ORIGINAL: Doug Cronkhite
Considering Chris at Extreme Flight has shown that a cheap (by F3A standards) 2M airplane can be built without exotic materials AND make weight with common, inexpensive electric components, the weight rule SHOULD be a moot point now.
Nobody ever said you HAD to buy the $5k Oxai airframe anyway..
The Vanquish 2x2 may be a game changer for pattern. Ihope it remains cost effective in this class.
However that does not change the view that the maximum weight rule is poorly thought out.
In all the threads I've read on the subject no one has been able to state what its real purpose is
Every other sport uses a minimum weight limit and all equipment in that sport migrates toward that limit.
We would still be paying a premium for airframes hat come in well under the weight limit i.e the OXAI and CA-Models Patterm planes.
Either way the rule is spun the more expensive airframe will always be the lighter ones. At least with a minimum weight limit built up aircraft would be able to achieve the weight limit comfortably.
Scared of large scale bipes becoming the normal then limit the wing area.