I agree electrics have come a long way. But the inital post specifically asked for a plane to match a Saito .82.

In defense of glo power, here is one advantage in the nature of the beast: As the flight progresses, the fuel weight gets less, and the performance normally gets better (with a slightly leaner, yet safe engine run assuming approprate needle settings). So I can finish a flight with a crescendo of great performance.

Any electric plane will absolutely NOT enjoy this possibility. The end of a flight must have less RPM potential due to the nature of the dropping battery voltage itself. The more cells you use, the worse this "deflation" gets.

It's not really a dealbreaker these days, but I remember going to Nashbro last year and asking Spaz why he was flying his (only glo fuel) powered plane like he was furious with it, going to full throttle for tumbling maneuvers very often. He said because he was tired of "babying" his e-powered planes to maximize their flight times and manage their performance budgets.