simply takes all the fun out of flying r/c planes for me. Give me a quart of Sig 25% and an AP Wasp. I can have fun all day long with no stress and none of the mess of E-power. I like things plain and simple, thank you.

burtcs

RD

Good man...

regards - Steve B.

gkamysz

My Feedback: (19)

Having been into electric for the past 10 years I guess I'm coming from the other side. I don't understand why people spend so much money on electric airplanes when it could be much less. My favorite electric have been the 1/2A size speed 400 models. I had several pylon racers and on of my favorites was a BearCat. A cheap brush motor and 8 NiCd cells provided for 4-5 minutes of good clean fun. With a lipo today you could fly for 12-15 minutes easily. Even with a NiMH you would be getting 10 minutes. Even so brushless for a 1/2A size model today is cheap and reliable.

I have everything electric from indoor to the 13Lb Ultra Stick Lite I have now. Cost is an issue at over 3-4 pounds flyign weight. There are many people who don't have places to fly any type of IC engine so that's where much of this interest comes from. As far as cost, I don't think that is really a consideration for a hobby. Whatever makes the hobby enjoyable is acceptable to most.

I have a 72" C-130 project going that is electric. Most of my other projects are diesel right now.

Pictured below is my old Bearcat. It was built from a kit by Ryan Aircraft.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

That's a very cool model, Greg. Beautiful job. I have nothing against e-power, it just hasn't been able to push my buttons so far. But, that's what's so great about this hobby. There's a niche for everyone who loves things that fly.

To be honest, own four S400 motors, ESCs and NiMH packs. One - a direct drive - is in a Randolph Bee Tween, another one - geared - is in a Playboy Jr. I like these motors because they are literally as simple and fuss-free as glow power.

I never rule anything out (almost), so I might try large e-power when the next battery chemistry gets established and affordable.

Texan

My Feedback: (10)

Great looking Ryan Bearcat. I have had a ball flying mine.

pt40crasher

Dude. The bearcats look fun. Hmmm. All my experiences with e-power have been positive. The convenience factor is huge. The cost is a bit daunting at first for the lipos, but they are very powerful. To each his own. Contrary to what you may think, the electrics are very simple once you figure the language and schemes out, just like glow or anything else for that matter. The many different ways they brand and spec motors can be a bit nebulous until you get used to it. I'd like to get a norvel big mig, but the cost there is a bit daunting as well.

chevy43

Lipo's for small planes are pretty cheap and you don't have to worry about reciver batteries.

Another advantage is they aren't damaged by dirt and sand like and IC engine is. IC flying where there is dirt is no fun for me. I hate the thought of running an engine that got dirt in it from landing.

Oh yeah, let's not forget-no fuel proofing!


But with IC I can fly tank after tank for a couple of hours or as long as the reciever battery will last!!

IC is just plain cooler IMHO.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Well, yes, it involves an explosion.

Bipe Flyer

Hey, if it makes a plane fly, then it's good in my books.

For me, the convenience of electrics is that I need less field equipment and can fly right away, until all of my batteries are spent and I have to wait an hour for each to charge again. What I don't like is the pre-flight preparation of several hours of charging 2 packs at a time where I have to be in the same room with the batteries and charge them in a fireproof container.

The convenience of IC is that I fuel up and fly as much as I want with maybe a stop to charge for 20 minutes. The down side is that I need to take more field equipment and there is more cleanup.

So, if I can only make it out for an hour or so, I take the electrics, but if I can spend several hours flying, I take the glow.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Well, once again I think we've proved that there is something out there for all of us - but the best part is that we have more options for small models than ever. I give electrics, glow, and diesel three "woo hoos".

SGC

Ahhhh quick flying sessions , small model with a small diesel, TX , 3in1 can of diesel fuel- enough for several good flytes.
Stewart
Oh and a rag in the hip pocket.

gkamysz

My Feedback: (19)

The bearcat was a lot of fun. It does the wildest negative snaps. I added rudder to mine. I intend to build another with a wing that is more aerobatic.

mylamo

My Feedback: (1)

There is some reason why people collect engines
( not me ) and it must be character. Maybe some
skilled craftsman will make some electric motors
from ivory and rare metals but otherwise they are
missing a key component for me. I like noisy oily
and loud.
Ralph