OK, besides being politically incorrect these days, has anyone noticed how many new "electric" models (especially ARF's) are showing up in the marketplace? Well, have you thought how nice those planes would work with glow power?

I propose that the enlightened moderators on RCU consider a forum for those of us who dare to go against the grain and put wet power in a plane designed for electron motivation.

It was proposed on the "other" site that ends in "groups", but since that site is very devoted to promoting electric power, it was voted down, but by a small margin. That and I think they were a little scared about potenital backlash.

So how bout it people? Those of you who think the same way need not hide out anymore for fear of being chided by those who have wholeheartedly jumped on the electric bandwagon with both feet, and make us nitro lovers feel ashamed for loving wet power.

To that end, please vote in the poll. I'll probably get me kicked off the site for such a blasphemous suggestion, but oh well.

Oh well, if you get kicked off for suggesting it, they can kick me off for agreeing. I keep seeing nice new models out there only to find EP in the title, and find myself wondering what it'd take to get these planes to handle REAL power. (I'm really gonna get hassled for that statement! ). I have a sneaking suspicion that most EP planes are built too light (read: wimpy or cheaply) to handle the vibration but if the electric boys can have a forum for converting real planes to run electric motors, why can't we convert theirs to run on real engines? After all, as everyone knows batteries are meant for flashlights & toys.

Here's my example for why I think it's cool. I call it the GLOWIFLY PBY

Nice job. I don't know the first thing about electric motors - and I have no interest in finding out (because I don't want a plane that sounds like a dentist's drill) so for me the issue would be figuring out what size engine/s to use instead of motors. Did you have any problem fitting the glow engines in the space provided on that PBY?

It is a good idea, HOWEVER, you will have a lot of work ahead of you. Planes built strictly for electric will need a lot of re-enforcing to withstand the vibrations of a glow or gas engine.

No, in fact it was not too bad. Here's a link to the build if ya like:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=928484

Yes you do need to keep things reasonable to consider a plane as a candidate for electric to glow power. But the light nature of an electric that has even been beefed up for glow power usually still comes out quite a bit lighter than a comparable plane made for glow power. That means smaller engines that don't stress the airframe as much either.

That's pretty cool that somebody actually decided to "vote me off the island" for my suggestion. Glad I could help to strike the right nerve.

I converted an EStar Models Pilatus Porter from Electric which it was designed for to glow. This is a very high quality kit and while not designed for glow the conversion was easy. A real firewall was necessary and the wing load went up some but all it all there were no other modifications necessary. It flies too fast to look scale but it made for an interesting project.

I'll bet that same guy calls us "slimers" too. Oh well, some people have a one-eyed view... whereas we're happy to use electric planes as long as we can put real engines in them.

Back to the first page with it!

how about a electric to glow conversion

I got a TT .15 that needs a home.

Estar models has a Pilatus Turbo Porter that will work fine with that. http://www.estarmodels.com/

I agree, I would love to see a build forum converting a electric into glow. So I agree with HellcatAce on this one, I'm one of those who started in this hobby with electric planes and decided to buy a Glow plane from a Ol'timer at my club 6 years ago. I was hooked! I have not bought a electric plane since then.

I'm also one of those who loves the smell of glow exhaust, and the sound. Also I don't mind cleaning my planes at the end of the evening of flying. We have a saying in my club, " If your wiping down your plane to clean it, then you had a good day flying." Not too many clean their planes after a bad crash, right? So I second the vote, but it's up to RCU in the end.


Pete

I'm working on putting one of the new Thunder Tiger .28's on a H9 Pulse 25e
The airframe is more than strong enough...I just needed to laminate some ply to the firewall, and make room for the tank.

My submission. A Great Planes Electrifly Fokker DVII with an OS .10LA up front. There's a thread on it in the 1/2A forum.

Awesome!! I have the SE5A just sitting with a TT .07 and a gas tank for my next conversion. I know from some guys on RCG they do fine with .07-.15

Nice work, and lets keep them coming!!

Moderators....are you paying attention???

Lower weight and longer flights, what more could one wish for?

I'm all for it.

I wonder how this thread escaped me...

NorfolkSouthern

All right! Lets keep the vibe alive.......

Oh Moderators.....are you seeing this????

Back to the first page!!! I intend to be a PITA until the forum is created.

Thank you to all who have already voted, except the person who voted to ban me!

No, there wasn't a choice for my real vote so I picked the funny choice. I guess I'm surprised that no one else picked it.

My real vote is, "I do not see a need for an electric to glow conversion forum."

It is just an opinion. For me, nearly all of the EP models are too small, so I do not want them, even with an engine. Most of my stuff has been 60 size glow. I have a 40 size Corsair and I'm building a GP Rapture 40. Much smaller and I cannot see it very well. I'm not a good enough pilot to keep my planes close, they have to be a good distance in front of me unless coming in to land.

I really like the idea. I have a couple OS FS .20's which I would like to put on a light twin, as well as a few .10-.15 size engines. I actually tried to instal a .15 on one of those beginner pusher type planes (firefly?) but never got it to fly right (I had a coroplast wing which was heavy and really sucked).[X(]
I have oftened wondered if there was a problem with glow fuel and the foam parts used on many park fliers.

Another similar question. Why are some props sold as electric only? Many of these electric engines spin at the same or faster speeds. Is it a liability problem?

Rod S

One other thing. I wonder if those of us who like glow fuel are really politically incorrect? Should we be embarassed by the the hydrocarbons we spew into the air or the noise?
What about disposing of all those bad batteries? I like to think I'm environmentally conscience, sometimes you just gotta make noise and get dirty.

RS

Norfolk,

What plane is that in your pic ?


I started and soloed on an electric plane BUT, now
I fly glow 4 strokes. Hope to go to GAS next. There
are some guys at my club who have the typical E Flite and
Hangar 9 Electric ARFs ([:'(] ). I joke with them all the time
about putting a Real Engine in their Toys.

Bob

I think that we are saving the environment after I saw this in the AMA magazine. Someone was charging a lipo battery for an electric plane from his van battery and it blew up.