David Ashby - Moderator Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Posted by Phil Wood - Moderator on 09/08/2009 10:44:09: This thread's going off topic but I'm too hung over to care.........had my son and his "bride to be" staying last night......not a lot of moderating getting done today. Where's David when you need him? Polygroan. Sorry Phil, bin flyin Well sales of small i.c. engines have certainly been hit as up to, say .40 i.c. , electric is cheaper but 'petrol' is on the resurgence and bigger glow (I'm told) is still healthy. I've just bought some 6S packs for a new project - £120 a go which is why electric has yet to make inroads into bigger i.c. I guess. Not that I'm saying it will or should, I fly both and hope i.c. remains a popular power source. Edited By David Ashby - RCME moderator on 09/08/2009 13:26:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Roberts Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 IC Will never die!!! No way will i ever go all electric, i want my aircraft to sound like aircraft, not strange whirring things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dale turner Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Hello all, i am fairly new to the forum and the hobbie,i do think that part of the buzz is the sound and smell, especialy if you get a nice four stroke burbling over. Hopefully with electric becoming more in demand i.c prices may come down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Clarkson Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I am new to the hobby also and for me, getting into the hobby was all about I/C engines. My hardest decision was "What IC aircraft?", not "Do i go IC or electric"! I don't see too many real world electric aircraft out there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Posted by Ross Clarkson on 09/08/2009 19:44:43:I am new to the hobby also and for me, getting into the hobby was all about I/C engines. My hardest decision was "What IC aircraft?", not "Do i go IC or electric"! I don't see too many real world electric aircraft out there!! More than there are real world single pot glowplug engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted August 9, 2009 Author Share Posted August 9, 2009 all the ic engine's that are lying around-send to me asap---and try to keep me thread on topic lad's(i'll mod time phil is drunk 's )......i've just got one of those energy monitor's and it's costing me 0.17p to come on here...... oop's i've just gone off topic.... ken anderson..........Edited By ken anderson. on 09/08/2009 20:18:41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Duvall Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 A lot have people have said (quite rightly in my opinion) that the sound of IC (especially 4 stroke) is more realistic. That is of course true for propellor driven planes. But when it comes to more modern real planes, jets are most common and EDF is currently the affordable way to get jet-like performance. I suspect turbines will remain ultra expensive for the forseeable future. But who knows what will become available in say 20 years? I'm newish to this hobby and I know that not many years ago the multi-channel radio systems available today did not appear in model flyer's wildest dreams! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 cost put me off EP. For a 40 size trainer but having used IC for a while I can see fuel cost would soon overtake the initial EP costs.>> >> As EP is new it can be a bit more experimental and as a beginner you need something reliable. And the IC expertise is there and is simple. Unless you buy a EP trainer with motor and esc looking for a power setup can be confusing (not to mention seemingly more expensive). >> I have noticed a lot of people now use both. I think both power systems will be used for years to come yet>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi g Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Posted by Eric Bray on 09/08/2009 18:17:19: Since when did a screaming 2-stroker sound like a 'real' engine? How many single-cylinder full-size a/c engines are there? Who's got a .40 cu in 12 cylinder mini Merlin? I vaguely recall seeing a multi-pot engine built up from a collection of 049's on a home-machined crank-case, but can't recall if it ran. Infernal combustion engines deafen everyone, while electric powerpacks can self-combust. No matter which way you go, Isaac wins in the end! Theres no doubt about it that alot of electrics end in smoke and flames. making the electric flight even more expensive. I dont know how hard it is to get fuel over there or how expensive but I personally have spent alot more on electrics lateley than I have buying fuel. Are electrics really that economical. But thats the user at the end of the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Giles Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 How strange. I was talking about this to matt at barnstormers about this exact subject. We concluded that yes it sadly and eventually will. There are upsides and downsides to both ic and leccy. But the only downsides to leccy are limitations in the technology, ie the long charge time and the fragility of lipos are almose certainly going to be worked out over time and developments in technology. Whereas the problems with ic, noise and vibration, will remain. I'm sure that many of you have experienced problems with the locals at the flying field due to noise, in know we have. I crtainly will be sad to see glow go as i love the sound and the smell of my YS 110. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Foreman Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 As the cost of electric comes down and the performance increases, IC's days are certainly numbered for Glow Power at least, Petrol is still competive performance wise. Cost wise the electric models can be done very cheaply if you shop on the internet, e.g. Hobby City - Turnigy 60 size electric motor $30 60A ESC $45 6s1p 5.0 Ah 20C LiPo $60 So thats $135 plus shipping and taxes, call it approximately £120, now if you prop your model for 60A you have enough to power up to a 9lb aerobatic model. With a balance charger and a decent size power supply you can re-charge in half an hour (2C charge rate), if you buy 2 batteries you can be charging one while flying the other, with throttle management it should fly for 10 mins with plenty in reserve while waiting for a landing slot. If you store the batteries partially charged, this system should give 150 to 300 cycles. How much glow fuel is that! Just switch on and fly! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I think that is were golw still has an advantage. 