Dick,
with all due respect, the Park flyer license/insurance has little to do with electrics being perceived as safer,, it has everything to do with the CLASS of airplanes covered. They are very small, and regulated as to weight, and speed,, This limits the energy available to do damage, and therefore limits the liability to AMA insurance. To get a CL airplane in the same class, you are talking 1/2a stuff,,
I see where your thinking is, but I must disagree, our contol line equipment,, at least certainly most of the mainstream stuff, will not fit into the same "energy potential" class that the park flyer stuff does.. so I cannot imagine any way to lobby this into reduced insurance cost for us,,

Interesting comments guys:

I would propose that Control Line flying was the ORIGINAL Park Flying.  Compared to Free Flight or early RC, CL could be done close-in, in a schoolyard or local park, only requiring a 70' hemisphere of space - most required 60' or less.  Even modern RC Park flyers need more room than that.

Check out Larry Renger's post in the main forum about his new electric trainer.  To my eye this crash resistant CL trainer correlates to the pusher electric RC birds that ignited the original Park Flyer craze.

I think electric power improves accessiblility - it is easier for a newbie to charge a battery and plug everything in than it is to learn how to start and tune an IC engine.  The hardcore CL enthusiast will argue that we don't need people who "buy & fly".  However, we are also NOT in the position where we can afford to turn away any potential participants!

A 2 lb weight limit is very close to a Brodak RTF electric Super Clown.  With a little effort a bird that size could be brought in comfortably under the 2 lb target. The Super Clown is a terrific sport flyer.

I have a 1/2A electric Pathfinder that is under 1 lb, flies well under 60 MPH and is a very credible CLPA machine  Andy Borgogna also has one and his experience is the same as mine maybe better because he has "trophied" with his.  The point being we are not talking about Cox RTF or hollow-logs here, the PF flies like a "real" CLPA bird.  Growing the airplane and its power system to a 2 lb limit would further improve its performance, mainly under less than ideal flying conditions.  

The Horizon PT-19 (full fuselage) is designed to fly either RC or CL.  It is not a hi performance bird but could have been at the same size and weight class.

Rather than focus on the price of insurance, it may behoove use to pick-up on the "Park Flyer" momentum.


  

Hi Dick,

I want to comment on a couple great points that Brother Denny offered.  One being aware that we NEED to bring in new "blood".   I would suggest that "someone" needs to put together a very low cost electric trainer that could be mass produced and sold like the Cox RTF were a few decades ago.  Make them available in large grocery stores, hardware stores, big box stores, etc.. You used to see the Cox RTF in all kinds of places!  It would need to include two batteries, lines and handle, RTF.  Just charging the batteries would be all that is needed.  Information about PAMPA, internet forums, and possibly "better" systems and models for moving up to.

Just MY thoughts since going to the local ball field and flying an electric will be less of a problem than unmuffled and even muffled IC engines.

Whomever that would take this on needs to think of it as a "loss leader" type of product.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

That's a great idea.  Do you think the Park Pilot program would ever be opened up to include C/L airplanes?  If the AMA were to get behind this, there could be a coupon included that would give a short term PP membership.

I have to agree with Dennis.  I just put an electric Clown together for a friend and it came out at 25 ox RTF with battery.  Flew it today for the first time and it flew great.  Fits perfectly into the park flyer class.

Has anyone checked to see if the Park Flyer program EXCLUDES C/L models?  I suspect they didn't think of it.

I just looked at the AMA entry form -- 2 pounds & no IC engines is all that's mentioned.  You're not eligible for competitions under the program, but not word 1 is said about RC or FF or CL.

Big Bear
I talked with Eric Rule at RSM today and he is going to do some testing with his laser cutting equipment to see if it can be used on the plastic material that Larry used in his planes.  If it works out maybe we will see an electric 1/2a trainer in the future.  I know my mentor and "Zen Master" Larry Renger can produce the CAD file needed for the cut.  So lets see how Sunday works out, it will be our first attempt to use the plane in a training environment.  Also lets see how Eric does with cutting the plastic parts.  Stay tuned folks there is more to come.
Andy

"What is a park flyer model?

The AMA currently defines a park flyer as a model weighing less than 2 pounds that is incapable of reaching speeds of faster than 60 mph. It must use electric power for propulsion, be remotely controlled or flown with a control line, and remain within the pilot’s line of sight at all times"

CL is already covered by the AMA this is from their website.

Too bad that the rules do not allow Park license fliers to compete in contests. Seems to me that if a 1/2 A contest was being held then Park fliers should be able to compete (not in speed). It may be an insurance thing I suppose.

I also wonder if a special three day license could not be created so that individuals could compete without being full members. No magazine just the insurance and eligibility to compete. Kind of like a three day fishing license. 

Sorry that I am wondering off the topic.