Hi Andreas,
This is a very good question, so I will give you my own "1 years experience" point of view. I think that everyone already knows and understands just why a good, consistent engine run is vital for a really good stunt performance. If a glow engine is slightly off the correct setting, then you will most likely have a rich or lean run, and not achieve the power required. This is true especially in rough conditions, where you certainly need a good engine run. What's good about having an over-sized engine, like a .75 or so, is that you have excess power, and can get away with a lot more if the setting is not perfect. However, the rich or lean setting is still a problem, because of over or under running of the time allowed. Any competition person will readily admit that winning means having total confidence in yourself and the equipment.
With EP you immediately have the confidence of knowing that you can have a consient engine....sorry.....motor run. If the rpm is a bit off either way, then with a good governor system, it really does not make a huge difference, because you will still have solid power at the different rpm. The other important point is that you can repeat this setting easily regardless of weather changes. I have flown in a few serious competitions where you have to fly directly after a thunderstorm, and trying to figure out how to get the engine run and time sorted out, is a nightmare.
As far as power and control go, I believe that electric stunt is as good or better than any I/C engine set-up. If this not true, then why do so many top fliers use electric? Ask Kim Doherty, Bob Hunt, Igor Burger, Paul Walker etc. if they find that EP is any way inferior to I/C. With the price of the batteries coming down through the years, and the performance going up, I believe that E/P will be THE way to go in a few years time.
I must admit that I threw myself into the deap-end when I flew in the last world champs with my first electric stunter. It just felt so good and solid in the rough European weather. If the weather had stayed cooler, the motor would have worked for the whole contest. The motor, rated as a .28 glow, swung the APC 12 x 6 E prop in my 1.9 kg. stunter with such authority, that I did not believe the MVVS factory specification. When the weather warmed up, I burned out 2 of these motors, but just the taste of this sort of silent power, gave me enough inspiration to carry on, and now I have a fairly decent set-up that continues to improve.
The other really neat thing that I enjoy, is the data that is available electronically with data recorders like the Eagle Tree stuff. When you think of getting power data from an I/C engine, then this is a lot more difficult. How many data charts have we all seen from I/C engines in stunt models through the years? I know Scott Bair did this years ago, but that was with some serious bench testing, and not in the air.......as far as I remember. To improve performance, you need the feedback data, and with electric power, this is a lot easier.
I still enjoy my engines.......including my diesels, but EP is another good way to fly and certainly in no way inferior.
Keith R
Topic: I/C vs. EP (Read 726 times)
