electric pattern?
 

Interesting perspective, particularly if you're very pro electric. However, another way to look at it is that electric has a big advantage, not needing the pipes, mufflers, shock mounts and such that IC engines need. And the electrics will be the same weight the entire flight, so it should be a more consistent model.

My take, the battery is the fuel tank. IC planes are weighed with the fuel tank in place, so should electrics. And the rulebook requires the battery to be in place when the aircraft is weighed. This came up when Dave VonLinsowe was doing his electric USA Star. This was in 1997, and BTW, an electric model was flown in that WC, I think by a pilot from the Netherlands. So nothing is new! Except the performance of the current set-up should be impressive.

Personally, I am very interested in this. Just the lack of vibration and wear on he servos is worth it for me, if the performance is adequate.

electric pattern?
 

I wouldn't hold my breath. Any "new" idea, like the idea of e-powered pattern, takes a while to catch on to the so-called masses, and sometimes it never does- unless it proves itself to be truly superior and viable vs. the "old way". Then it would take droves of people abandoning YS/OS/Webra's big engines to even make them take any notice. As long as they can still sell those engines based on continued demand, they won't budge on price.
E-power technology has room for improvement yet. I don't think it will make any significant inroads into traditional pattern events for a couple of years at least.
That is, unless we begin to see guys like Chip, Quique, CPLR, Jason, and their world-class compadres winning some very major events with them. Then all bets are off. I've observed that pattern people tend to follow the leader(s), equipment-wise.

Rick

electric pattern?
 

Of course, electric power systems aren't totally without their short commings. The big Hacker systems in these planes use gearboxes which will need maintainance I don't have any experience with Hacker but other brushless motors have been known to throw a magnet once in awhile. Shorts can happen and many of us who have been following Lipo use in planes know that there have been instances of Lipos actually catching fire.

I believe the fires were caused due to crashes.....but I'm not sharp on the details of those incidents.

Anyway, a clean, quiet, powerful electric airplane with good flight duration is no longer a pipedream and I look forward to getting my first Lipo powered ship very soon.

Wiz

electric pattern?
 

You will never throw a magnet in a Hacker. They are rated to from 60k-80k RPM based on the motor size. Now you can demagnitize the rotor, damage the motor or gearbox in a crash (ask me how I know) or feed them metal filings. The allure to me, with or without Lipos is instant power, no vibration, and no slime. I have yet to get some TP LiPo packs, but they are on their way. I do have smaller ETec packs for small planes and my chopper, but no serious packs yet.

All the slimers are gathering dust...

James

electric pattern?
 

Where can I purchase that Rhapsody here in the US for $1300

electric pattern?
 

I believe that in few years, the vast majority of planes up to say 2 meters, 11 lbs, will be electric (lipo or some newer technology). Anything bigger, petrol. If I had stock of any company that makes glow engines, I would be selling now... ;)

David

electric pattern?
 

Pizza...the figure I mentioned of $1300 was from the German website, using their figures, converted to USD. I doubt you can buy the Rhapsody anywhere in the US directly. If I'm mistaken, I'm sure someone will say so. :)

Rick

electric pattern?
 

does anyone know of a website where someone is diong daily updates from poland (world championship). I'ver heard through someone that worked quite hard getting the setups "tweaked" for Jason (prop/gear/cellcount) that he put in a flight yesterday in practice, after quite a lot of snickering and "prodding" from other competitors about the "rumour" he was flying electric. Apparently his flight put a immediate stop to all the ribbing he was recieving, and was followed by serious questioning about the setup :) I know they settled on 10 series, 3 parallel thunder power packs (6150mah capacity, 42V unloaded, about 35V under load at 68 amps) , but I'm not sure what prop. I know some quick calls to Fred at APC and there were several more electric series props in the works, some of which they recieved overnight a few days before he left. I think it's Amazing how APC stepped up to the plate and came through on short notice with "new" props. Anyway, just wanted to know if there was a website somewhere thats being updated.

electric pattern?
 

Gary,
Tony Stillman, Team Manager, said he would keep eveyone updtaed via the NSRCA maillist, and on his homepage at Radiosouth. You may find what you are looking for there in a few days.

electric pattern?
 

the hacker rotors are actually one piece of neodymium that's "energized" (for lack of a better word) with a special machine, thus forming a two pole magnet. Due to this construction, it's physically impossible to "sling" a magnet" because the "magnets" are essentially one piece around the shaft. that said,.. there is a max efficiency point (generally 40 to 42K range) where efficiency drops dramatically , so you want to stay at or below that point.

electric pattern?
 

Gary,

I was surffing here http://www.aeroklubpolski.pl/modelarstwo/23ms/index.htm
the address that is on the FAI website when it stopped functioning. Hopfully, they get it fixed.

Wiz

electric pattern?
 

Gary, here is the page where the Polish Aeroclub will post the results, presumably from Sunday:
http://www.aeroklubpolski.pl/modelar...3ms/wyniki.htm
no problem with the link up to now.

electric pattern?
 

This was posted on our national association webring here in New Zealand.


Subject: F3A World champs, Steve Alexander


Well its time to leave for Poland. I have 20 gallons of fuel to burn in Canada before moving on to Poland in August. This has been an extremely solo effort from NZ so I would like to thank all those who provided support and motivation. Big thanks to Grant Plaisted for flying the length of the country to assist with construction of stuff and Ken for doing the paperwork stuff. For those interested in results, this link should be updated once the comp starts on 8 Aug

http://dez.indigofield.com/f3a2005/main.html

Hope this helps

Alan