KatManDEW

My Feedback: (6)

Now that's what I'm talk'n about

JWilliams

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Nothing against electrics, I own my fair share of foamies. However, I just do not see it for planes this size. I love my DA50 on the MTW TD75 cannister. Flew mine this morning and it just gets better and better.
Jeff W.

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

SIGH YEAAH..Theres nothing like the smell of Regular unleaded in the morning!

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

I most definitely see it as the way to go in the future. But as it stands now, a flight with my Yak costs less than 50 cents, verses almost $2.00 for electric ( figured by dividing the cost of batteries-$400 or so- by the number of cycles they are good for while still putting out near 100% power- about 200 flights). Even at 400 flights per battery, it's still a dollar...prices need to come down before I make the switch.

SPACE SCOOTER

I had a feeling this thread would go electric before to long. You electric guys need to take your skirts off and put your pants back on

This thread was started to support the 99.9% of us who have set the plane up for what it was designed for. GAS

Mike Parsons

I can work on my cars electrical system much easier than I can the engine . It isnt a Gas vs Electric anymore than it is Glow vs Gas. It just boils down to what you prefer. I was going to go Gas until my field went completely electric due to noise concerns. That made the decision much easier. With more and more fields being lost to urbanism and noise regulations, electric is becoming a valid alternative...but will never be a replacement for IC.

Of course while I was trying to start my Ryobi glow weedeater this morning....it made me wish I had a Hacker powered version on 8S lithiums.

-Mike

wgeffon

My Feedback: (4)

Exactly!

Keep doing what your doing Mike. I personally have enjoyed watching and reading about your E planes and projects.

vertical ts

My Feedback: (50)

Anyone know of a header for the DA50 that does not break?I am using the mtw flex header and it snapped today after roughly 3 gallons through the motor.Any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks
Vertical

rmh

Those headers typically last forever .
1 -support front and rear of the can (pipe)
2 -do not use the flex section as an adjustment for alignment - the flex section is for vibration absorption.
twisting and or bending this section will almost always result in a fatigue at the compressed point in the flex.

vertical ts

My Feedback: (50)

I guess thats what I did wrong,I did not support the front of the pipe.This was my first plane with a pipe/header set up.I just followed the instructions[&o]

SPACE SCOOTER

I'm just kidding with you electric folks. I watched David Payne fly his electric EF 87 Yak in Chattanooga a few weeks back and it was impressive. It had an AXI motor with 4 battery packs strapped around the engine box. It had plenty of power, no doubt about it.

Electrics have come along way in a short time and for people like me( who know nothing but gas and glow) are overwhelmed, so much to learn.....

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

Hang tight,

Electric power is in an exciting stage.... Hi Voltage ESC's, Several lithium pack manufacturers, larger, more powerful and efficient motors, etc are making it quite possible.

As time goes on, pricing will begin to drop on the technology (just as everything else is) and it will cost about the same to build something, glow, gas or electric. As it stands today, I'm not sure I want to invest upwards of $1200 more in order to go electric with my Yak. But when they cost the same to build... with similar all up wieights, GS electric is going to become much more popular. Take a look at this years NATS and check out the power setups of the pros in pattern... Just a step down from Giant Scale requirements.

Not sure it is any different in complexity than other power methods, as with gas you have the ignition to consider as well as breaking in, tuned pipes, etc... with glow you can have issues with tuning, fuel consumption, etc. Seems most of the "E-complexity" is simply selecting the right equipment up front... and there are programs out there to help... like e-calc and motor calc.

As with all techs... e-power can have it's share of failures and headaches... but none more than other power systems.

I'm still an overall value man, and right now GS aircraft is more cost efffective up front and during it's life than e-powered versions.... but as you can see from my posts on the subject, it IS of interets to me, and I keep looking for that magical next step in e-power...

