ORIGINAL: Johng
It's nitro power that's on the way out. For me, from now on, small planes are electric, bigger planes are gas ..................
I have to disagree on nitro being on the way out. IMO, and while I may not personally like it, electric will become the No#1 choice in due course for the HOBBYIST - I say that as if you include all them $30 bits of rubbish sold in every stall at every mall and online, it already is - but then overall, 99.9% of that stuff has no relevance to the folk within here.
The reason I disagree with that statement, and still do not prefer electric over gas and/or glow, is that it is IMO electric is just too sterile. So I, and a lot of other folk out there, prefer motors that need tinkering and maintenance. Motors that have to run on fuel as we also like the noise, smell and everything else that goes with it - just as it does on REAL aircraft (never heard of a electric powered P51 or ME109 in WW2 thats for sure - just lots of cylinders, smoke, noise and passion that is enjoyed even some 66 years later).
I love nitro for its simplicity and how it meets the above criteria, but for me moving forward and the simple fact I'd like to run motors in a size range where initial setup and fuel costs prohibit it, I'll be sticking with gas to tick all boxes listed above - as to me, there is nothing like hearing your pride and joy tick over and fire first thing on a nice and sunny weekend morning - "click, whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ........." just don't cut it, converting anything I own to electric would be like sticking a Toyota Prius motor (or two) into something like a classic Ford mustang. Sure it'd run quiet and cheaper after the initial expensive conversion, but it would be a lifeless bucket of bolts that you would have in the end, with none of the "passion" you'd feel from it if you had just left things alone!.
For me, ICE's just offer me more where electric does not. That statement is not right or wrong, and no-ones else's view on the best option for them is right or wrong either. They are just our OPINIONS!. The simple point is that none of the three main power sources will go anywhere, their popularity levels as a percentage of use will fluctuate over the years ahead, but who really cares, just use what you want and go flying. It's what we do at my club, and I love the place for it - no-one cares what you fly as long as you have fun flying.