10 mins flight off of on charge does not seem great to me. and unless you have a number of spare battery packs and a quality charger (both start to cost money) you end up sat at the flying sight wainting for a charge more than flying. It does not take long to top up with fuel and you are off again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I think that steam will win the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I did see a thing on Discovery Channel about the Americans trying to build a nuclear powered plane. the problem was the pilots got fried.>> >> There are no pilots in a model and it would fly for days on just one uranium rod.>> Oh its all getting silly now ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Clarkson Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Hybrid???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Foreman Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Posted by Phil B on 10/08/2009 10:35:20: I think that is were golw still has an advantage. 10 mins flight off of on charge does not seem great to me. and unless you have a number of spare battery packs and a quality charger (both start to cost money) you end up sat at the flying sight wainting for a charge more than flying. It does not take long to top up with fuel and you are off again. Your correct about Glows advantage on duration, however my experience of my flying buddies down at the club who fly IC don't seem to fly any longer than 10 mins, and quite a few of them seem to run out of fuel and deadstick in before that. Personally I find 7 - 8 min about long enough with a fast model, and sometimes decide to land before the timer goes off. It only takes a moment to change out the battery and I take enough batteries and different models that I never have to wait for batteries to charge, as I always have somthing to fly. Also another benefit of electric flight is the emergency reserve power, most decent ESC's have an emergency reserve power function, so should you be unfortunate enouth to run the battery down and the motor stops, you can reset by moving the throttle to zero and get a 30 sec burst of power, just enought to get you back on the strip Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 On the film vs digital side. it is amazing how many photographers still use and prefer film. Look at many of the superb pictures in the photographic magazines, many taken with film cameras. Recently Fuji planned to stop making one of their films. The outcry was so strong that they reintroduced it, just as they did with Velvia a few years ago. As for no more ic engines. too many companies are making too many engines for that to die for many years. No more glow fuel. THink of the sales of spark ingnition conversions so we can fly with petrol engines again. They flew with nothing but spark ign. up until the late 40s. modern conversions would be far more reliable and efficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Being a wimp,as I cleaned the gunge from my glow powered model one winter's day about 5 or 6 years ago I decide that I'd fly electric in the colder months, ic in the summer & gliders all year.Due to the appreciation of the benefits of E power against ic power then the rapid improvements in electric power/weight ratio & falling costs I haven't flown ic since. I now take sufficient charged lipos with me for a flying session & rarely charge at the field. However there would be plenty of time to do this without any interruption more than if I was ic flying. The ratio of flying to time against preparation time at the field has definitely increased. I didn't realise film cameras still had a following. I have 2 35mm SLRs plus lenses a 35 compact & an APS all redundant & I won't say how many ic engines. Must get on Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Tom I am looking at it from a beginner point of view. some who wont have a large collection of models or equipment.>> >> Of course after a while you will build up a collection of kit to fly the way you want. At this stage there is not much difference between the two.>> >> I think there is so much debate about what power to use proofs the is not much difference between them. If one was so much better than the other we would all just that. IC is more common (At my club anyway) just because it has been around longer.>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I am a beginner and started with a small electric ( Easy Star) but then moved to IC Just because thats what most at my club used for 40 size and above. Either way saw some initial investment in money. IC proved to be cheaper to start with as I got most things second hand (40 engines from £20 second hand flight box with all staring kit £40). EP power stuff you mostly need to buy new.>> >> I will stick to IC to get through my "A" but after that I am still not sure. A lot of the latest ARTF fly on both and come with mountings for both.>> >> I can predict I will end up experimenting with both types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Foreman Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Phil I too was a beginner only 2 years ago, I didn't want to go to the expence of IC as is was cheaper to get an Easy Glider Electric, Radio, couple of cheap batteries and cheap charger. I learned to fly this on my own at a nearby park, of course once I got hooked I moved onto to a Gemini, which was still a good park flyer. The benefits of electric was the hassle / noise free operation close to where I live without annoying anyone, just needed my model in one hand, TX in the other and a pocket full of batteries. Now of course I moved onto bigger toys, big 56" Extra, EDF's Hotliners etc.. These things need more space and the EDF's are pretty noisy so that is why I ended up joining a club and am constantly bemused by the anti electric rhetoric at the club. But that's another story Anyway from a beginners point of view who wants to go it alone, electric is the easier choice, if I had joined a club they would have pushed me down the IC route and I would probably missed out. Tom PS - I have had IC models in the distant past when I was a young kid, diesel control lines and glow radio control. I didn't have much luck with them, 2nd time around the electric models have been a lot better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Patmac Recently I bought a box of old film cameras and lenses in a local auction house. I paid £50 for them. Four cameras were junk but I had a good 35mm SLR with top quality lenses plus a collectable and useable Rolliecord. Sold them for £250 world wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.