It was my Vanquish you are referring too and one would need to use $100 per pack (or more) lipos to get in a comfortable weight (4998) to fly advanced at the Nats and only gives you a 2gram cushion to fly Masters. I doubt anyone would take a plane weighing 4998 to the Nats hoping to fly Masters. If I used the less expensive $50 zippy lipos it gets you in at 5107 or so and again is just to close for comfort flying advanced and puts you over for flying Masters and this is my whole point in the discussion. I am fine for flying advanced if I want too as I have the $100 and the $50 packs already. The weight rule is forcing more expense on everyone for no apparent reason. I am not speaking to the guys that have already made the sacrifice and have spent the money to make weight, including myself. I am looking from a point of view of new guys coming in, the guys that have been priced out and have left and everyone else in-between.

I do realize that this new market that the Vanquish, Osiris and even the Monologue is opening up to us as viable competitive alternatives is in its infancy and it will take time for the benefits to be apparent. So my only argument is why should a new guy or anyone else for that matter be forced to throw out quality hardware that comes with these kits, purchase expensive lipos, props, spinners....etc to compete at the Nats? There is a perception that the expense to meet weight is not that great, but if you start adding it all up you are getting into significant cost. Batteries alone are twice as much. $600 or more versus $300 for three sets. A $15 high performance prop versus a $90 lighter prop and so forth. If one wanted to buy two of these kits, one for backup, then the numbers get worse. And for what reason? If anyone can give me a reasonable answer, I would gladly run to one of my favorite pattern outlets and start shopping so I could make weight to fly Masters at a National level with one of these kits. The market is changing and the rules should change with it for the benefit of the pattern community as a whole.