How many cycles does the ThunderPower LiPo pack last for?
No one is really sure about how long they will last under current levels we demand from them. I would expect similar life to NiCD and NiMh cells, 1000 Cycles.
Do the LiPo batterys get a memory, or reduced capacity as they get older?
They have no memory. Capacity with diminish with time but currently you have enought power to fly 30 min plus so you could have a 50% reduction and still have plenty of power to complete a sequence.
What sort of charger is used to charge and monitor the packs condition?
You use a constant voltage/conastant current power supply to charge the cells. You set up packs of 3 3.7v cells (11.1v nominal) and charge them with a 12v power supply at ~8amps. 8amps sounds like a lot but these are 7800Mah packs and they still take quite a while to charge. As the pack reaches a full charge you will see the amps drop off. The pack is fully charge when the amps hit 0.0. You then gang these packs to arrive at the final voltage you want to sent to the motor.
What is the throttle response like in this setup?
Beyond Instant! No engine will ever be able to deliver the throttle response of an electric motor. The torque peak on an electric motor occurs at 0rpm once energy is applied.
Is motor and or battery cooling a problem?
Its not a problem its just something you have to plan for. Cooling the motor is no sweat. Just use the same openings in the cowl you would use for you I.C. engines. The only thing that takes planning is cooling the battery. All you need is airflow. An intake in front of the cells and a larger exit to vent the expanded air and you are set. On some designs the cells would probably fit in the pipe tunnel. In that case you could use the exixting pipe cooling vents.