RE: How many flying minutes from battery?
Airplanes don't get the servo loads that helicopters have and if your talking analog servos the amplifier doesnt update the motor position nearly as often as a digital. Those extra motor updates draw current so digitals consumer more power.
The Raptor is known to be a bit tail heavy with a light battery so a 2000 mah sub C NiMH of modern construction should be fine, they have sufficent current delivery for our use.
Just an FYI I can fly several flights each weekend day with my Duralite Lithiums and not be anywhere near stop fly voltage with all digitals and a governor, say 10 flights per charge with no problem, to me it was worth the money. Plus the voltage to the servos is consistent from the beginning of the day to the end, though that would not be a big advantage to you till you start thumping it around.