Has anyone tried electric CL flying? I have been flying RC for years but have always loved CL as well. I flew a lot of CL combat in the 80's. I have recently been flying some fanfold foamy RC planes made from Blu-Core foam insulation. They are great flying planes and have fantastic power to weight ratio with the GWS 350 electric gearbox. I had the idea to make one a controlliner. My only concern was controlling the motor run. Since I wouldn't have a throttle, how can I land without running the batteries completely dead and how can I shut it down fast if I happen to plant it in the dirt. Any ideas or experience in this area would be appreciated. I have already considered using a radio just to control the throttle.
Thanks,,, basmntdweller

Try rigging a switch so that full down shuts of the moter similar to dropping the hook in carrier.

Tom

I think Cox used to market an inexpensive electric C/L plane. It had low capacity batteries to allow a couple minutes of flight, and I suspect it had a quick charge time to allow another flight within minutes. I never saw one fly, but it seems like I saw them advertised.

Pilgrim

There is a good bit of discussion of electric stunt on the Stuka Stunt Works CL Forum. There are electric powered CL stunt airplanes (maybe only one?) which will do the AMA stunt pattern in a very competitive manner. I encourage you to investigate as I think this is the next big thing in CL.

Jim

Hmmm.... my friend and I have been flying electric control line for over 10 years now and with throttle control without using a frecuency.

E-mail for the full details but basically we take a JR radio with DSC funtionality, remove the crystals and send the DSC signal down the flying lines for full proportiona throttle control and can also do flaps, etc.... the guts of the model looks like a RC model with the normal speed control, reciever, and such. The only thing different is that the flying lines are used to transmit the DSC signal from the radio that is clipped to the pilots belt. If you don't like flying with a radio strapped to your belt you can also fly with the Bill Young electronic handle that will also operate a speed control.

I have been flying a 80" span Piper Cub with an Astro-40 geared electric motor, speed control with DSC electronic controls. I get the plane on the flying circle turn on the airplane power, walk out to the handle. Pick up the radio, make sure the throttle is at idle, turn on the radio, plug in the wires, advance the throttle and the motor starts on command and I take off.

E-mail me at [email protected] for more info...I even have a book for sale on how to do all of this, 138 pages worth.

Good luck,
Fred Cronenwett

Fred,

That Cub would look a lot better to these eyes with floats instead of wheels!!

Here is the same plane with floats attached....

much nicer I agree.

The aerial shot is of the ROW float pond that was in use at the Roseburg, Oregon contest. This pond has been filled in and no longer exists now....it was fun while it lasted!

Fred Cronenwett