Author Topic: Name the advantages of Electric (Read 3120 times)

Will Moore · « **on:** February 10, 2012, 05:37:45 PM »

Let's have some fun. Name the advantages of electric. List only one advantage in your comment.
Let's see how many different people comment, and how many advantages we can come up with.

Here is mine: 1. Airframe lasts longer

Ron Hook · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2012, 05:59:35 PM »

Consistent motor runs!

Ron Hook
Goodyear, AZ

Fred Cronenwett · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2012, 06:12:29 PM »

Speaking from the CL scale point of view....

The electric power system means no more ugly mufflers outside of the cowl, makes for a better looking airplane

Fred C

Jeff Traxler · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2012, 06:27:22 PM »

No SLIME!!!

Bob Hudak · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2012, 07:32:19 PM »

Yay no more fuel creep !! New formula of Monokote adhesive is highly resistant to protons and electrons.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2012, 08:04:40 PM »

You don't leave a smoke trail that tips off the next flier about which way the wind is blowing.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2012, 08:35:11 PM »

Quote from: Howard Rush on February 10, 2012, 08:04:40 PM

You don't leave a smoke trail that tips off the next flier about which way the wind is blowing.

Hey! Those smoke trails are purty. I particularly liked Floyd Carter's at the Spring Tuneup last year -- too bad he wasn't doing it on purpose.

And burnt glow fuel smells better.

If all the planes get quiet, our sport may be invaded by gurlz.

Battery powered airplanes aren't manly.

So -- what are the advantages, again?

Bob Hudak · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2012, 09:02:49 PM »

Tim,
The only reason I built an electric plane is for the money and the women.

John Rist · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2012, 09:17:26 PM »

For scale - no motor stopage when ideling for long peroids of time.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #9 on:** February 10, 2012, 11:37:14 PM »

Quote from: Ty Marcucci on February 10, 2012, 10:52:52 PM

...no dead glow battery...

If the glow plug battery goes dead, you don't lose a plane.

Peter Ferguson · « **Reply #10 on:** February 10, 2012, 11:50:26 PM »

smaller flight box.
motor not running when walking out to handle so an inadvertant stooge release is less exciting.
hands are dry
wife not complaining about car smell.
Less chance of flying with the ni starter attached.
You can short tank your run to the second.

Jose Luis Oterino · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2012, 11:57:56 PM »

The CG is the same, with the battery charged or discharger ...

Frank Imbriaco · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2012, 06:12:31 AM »

Wife and I were dressed and set to go to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant. It was a beautiful summer eve and I thought, why not bring an airplane(electric) being as the restaurant we were traveliing to is 25 miles from our home and just a few miles from the flying field.
Mrs. had never launched a Ukie ship before nor ever held on to my R/C birds.

I grabbed twp flights within 20 minutes and she did a great job of pitting. Both of us felt as clean when we left as when we arrived. Of course, we washed our hands before we dined; something most of us usually do anyway.

You can't make this stuff up !

John Cralley · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2012, 06:15:33 AM »

Quiet!!!! I fly in my local park and no one complains!!!!

Peter Germann · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2012, 07:16:10 AM »

Lack of noise, allowing to fly c/l, visibly. where many of have been inspired to give it a try, too,; the local school yard.

linheart smith · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2012, 07:32:09 AM »

Quote from: Frank Imbriaco on February 11, 2012, 06:12:31 AM

Wife and I were dressed and set to go to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant. It was a beautiful summer eve and I thought, why not bring an airplane(electric) being as the restaurant we were traveliing to is 25 miles from our home and just a few miles from the flying field.
Mrs. had never launched a Ukie ship before nor ever held on to my R/C birds.

I grabbed twp flights within 20 minutes and she did a great job of pitting. Both of us felt as clean when we left as when we arrived. Of course, we washed our hands before we dined; something most of us usually do anyway.

You can't make this stuff up !

Hi Frank,

I second your thought on the possibilities of flying with the wife, getting a quick one ("Flight" for the dirty minds among us) in before work or dinner and not smelling bad without a bath and change of clothing.

My favorite is Exact, repeatable Flight times.

