txaggie08

until they figure out how to make li-po's MUCH cheaper glow and gas arent going anywere. When it costs as much to get the motor and ESC to run the plane as it does to buy a glow enginge, then two times as much for batteries, then even more for a fancy charger.....



Dont get me wrong i just bought a GP flat outs . i like electric but lord there expensive when you get beyhond a 400 sized plane........

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Must be something wrong with their noses!

coolbean

I found my biggest hindrance to electrics is the learning curve. There is only one other guy that flies brushless electrics at my field and he flies much bigger, glow conversion type stuff and I havn't had a chance to talk to him about it. I can't tell you how many hundreds of dollars I spent on batteries, chargers, and motors until I found a combination that works. The absolute FIRST THING anyone should do is get a copy of motocalc and buy a decent hobby charger capable of charging lipos (they are available for around $50 now and are useful for much much more than charging flight packs)

Ken Erickson

Mode One wrote,"My glow powered airplanes don't smell! "

I buy a product by Parma, which when added to the fuel causes it to smell like CHERRIES. It is also available in Cotton Candy, Bubble Gum, and Pina Colada. Yeh, I know it is untraditional, but is a bit of a hoot when people get a whiff of the exhaust. Can't remember the name of the product, as I removet the labels from the bottles and usr them (the bottles, not the labels) for after run oil. Yeah, Rislone.

Ken, AMA 19352

bruce88123

http://www.shopatron.com/index/137.0.6091.0.0.0.0
http://www.shopatron.com/product/pro...0.6091.0.0.0.0 for example.

Mode One

Mr. Foamie, Do they make a downloadable scratch and sniff?

Stickbuilder

That was not the Hobby shop over at I-24 and O.H.B. was It? Doesn't sound much like Wayne, but he could have changed. Oh, and stay the hell out of Bugg Hollow. [8D][8D]

Bill (AKA Shackle Island Flash)(naw, dang it, not flasher)

Stickbuilder

Tennessee is the home of Hobby Lobby (Franklin Pike Circle, Brentwood Tennessee) (Just off I-65 @ Old Hickory Boulevard)[8D][8D]

1.25ton

Hey Stickbuilder You must have been in Fla. for quite some time- You didn't call it Bugg Holler

I tried to protect the identity of the lhs at all costs....

This is a great resource guys- thanks for sharing the info (and opinions)!!

perttime

For some motors there is pretty good test data that can be helpful. ModelMotors, for example, has pretty good information on their site.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

They say that because Hobby Lobby isn't an engine distributor.

Just ask that salesman why he didn't drive to work in a 21st Century Clean-running Electric car.

And then tell him to shut up

B.L.E.

I remember the hoopla about GMs EV1, the lease only electric vehicle offered only in certain areas. With $2,000 worth of batteries that had a service life of about 20,000 miles, I sat down and did the math. If gas were to go up to $5.00 per gallon and electricity was free, this car would break even with my 50 mpg Geo Metro.

Electrics are practical in the small airplanes but on the other hand, it takes a long time for a .15 glow engine to use up a gallon of fuel. The nice thing is that the airframe doesn't eventually get soaked with oil.

Dave Kovensky

My Feedback: (3)

Hi Mode One,

Could you (or any other modeler) advise if there are any listings that identify comparative glow engine displacement/electric motor
sizes? ie: O.S. 40 vs Hacker XXX. Please reply by e-mail to [email protected]

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

I started flying gas powered free flights in th 30's and have since gone through many other types of flying. I first flew electrics when the motors came with the kits and used nicad batteries that weighed in at about 1 pound per pack. Mostly sailplane types. I never gave up on fuel power but since the electrics now are so advanced I intend to try again with WWI scale. The power system I need for the airplane I want to build is almost $300.00. There are some very nice four strokes for less but after all it's only money !!!!

txaggie08

the gas motor just sounds cool for that matter

Dave Kovensky

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks for your replies to my question about Glow versus Electric. I guess I didn't ask the proper question about such comparision so I'll try to rephrase it. What we are interested in finding out is a complete listing of each glow engine displacement (.020/.049/.099/.15/.19/.25/.29/.35/.40/.46/.60/.78/.90) and their equivalent electric brushless/brush motor counterparts as far as useable thrust. As examples; suppose you had a GWS Slow Stick with a 350 brush motor......What would be the equivalent size glow engine that could be used in place of the electric motor? Or suppose you had a Precision Aerobatics Katana Mini with a Hacker X-20 brushless motor....what glow engine could be used in place of the electric motor. These are only a few examples. We need a generic listing of all glow to electric equivalents.

