glow engines are fading away
12-06-2017, 06:45 PM
#151
12-10-2017, 07:47 AM
#155
No, prissy stuck up, NIMBY people are. Lack of decent flying fields, and lazy people who don't want to learn the intricacies of glow, and don't like the noise or mess are ruining the hobby. Flying is only a small part of the hobby. The guys who know this hobby are dying off and younger ones just don't wish to learn it.
12-10-2017, 08:03 AM
#156
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No, prissy stuck up, NIMBY people are. Lack of decent flying fields, and lazy people who don't want to learn the intricacies of glow, and don't like the noise or mess are ruining the hobby. Flying is only a small part of the hobby. The guys who know this hobby are dying off and younger ones just don't wish to learn it.
12-10-2017, 08:41 AM
#157
No, prissy stuck up, NIMBY people are. Lack of decent flying fields, and lazy people who don't want to learn the intricacies of glow, and don't like the noise or mess are ruining the hobby. Flying is only a small part of the hobby. The guys who know this hobby are dying off and younger ones just don't wish to learn it.
It's not the people who don't want to learn the intricacies of wet fuel power, though, but the one who don't want to learn the intricacies of the hobby, in general. The Plug n' Play set, want everything done for them. They are not interested in learning how to perform the most simple tasks. They want SAFE technology to fly their models for them.
How many times have your read a thread where a poster complains that the hole in his prop is too small, or that he cant find a spinner with a cut out large enough for his prop ?
The hobby seems to be dumbing down to the consumer. The hobbiest is all but gone.
12-10-2017, 08:57 AM
#158
I am not sure I would declare the leckies as ruining the hobby, maybe the drones. They at least are bringing in some to replace the old guys that are dying off. I am on the other side of the spectrum for sure, and don't want to learn the intricacies of electrics. I have played with them a bit, and the batteries and speed controls just P me off. There is a really nice guy in our club that really can't build at all, but likes to fly. He goes through a lot of planes in a year. He nearly singlehandedly keeps the hobby shop going, at least the airplane part of it. He did some glow stuff for a bit, but is more suited to electric, as he is getting older. He even supports some of the guys in the club to repair and set up the planes. We lost 3 or 4 guys in the club this year, and could use 10 more to offset expenses. I am one of the younger ones and closing in on 60.
12-10-2017, 09:18 AM
#159
Drones are for sure messing up our hobby, or more to the truth, the people flying them are. The damned younger generation who feel they are entitled to do anything without regard to consequences.
At my field we have 3 run up benches, and a portapotty. We don't have meetings, we don't have a club house, and I think, at 53, am the youngest member. We lost a couple guys last year too. It seems that out of all our members, only 3 show up on a regular basis, as I have not seen the others in a while. I'm the only glow flyer, the others have gas, and the only true builder, the others fly ARF. One guy I haven't seen in a while flew electrics, and has a ducted delta wing. Man is that thing fast, and loud. I have a couple electrics, but charging is a PITA as one of them has 2 8000 mah packs that take two hours each to fully charge for 15 minutes of flight. At over $100 each for the packs, I don't get many flights out of that plane, even though it looks cool, a Twin Otter, and sounds realistic on a flyby. I used to fly it with 3300 mah packs, but after take off with full throttle, if you didn't back out of it, you would have to land it as it sucked the life out of them quickly. My other electric is the Apprentice I learned to fly on, and my wife is building a 4*20 that will be electric. She won it at last years SIG Flyin.
At my field we have 3 run up benches, and a portapotty. We don't have meetings, we don't have a club house, and I think, at 53, am the youngest member. We lost a couple guys last year too. It seems that out of all our members, only 3 show up on a regular basis, as I have not seen the others in a while. I'm the only glow flyer, the others have gas, and the only true builder, the others fly ARF. One guy I haven't seen in a while flew electrics, and has a ducted delta wing. Man is that thing fast, and loud. I have a couple electrics, but charging is a PITA as one of them has 2 8000 mah packs that take two hours each to fully charge for 15 minutes of flight. At over $100 each for the packs, I don't get many flights out of that plane, even though it looks cool, a Twin Otter, and sounds realistic on a flyby. I used to fly it with 3300 mah packs, but after take off with full throttle, if you didn't back out of it, you would have to land it as it sucked the life out of them quickly. My other electric is the Apprentice I learned to fly on, and my wife is building a 4*20 that will be electric. She won it at last years SIG Flyin.
12-10-2017, 02:48 PM
#160
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Its getting to the point you cant even find small stuff like fuel tanks and glow propellers for pete sakes. Im 53 and fly everything from .40 size glow to 40% gassers. Used to fly glow helis but cant get anymore glow heli stuff so im done with helis
12-11-2017, 09:54 AM
#161
That 4*40 is fun to build but there's a few mistakes in the manual. I put servos in the wings for the ailerons. I need to cover it, install the engine, and hook up the servos. Not much left to do. I have a NIB Saito FA-30 GK to go in it. Had to add some wood all over the place to convert it to glow. It's not your traditional Sig kit, imo.
This talk about electrics reminds me of the ARF talk a few years back. Same thing, same disgust with the instant gratification crowd.
This talk about electrics reminds me of the ARF talk a few years back. Same thing, same disgust with the instant gratification crowd.
