Rendegade,
Absolutely the OS140RX still has it's place in pattern today. Planes that are under 10 lbs (dry) and are relatively low drag can certainly be competitive in any class. For the higher classes, the pilot will need to be very skilled at tuning the engine to match the airframe and flying style. The torque curve will still be lacking compared to a YS 160DZ +, and certainly lacking compared to the current day electrics. The lighter cleaner airframes are increasingly less favored, the number of pilots very skilled at running the OS140RX are diminishing, and the trend of the planes is be draggier and heavier. All those things add up to limited days for the OS140RX.
Regards,
Dave Lockhart
Team Horizon/JR/Spektrum, Thunder Power, Castle Creations
ORIGINAL: Rendegade
This thread more than anything is the unwanted ******* child of comments made by some people who I respect in pattern circles.
For the record, I'm paraphrasing as I'm far too lazy to go hunting for the real comments.
Firstly Dave Lockhart mentioning that he feels that glow as a powerplant has it's days numbered, given the leaps and bounds made in electric circles.
Also, Mike Hester had mentioned that he thinks that a 140 rx would struggle to haul a BM v3 around with much authority given the increase in fuselage depth, and I assume increased frontal area, and wetted surface area drag.
I guess my question is, is there a home for the old 140 anymore? Are the to become the 61RF of the 2000's? I suppose this question has more resonance and relevance to thos who compete on a shoestring, like me and their existing ship is perhaps running out of usefulness, but there seems to be no aircraft that can use a 140, so is the engine also outliving it's usefulness?