Yeah, less is best. Remember that noise does not equate to power. If you can get it to do what you want it to do at less RPM, then that's the way to go. It will surely ensure that your engine will run for a long long time.

The engine RPM numbers you will get from the manufacturer are nothing more than a sales pitch and mean nothing. You may see 16K in their product description, for instance, but actually flying it at that RPM, well, it won't fly for long.

My instructor/mentor had me keep my RPM down below 12K for just about all applications and that seemed to do the trick for just about all sorts of flying, including demanding pattern flying with my Venus 50 and OS 50 SF. It flew great and my RPM never exceeded 12K. Then again, I learned that lowering the throttle when heading down was part of the scoring. Some of the warbirds and warbird pilots do not, for reasons of their own, and for what they are doing while flying, and I understand that. It comes down to a flying style. I just don't like the noise. Every time I hear one at that high RPM, I look up expecting to see parts flying all over the place... [:@]

CGr.