Skycam41

I have a Sig Somethin' Xtra ARF coming for my birthday but cant decide wether to use glow or electric. I have an AXI 4120/18 motor and Castle Creations 100 ESC. My other choice is to use a new Irvine .53 that I have. The plus for electric is a clean aircraft after each flight and I would not need to carry around my flight box, just charged up batteries (which I don't have and would have to buy 3 for $140. Downside for electric is short flight times. Any thoughts would be welcome
Mike

ameyam

Hi,

the choice is really up to you. If you ask me, go glow and 4c if you can. 4C engines spit out less oil than 2c. Plus you get the option to direct the exhaust further away from the fuselage than in 2C. The major disadvantage in electric is that you need to carry more batteries. If this is your main airframe, you will be looking at atleast 4 sorties (meaning flights). You will require atleast that many batteries because you wont be able to charge then on field in that time. Plus it means you can only fly it on one day- saturday or sunday, per week. The other day you will likely be spending the whole day charging the LiPos. In that sense, electric setups are more expensive.

If this is your standby airplane, go for electric. Its more convenient in that if you have glow engine problems for some reason, you can easily switch over, so you dont come back without a flight

Ameyam

Skycam41

Hi Ameyam, thanks for your sound advice. For now it will be my primary aircraft and have decided to use glow power as I like the much longer flight times that it will bring.
CG

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Once had a WILDCAT that I believe came from Horizon Hobby and that was the only electric that I ever had fun with and enjoyed. Numerous other electrics just did not work for me. So, I have given up on them.

Now, I have to second entertaining the thought of a 4 cycle. If budget does not allow, then stick with 2 cycle. BUT !! If budget does allow, I would also think small " GAS ".

With gas, like electric you will not have anything to clean.

Tom Nied

Saw one with a .46 glow on it and it flew great. The Irving might be just fine. It's the right size for glow without getting too expensive for fuel costs.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

The advantage of glow is that if you already have the equipment needed to run glow then you don't have to spend extra money buying it also with glow you can fly a zillion times all the way to sunset or until the cows come home which is around sunset.

One big disadvantage for the electrics is the batteries and their danger of going bad.

Bladejunkie

I went with glow on mine,as a matter of fact I put the first flight on her today.It went very well,had a few problems with the new NovaRossi 50F engine,got that squared away and had a ball.I would go by the book on the control throws,I didn't and the first trim lap was very exciting to say the least.Once my nerves settled down,the plane handled very nice.Landing was the best landing I ever made,a little above idle into a ten mph head wind,she landed herself.Brand new plane,brand new engine no real problems.NovaRossi engine,at least mine,doesn't like a real rich needle setting like a new engine should be set,it took me three tries to takeoff before I got the needle leaned out to where it would run consistent and not flame out on takeoff.Well I had a great day hope you all did too,now its time for a nap!!!

Later Jim