If you mean Electric vs. Glow...then its pretty simple. Up until the last 2 years or so, the electrics were limited in power and performance on larger aircraft. People made it work, but it was more expensive and was still in the learning stages. They are virtually identical now. You will hear some argue both ways, but they both have advantages.

Electrics have no vibration and the costs are coming down. The weight of the plane is identical through the entire flight. However there is still a learning curve and if you do "puff" a pack..you are out quite a bit. There is no smoke trail, but I'm not sure that is a big deal either way. And I don't want to hear the arguments that electrics are just plug and play..there is still a learning curve involved. Also, I don't know that anyone TRULY knows how long a pack will last. I know guys that have used them for multiple years, but I have heard from several of the "top" electric flyers and they all say they'd never run a pack more than a year. You really have to own 3-4 sets of packs to go out and just be able to practice without waiting around.

Glow motors have been around forever and people know how to run them. Even if you totally burn up a glow motor, you are probably going to spend less than the cost of a set of packs. Yes, you have fuel costs and the prices are going up so the costs are virtually equal now. I personally run glow as I know the setup, and I like fact of being able to fly longer. I can get through 2 masters sequences on a 20oz tank with my CDI setup. I know of guys getting through 2 FAI sequences, but I doubt you will find anyone getting through 2 masters sequences on a pack. I can comfortably go to the field and fly 3 flights in an hour and go back home when I fly alone. To do the same thing, you would have to have 3 sets of packs with electric. I also like the smell of glow fuel. I grew up on glow and still prefer it. I'm also setup for it and don't want to start over with motors, packs, chargers and such.

From a cost stand point, the OS 1.60 with 15% nitro setup is hard to beat. It doesn't have quite the power of the top electric and YS setups, but it will get you through Masters. I know you will see guys argue it is TRULY a competitive setup, but i would be willing to bet, there wont be anyone in the top at the worlds or in the finals of FAI at the NATS later this month with that setup. The top guys in the world can fly any setup they want, and you wont find any running that setup. It does have its limitations compared to the top electric or YS setups.

The true "gas" setups still have a ways to go in the smaller setups. There are some guys playing with some setups, but they are still very early in the learning stages as they just don't produce the power in the same displacement. They are hard to be for 50cc and above as they produce good power and are cost effective, but in the 2 meter pattern world they are still evolving.

I have seen some of the newer electric setups and they have TONS of power, but they are still limited to around 8-9 minutes of actual flight time.

It is personal preference. They are both competitive and they both work. QQ won the last worlds with a YS, but has switched to electric. However, none of the Japanese or CPLR have made the jump to electric and if they truly thought they were at a disadvantage I am sure they would. The top 10 in the world could fly either and be just as competitive.

I think as electrics keep evolving over the next 5 - 10 years eventually the costs and such will make it hard to resist, but even though it has gotten better, it is still not quite there yet.

Just my .02

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