RE: How about a "3D Waiver"?
JR,
As I recall the thrust to weight rule was written...If an airframe/engine combo exceeded the .9:1 thrust to weight ratio, a speed limiter must be used to keep the model either below 200 MPH or at the manufacturers stated VNE for that airframe. If no manufacturer VNE is given, then the VNE will be 175MPH. Also is allowed the opportunity for the modeler to turn the engine down in power to stay within the guidelines. As the rule was written, if a particular turbine/airframe combo met the .9:1 ratio then no speed limiter is needed and you could also exceed 200MPH.
The problem that I and a great deal of other jet modelers have with the proposed mandated speed limiter rule is that a great many jet designs won't go 200MPH even if they were over powered!!! For an individual to put in a blanket rule that mandates that everyone have a speed limiter is ignorant concerning our jets. To insist that everyone install a speed limiter when the speed limiters haven't been perfected is again ignorant of our needs. Due to the fact that the speed limiter is directly connected to the ECU...I'm not so sure that many of the manufacturers' warranties would still be valid. Dave Brown has done absolutely NO homework concerning compatability, reliability, and warranty issues on this matter.
I don't know if Terry Nitsch and Don Lowe are doing any testing. Since I can give an educated guess in stating that Terry doesn't own an example of every turbine made, how can he adequately state that the speed limiter will work reliably with ALL turbines???
Throttle lag is a problem for some guys to get used to, especially if you have never flown ducted fans. However, some turbines spool up AND down faster and slower than others...It really depends upon the make, model, version of ECU, etc....Not all turbines have the same lag time. Some are up to twice a slow as some of the fastest.
I still think that there should be a turbine waiver needed. We need this to catch the ones that want to jump into jets with both feet before thinking their choices through. You would not believe the amount of questions we get in the jet forum from newbee's that want to start out with a high performance model. Though I've seen the same thing in other forums where a rank beginner wants to start out with a warbird. I still think that the turbine waiver is needed. The problem is that the AMA at times makes regulations without really listening to experienced jet modelers. As a result, we are over regulated as technology has made jet flying a more safe and reliable experience. Our current JPO President, Steve Ellzey, has worked very hard with the AMA EC to draft a new set of rules to complement our current regs, as to keep up with the improved technology. The results were an AMA EC 8 to 3 vote in favor of the new rules. Dave Brown doesn't like the new rules and wants to recind parts of it. Dave Brown even called the 8 to 3 passage a "split vote"!!!
Hey 3D flyers....How would you like it if a rule was passed limiting YOUR thrust to weight ratio---How would you ever ever begin to hover if you had a thrust to weight ratio less than one to one???? Think it can't happen??? Food for thought...
Kevin