Linheart

John Rist · « **Reply #16 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:28:28 AM »

Down side for Scale. No sound, no smoke. Or is that the up side - quite - clean.

Andrew Borgogna · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2012, 10:42:50 AM »

Never have an overrun at a contest. Electrons weigh the same inverted and upright.

Ron Heckler · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2012, 12:48:01 PM »

A lot safer since there is no need to flip prop and no needle valve to adjust

Tim Stagg · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2012, 05:24:09 PM »

But you do need to charge the batteries, sounds pretty simple, but trust me, in a contest setting with 6 pratice batteries, I had two flights that came up short two seasons ago

Now I check every battery with my meter before a flight

Tim

bob branch · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2012, 10:23:14 PM »

Short flights with perfect runs. Lets you trim your plane much quicker and lets you try more things in a day.

bob branch

Dan Bregar · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2012, 09:54:09 AM »

It's pretty hard to miss a needle setting with electric. No fuel tank or fuel line issues. My batteries are guaranteed "Uniflow" from start to finish.

John Hammonds · « **Reply #22 on:** February 12, 2012, 10:05:24 AM »

It Just Works...

TTFN
John.

John Castle · « **Reply #23 on:** February 13, 2012, 09:17:25 AM »

I can practice at home and the neighbors don't care.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #24 on:** February 13, 2012, 10:05:52 AM »

Disadvantages: Batteries decide they don't want to charge or charger quits. Wires inside plane decide to break just as you are ready to launch. Motor bearings go out on your first official flight. Prop decides to loosen up on the shaft. Yes I am a pessimist.

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #25 on:** February 13, 2012, 11:49:16 AM »

Quote from: John Hammonds on February 12, 2012, 10:05:24 AM

It Just Works...

TTFN
John.

John Rist · « **Reply #26 on:** February 14, 2012, 06:46:26 AM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on February 13, 2012, 10:05:52 AM

Disadvantages: Batteries decide they don't want to charge or charger quits. Wires inside plane decide to break just as you are ready to launch. Motor bearings go out on your first official flight. Prop decides to loosen up on the shaft. Yes I am a pessimist.

All true but all easy to find and fix unlike a slimer that quits when you go inverted for no apparent reason.

All seriousness aside, All airplanes can develop problems that cause missed flights or crashes. Reliability is always a big issue when flying. Part of competition is risk management.

keith varley · « **Reply #27 on:** February 15, 2012, 08:19:54 AM »

Much less flying sites being lost, due to noise,and new sites opening up in locations that are not suitable for "noisy boys and their toys".Also in our location (and others that I have visited), there is a rule about running engines before a certain time in the morning ,( to respect the rights of any close residents), but those wishing to fly electric can go ahead and fly earlier,thus easing the congestion that occurs in the morning before a contest , when everybody want to get in one practice flight .Keith

Bob Hudak · « **Reply #28 on:** February 15, 2012, 08:48:07 PM »

No more wack and tach. Just push the go button, hear the beeps then go for the handle.

If something isn't right hit the go button again to shutdown.

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #29 on:** February 16, 2012, 07:38:58 AM »

You can roast hot dogs from ten feet away when the battery torches!

Will Moore · « **Reply #30 on:** February 16, 2012, 04:22:33 PM »

Quote from: John Rist on February 14, 2012, 06:46:26 AM

All seriousness aside, All airplanes can develop problems that cause missed flights or crashes. Reliability is always a big issue when flying. Part of competition is risk management.

That was a really nice response !!!

Competition encompassing "risk management" is so true.

John Desrosiers · « **Reply #31 on:** February 17, 2012, 01:53:08 PM »

Go morden, Go electric, G0 boom.

Joe Yau · « **Reply #32 on:** February 18, 2012, 09:16:07 AM »

At the 2010 WCSC contest adjusting the run for the desired weather condition (didn't want to add more fuel incase it might over-run) caused 3 underrun on both of my new stunters that day. and running out of fuel in the middle of the OH-8, 4-leaf clover is not fun...

This wouldn't of happened if it was Electric.