12-11-2017, 10:17 AM
#162
our club used to be around 90 members in 1987 and now due to deaths, moving out for jobs, and some just quit we are now down to 20 members of which are about 5 that fly at least once a week, we tried to bring in younger members but they don't seem interested very long and quit, this younger generation which have their mommies wiping their noses and taking care of them well into their 30's is a big problem, they don't know how to take care of themselves and solve their problems themselves. They don't know whats a lug wrench much less how to change a tire, How do you expect them to be able to put an ARF together and much less fly it, and most I come into contact with won't take no help.
12-14-2017, 05:16 AM
#166
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It is true and unfortunate that many of the great glow manufacturers have called it quits. That is the market demand. Once the more powerful battery technologies came along most things went electric. It just so happens that the Millennial generation of 'instant gratification' coincides with the revolution in battery power. Now people with no knowledge of how to build, fly, or power an airplane can go buy one that does it all for you. Glow engine manufacturers just cannot compete and stay profitable when the market segment and new developments are focused on the electrics. At least I am trying to show people several things on my channel.
1. Glow engines are still available on the used market.
2. They can be refurbished and still provide many years of useful operation.
3. That the operation of glow engines is not difficult.
4. Finally that the engines of yesteryear are far superior to the meager offerings of today.
1. Glow engines are still available on the used market.
2. They can be refurbished and still provide many years of useful operation.
3. That the operation of glow engines is not difficult.
4. Finally that the engines of yesteryear are far superior to the meager offerings of today.
12-14-2017, 07:08 AM
#168
DMRC. I didn't know we were talking to the famous Dave here. I have watched lots of your videos. I happen to like the AP .15 (just on the top of your list). If you test it, take off the muffler or at least unscrew the stinger and compare to other .10 or .15s. It is pretty good for a simple design that is $35. Being a machinist I can see why no one makes motors any more. Some tolerances have to be within .0001", materials have to be good, and a warranty has to be three years. Oh, and $50 is too much for a motor. Much easier to make other parts with a .005" tolerance. I won't give up on the glow stuff either. Still millions of them around and lots of estate deals. I suppose one day my stuff will be in the estate sales too, hopefully it will continue after for many years.
12-15-2017, 01:31 AM
#169
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DMRC. I didn't know we were talking to the famous Dave here. I have watched lots of your videos. I happen to like the AP .15 (just on the top of your list). If you test it, take off the muffler or at least unscrew the stinger and compare to other .10 or .15s. It is pretty good for a simple design that is $35. Being a machinist I can see why no one makes motors any more. Some tolerances have to be within .0001", materials have to be good, and a warranty has to be three years. Oh, and $50 is too much for a motor. Much easier to make other parts with a .005" tolerance. I won't give up on the glow stuff either. Still millions of them around and lots of estate deals. I suppose one day my stuff will be in the estate sales too, hopefully it will continue after for many years.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NICE-AP-ENG...AAAOSwUMxaJy13
12-15-2017, 06:19 AM
#170
$24 shipping to here, plus $75, works out to $131 Canadian. Well it is cheaper than his Norvel .25 for more than new price. I often see the ASP motors at swap meets that are more than new price,and nearly used up already. The Russian Uctkam one too. Try to find one of them to review. That will be entertaining. They were $35 back in the 1980s, and I sorted through 4 motors on a table before picking one. Rough castings with sand in them, very rough bearings. I had to lap mine and fit the crank. It is a great runner now, but those others that I left on the table, I am not so sure. I like to use a 7- 5" prop on my .15s. Some of the combat guys are restricted to the 8-3" at 17,500 rpm for comparison.
07-15-2018, 04:53 PM
#173
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Guys,
Quitting because of glow engines demise is somewhat foolish. We were basically out of flying space and the traveling was getting ridiculous. I converted over to electric at 68 years . I am now 73 and have no problems with using anything that is available on the market.
I have flown Ignition,glow, diesel,CO2, rubber,Jetex, gas and now electric
Most of the individuals that I hear saying that they will quit if they cannot use glow have for the most part locked themselves in simply because they fear change. Granted there is a cost and learning curve involved in the process but like everything else we do you get out of something what you put into it. I would not recommend any of the foam offerings that are available to the modeling public there are too many good balsa models and plans to keep you building for the rest of your life.
You got into the hobby because you liked it and the fun is still the same no matter what you use to power the model.
Quitting because of glow engines demise is somewhat foolish. We were basically out of flying space and the traveling was getting ridiculous. I converted over to electric at 68 years . I am now 73 and have no problems with using anything that is available on the market.
I have flown Ignition,glow, diesel,CO2, rubber,Jetex, gas and now electric
Most of the individuals that I hear saying that they will quit if they cannot use glow have for the most part locked themselves in simply because they fear change. Granted there is a cost and learning curve involved in the process but like everything else we do you get out of something what you put into it. I would not recommend any of the foam offerings that are available to the modeling public there are too many good balsa models and plans to keep you building for the rest of your life.
You got into the hobby because you liked it and the fun is still the same no matter what you use to power the model.
Last edited by dennis; 07-15-2018 at 04:55 PM.
07-15-2018, 06:36 PM
#175
Half the fun. More like 85% of the fun. I would go electric, but would probably not be in a club or go to any events. Maybe go for glow cars or boats, or real boats, or motorcycles. Getting a bit old for the bikes. I have lots of motors to keep me going for a couple lifetimes. As long as someone makes glow plugs.