If you fly BVM, the jump to turbines I think is quite logical. Compare the basic cost difference between a BVM power setup and a small turbine:

BVM .91 = $535
Viofan = $295
Puffer pipe = $120
Mixture control = $42

That's about $1000. An MW54, which can be bought in "kit" form can be purchased for about $1600. The MW54 will fly all of BVM's ducted fan airplanes. Just another way of looking at it.

Antony

From a price perspective, there are certainly options available now for decreasing the difference between DF & turbine.

I'm not sure though, just how many of the people who fly DF intead of turbines do so purely because of the cost. There may be all sorts of factors ranging from the psychological barrier that the waiver process creates for some people, prohibitions on turbine flying from some club fields (for fire risk in the dry season), the comfort of staying with 2-cylce engines that you know & have used for years, to the "elitist attitude" that some DF pilots have said they see in the turbine crowd...

This might actually make for an interesting poll, if any one wants to give it a shot - list possible reasons for people staying with DF's instead of trying turbines, and ask that only the DF-only pilots respond.

Later,
Gordon

I think Gordon makes a strong point that it's not always a cost issue. I live in a small town of 7000 and get to use the old abandoned runway which is 2500 feet of old asphalt and I share it with one other flyer. I fly 30-35% aerobatic planes and ducted fan. The nearest turbine flyer is an hour away and that club has two maybe three turbine members. Finding time to meet with them and get help on setting up and running a turbine amongst our jobs and family duties is pretty tough. I expect someday to have a turbine engine but I think it's a lack of nearby experience and help that keeps me from owning one now. Like Gordon said, the ducted fan has a nice comfort factor about it especially when you're they only one at the airfield, 95% of the time. I'm sure there are a lot of rural settings and smaller clubs that just haven't had a member take that leap yet for the same reasons. Jim

I hope to get into turbines but the following keep me from doing it. Will the U.S Government ban such devices due to possible missuse in terrorist activities? If so, then I am out $$$ and no chance to fly them. My Public flying site may completely outlaw such use of propulsion for my models. I don't know guys, I have a deep feeling that we don't have much time left. I hope I am wrong. I have my ducted fans now and enjoy them. I mostly fly fast sport planes and big scale warbirds and no one seems to worry about them. As soon as a turbine arrives at the field, everyone crosses the fingers and hopes there isn't a crash.

I guess I should clarify. I accidentally started a new thread when I really intended to add to the discussion on this topic in another thread. I was trying to point out to those who were saying that turbines are too expensive that they don't necessarily have to be significantly more than a ducted fan.

Antony

Anthony,

Don't forget the added cost to beef up the airframe to handle the additional weight, the PCM receiver (failsafe required), generally better servos, the bypass, the extra batteries (and charger), etc, etc..

Turbines just plain cost more, the only way around this is to find a good deal on the net. But, hey... to go to the top line product of anything you will pay a prremium.

Mark