Thanks

Dave Kovensky and Dick Brown

ugdrummer08

I think that gas and glow engines will always have their place in model aviation. At my field, most people fly glow or gas, and a few members (mostly older guys) fly electrics. I like glow power myself, just because I like the sound, smell, and everything else about glow engines. Electrics may become way more popular in the near future, but I don't think conventional engines will ever be phased out by electrics.

dante69

im 15 years old and rite now i gotta say...i love my showtime 4D for pattern...but my fancy faom su-29 sukhoi will always steal me away any day of the week...you can get a great settup from fancy foam for only $300 RTF- transmitter...i reccomend the sukhoi to begginer and expert alike ..... www.fancyfoam.com

PlaneHeli

I prefer glow. maybe because it brings back memories of my youth when I first got into this hobby.

One day I may go to electric planes but I think that will be many years away.

The reason, i am not interested in the little flat wing profile foamies, personally they dont fly realistically.
Most of the guys where I fly have given up on glow for electric, but when they fly its just not interesting to watch. See a foamy do a roll, or landing, it just doesnt look right.

When you can get a 40 sized plane, that flys with electric, and is cheaper and easier I guess I will change. I havnt seen this yet, and would imagine a motor that puts out that amount of power would still be very expensive at the moment Also how many batteries would be required to run it for say a 10 minute flight.

I bought a brand new OS46AX for 125USD
Also bought a 2250mah Lipo 62USD

How much would an electric motor be worth that could replace my OS46.
How many batteries would I need to run the electric for 10 minutes.
How many spare battery packs would I need. Normally with glow I can refuel and fly again in 10-20 minutes if i wish.

I have seen small electric jet models, they fly realistically and fast, but they do not have any gear, so must hand launch.

I enjoy taking off and landing, and often doing touch and gos.

I would imagine you guys flying 60 sized or larger planes and gassers would be even further away from converting, imagine the cost of those motors and batteries.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers.

nickj

To echo Dave Kavensky's post, to me the biggest problem with getting into electrics is choosing the gear. The answer to "what do I replace my ST .46 with" doesn't seem to exist. Instead you get a tutorial on battery C-ratings, watts-per-rpm, and a bunch of formulas. After a fair amount of research you can probably make an educated guess about what you need for a specific plane, but you can only test your answer by purchasing the gear and trying it out. In fact, most electric guys I know are always experimenting, and the cost doesn't seem to be a big factor to them.

Stickbuilder

Just another example of California intellect. Not only is, "The" Hobby Lobby in Tennessee, White castles have holes in the meat, Krystals do not. Yep, spelled with a, "K". We do, however, call them both, "Gut Bombs"

And it is actually spelled: Mason-Dixon Line. Of course Our Governor can pronounce the name of the state of Tennessee correctly. Can you say California the way that AHNOLD does????

Hobie

I started with a cheap electric called the T-Hawk it was a lot of fun and a good way to break into the hobby . I got a Space Scooter next a little more money and more advanced . The Space Scooter stock was under powered so I got a brushless with espc which raised the cost to $260 for a foam plane that was fun but still not the thrill of glow . I got my first glow used with flight box and alot of extra stuff used for $150 and it is way more fun and exciting . To me electric is not only more expensive but way more complicated . The last time I flew at the club 2 of our memebers that are into glow and fuel both were trying to get a new electric 3D flying right they had to keep trying different props and had heat gages and watt gages etc . Way too complicated for me and I have a degree in electronics . I like to fly not spend alot of time figuring out what battery with what motor with what prop with what gearbox etc. etc.

SwampFlier-RCU

why not japanese vs. american... some ford made in japan and some chevy.. in mexico, or canada ....(flame suit on...)
I think the hobby will be mostly 60-40 or thereabouts when all its said and done with more electrics than glow due to space and clubs requirements but as long as full scale planes are not electric.... we will fly glo, turbines or gas...

bruce88123

And many Toyotas and (insert other "import" names here) are assembled in the USA so that argument doesn't hold much water either. No flames, just facts.

joesabido

IMO, a plane that sounds like a dremel is like Pavarotti singing like Suzanne Vega [&:]