Kochj
ORIGINAL: kochj
I know this is abit broad topic.......
Since the inception of this engine and other Gasoline engines that were made in attempt
to satisfy a Gasoline pattern engine,
This engine was not specifically designed for pattern, but pattern is a suitable application as the testing by Matt and Ed has shown. Certainly it has an extremely good (if not the best) power to weight ratio for a gas engine.
ORIGINAL: kochj
I kept thinking that there needs to be some
radical change with engines in order to be light and powerfullenough to
work in the highest pattern contests
The highest performance levels in pattern require the highest power to weight ratios....there is no magical engine that will do this on gasoline.....methanol simply produces more power than gas, so glow engines will always make more power.
ORIGINAL: kochj
Just change the rules!!
If F3A, is to Formula 1, as to 1/8th scale onroad r/c cars....Why don't they just change the rules
to accomidate the gas engines?? They did it with the 4-strokes?
Yes, rules were changed to allow 120 4C.....and proponents advocated the cost of the event would go down, and engine options would go up. The opposite occured. Engines, planes, fuel, servos, etc. all got more expensive. And this exact same flawed logic was tried again with the unlimited engine rule.....proponents again advocated the cost of the event would go down as larger cheaper engines would be used, and as we found out (and some of us predicted, myself included), the costs simply went up again as no one used the larger cheaper engines because they did not have the best power to weight ratio. Current day, the best power to weight ratio powerplants suitable for pattern are YS and electric....and electric is rapidly improving. This is not to say that gasoline engines can not be used in pattern now or in the future, but they are not going to be the most competitive (in terms of power for weight, which is very high priority in pattern), and never will be. For pilots that prioritize other aspects (fuel costs), the SAP 180 might be the best engine for them. Certainly is nice to have the option.
Regards,
Dave