quick glow though...
 

why dont glow engines for planes have a centrifical clutch? wouldnt it be nice to have the motor idle without the prop spinning!

RE: quick glow though...
 

Just unnecessary weight. Idle slowly enough, you don't need the extra mechanism.

RE: quick glow though...
 

I agree. Also just one more thing to go wrong. Full scale airplanes don;t have any sort of clutch either; at least none of the ones I've had experience with.

RE: quick glow though...
 

Cooling!

RE: quick glow though...
 

I vote for the weigh issue. Plus it wouldn't be scale. :D

And I also agree that the one on my Husqvarna gets pretty hot, but we're sawing air not wood.

RE: quick glow though...
 

The short answer is you don't need it. The plane will sit still with the engine idling and the prop spinning. Cars use a clutch because they can't sit still with the engine running without one.

RE: quick glow though...
 

Besides all the above, you would need something else than the propeller to start the engine with.:)

RE: quick glow though...
 

The bottom line is our engines cannot run without a propellor. The propellor provides the flywheel effect required.

If we disengaged the prop then a heavy flywheel would be required for the engine to run properly.

John

RE: quick glow though...
 

John, you are so dadgum technical.....;)

RE: quick glow though...
 

Hmm oh man did I leave my Geritol lying around here somewhere:D