I was aware of Steve's NeuMotor and the BAM... I heard about it last fall I think, but I'm not sure it's out just yet... Put it on one of the new CC 110 HV's and you may just have a monster on your hans... especially if it comes in at an optimal 65 amps. Depending on it's weight, it may very well be a 60cc-80cc gas equivilent and cost about the same sans batteries...

As it is.... a foamie with a few small lipoly packs can fill MANY evenings with top-notch fun and practice. Small, inexpensive brushless motors, ESC's and lipoliy packs have made this arena of e-flight perhaps the most popular out there....

harryw13

Yak at the Nats
Well someone had to represent us, so I flew my 87" yak in Sportsman, at this years IMAC Nats, and yes I was the smallest plane there. Even in Sportsman, all the other planes were at least 33% and up.
I think I got the most out of the plane, and pilot, and ended up 6th out of 18. Take that all you overfed, steriod filled 40 %er's.
I've only been flying the plane for about a month, but I really like it. Some of the differences I noticed, between it and the bigger planes is, it dose'nt track or groove as well as the bigger planes, and because of the light wing loading, it does not handle the wind as well. Lucky for me, at the Nats we never really got above 8-12 kots of wind. Also it does not have near the power to weight ratio the the big boys have. You can really see in the upper classes, why they need the extra power, they have multiply manuevers on the down lines, which require the plane to fly high to start, and all the point rolls and snaps on uplines. I believe IMAC needs more power than 3D, for that very reason.
I think it's a great plane to start flying IMAC with. I'm going to fly Intermediate with it in a couple of weeks, I think it should do it just fine.

rmh

Good show !-- as for the wind - add more power - more speed .
We had our annual IMAC contest two weeks ago in 20 mph wind .
The smaller planes did well -as long as they used power and lots of positioning control.
We set up our YAK with more power to weight than the 40% stuff - you need it to fight the wind drift.
-it takes more skill to fly the smaller models really well .

SPACE SCOOTER

harryw13,

Nice job and good luck in a couple of weeks!!

Maudib,

I certainly agree with you and when the price starts to fall I'll be right behind you. For now I'll wait, I am truly happy with my yak just the way it is.

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

Me too... and I sure like that Vrooom-Vrooom.

wgeffon

My Feedback: (4)

Good job Harry!

I wish I could have seen you fly but with being on seperate sites made it hard to see anything that was going on there.

Mike Parsons

Almost there.....

KatManDEW

My Feedback: (6)

You da man Mike! Sign me up for one of those..... I already have the "fuel" that I need.

KatManDEW

My Feedback: (6)

What makes 65 amps optimal? You aren't going to get 4kW on 12s with 65 amps.

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

Wow... that saw horse doesn't look like it's got a chance of staying landbound...

Maudib

My Feedback: (51)

I was quoting Mike when he said:

Perhaps I misunderstoood... [sm=confused.gif]

But if 45 lbs of thrust can be had for 65 amps... then that's pretty sweet....

Perhaps the higher voltage is allowing the more efficient amp draw?

matus777

Off topic but might be of interest to electric converts?

One of last years top pattern flyers converted to electric this year. For the last 7 weeks he has been dealing with PCM lockout problems when applying climb power. Keep in mind that he's trying to keep weight to a minimum. Every combination of system elimination/isolation/change was tried including sending the system to a top firm for diag....no answers...no help.

Solution found: The simple solution was discovered by holding the battery packs in hand during ground testing. The packs were mounted in soft industrial velcro in a very low vibration environment. The simple solution was to go back to our basic habit of foam bedding....problem solved. No one knows why this solved the problem but it did.....much frustration ended.

FYI....this issue manifested with ALL battery packs involved so it was not a pack quality issue. Just thought i'd throw this out (all packs were large lipo's)

Aerosplat

My Feedback: (12)

Brand new in box Solid White 87" EF Yak for sale - check the market place.

cadconversions

My Feedback: (21)

Wow, wish I had the money to pick up another yak...