Dean Pappas · « **Reply #33 on:** February 18, 2012, 12:15:21 PM »

Quote from: Steve Fitton on February 16, 2012, 07:38:58 AM

You can roast hot dogs from ten feet away when the battery torches!

If you really want to do something useful with the batteries, then you can suck on them for the calming effects of the lithium (most old anti-depressants contained lithium salts) after a bad competition flight.
Dean

Eric Viglione · « **Reply #34 on:** February 18, 2012, 01:07:39 PM »

I'm just waiting for Randy to come out with his custom wound, double ball bearing, 5/16" shaft, E-PA3010 motor /ESC/Timer combo all built into the motor housing and that fits PA 65 mounting holes
and is weather proofed, that should weight about 11 Ounces.

Of course, it would come with the energizer E-PA5S3000 hydrogen-air batteries that whould weight less than a Fox .35 That should put the package in the IC weight, C/G, longevity and reliability range. Then I'll be ready jump into electric! LOL!

EricV

jim welch · « **Reply #35 on:** February 18, 2012, 02:37:11 PM »

Had a real scare monday morning when I set up my Lipo charger knowing all the talk about burning batteries ,exploding airplanes , Etc most coming from those who don't own a lipo battery or airplane...hear a large explosion and smoke coming from the aley behind my house in the area that I had set up my batteries to charge.Fire trucks from every direction and hazmat out front.My first thought was I'm gonna be in model aviation...controline at that!Turns out It was just a jeep cherokee with a stabbed and beaten dead guy burning twenty feet high.I was so relieved it wasn't my lipo batterys I went and flew my SV11 nine times later that morning.the other stuff doesn't scare me much but I'm still a little scared by a lipo.....Jimmy

Eric Viglione · « **Reply #36 on:** February 18, 2012, 03:30:10 PM »

Quote from: jim welch on February 18, 2012, 02:37:11 PM

Had a real scare monday morning <snip>It was just a jeep cherokee with a stabbed and beaten dead guy burning twenty feet high <snip> but I'm still a little scared by a lipo.....Jimmy

Man, I would be too, your lipo's must come from one rough neighborhood...
E.

jim welch · « **Reply #37 on:** February 18, 2012, 04:49:35 PM »

Eric...It's normally a pretty quiet place but it was a bad day that day.The burning jeep was 8:00 in the morning.... at 4:30 was another body in a house 2 blocks away....We have a neighborhood watch that just started 3 weeks ago...They didn't like my choice of weapons so I wasn't invited to join!Watch-recon all the same to me he he he!My DAV post buddies don't invite me to Paint ball night anymore since I booby trapped the parking lot and ambushed them at obstacle one.Nobody has a sense of humor anymore it seems.Guess I'll get my nerve up and go recharge the lipos I flew the P40 with today. Jimmy

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #38 on:** February 18, 2012, 08:21:50 PM »

Sounds like Chuck Norris is on the loose in Welch's neighborhood!

jim welch · « **Reply #39 on:** February 18, 2012, 09:00:58 PM »

I've had some brothers in arms with less fire power than some of the little ole ladies in the neighborhood are displaying lately!They know I pack some serious heat but its terrifying when they pull out a glock and point it at ya to show you they got one!All is quiet now in P-TOWN.........sigh! ..........Jimmy

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #40 on:** February 23, 2012, 11:12:28 AM »

Ty, in my case they can hear me cussing at myself when I screw up,,

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #41 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:08:31 PM »

IMO, the biggest advantage is that you don't need to adjust nitro content to compensate for density altitude changes. Particularly important out West, where altitude can vary tremendously from site to site.

A couple of negatives: Electric motors are not as likely to survive a crash as an IC engine. I also am of the opinion that the quietness is a safety hazard. Noisy stuff is perceived as dangerous, but quiet stuff must be safe. Not the case, of course. Be on your guard.

Steve

Darkstar1 · « **Reply #42 on:** February 23, 2012, 03:37:45 PM »

I can slip outside to a large empty lot close to my house late night/early morn and short flight all I want around the new houses and even the Police think It's cool!

Author Topic: Name the advantages of Electric (Read 3120 times)

Eric Viglione

Eric Viglione