Electric vs. Internal combustion: your experience/preference

[Ken Culbertson]

 

... puttering with the engine, and flying the airplane.

If you don't think you have to putter with electric then you are a prejudiced putterer.  Electric has a whole set of thrills awaiting the unsuspecting.

Ken

[M Spencer]

Thought Reg's plane was electric , saturday . There was so much smoke coming out the back it looked like it was on fire .

Id prefer rubber power , stunt . For the Magisty . But ' we're told it wont work . For compitition anyway .
Maybe someone will invent some new rubber strip , that will make it entirely practical . 

[Steve Helmick]

Thought Reg's plane was electric , saturday . There was so much smoke coming out the back it looked like it was on fire .

Id prefer rubber power , stunt . For the Magisty . But ' we're told it wont work . For compitition anyway .
Maybe someone will invent some new rubber strip , that will make it entirely practical . 

"Flash Steam" is the next big thing, but I like how you think. I built and flew one F1B (Wakefield), and didn't like fn around with the rubber motors much, plus they aren't cheap and they don't last long. A rubber motor is good for only one max winds flight, and if it survives that, a few test flights at less than maximum winds. Otherwise, it was a fun event, and circa 1972, the designs were reasonably nice to build and fly. Now, not so much.  Steve

[Ty Marcucci]

John Rist andI are the only two that fly Electric in our club of 15.. Although I do fly both.  But the simple act of pushing an on switch, then pressing a  button to start your motor far outweighs the flipping of a prop. That plus no goop to wipe off after each flight.  I am going more and more towards all electric, the price of fuel is getting silly and hard to find for CLPA engines.

[Dennis Moritz]

Electric is a cult and travesty. Offensive to right thinking members of the human race.

Actually, electric has many advantages. More consistent run. Barometric pressure, moisture in the air, temperature, tank weirdness and so forth, not a problem. Vibrations won't foam fuel in your tank. Find someone who knows how to set up electric for control line, if possible.

IC model airplane engines are troublesome, subject to difficult to diagnose and fix gremlins. It takes years to get them to work well most of the time. Many of us are attached to these noisy stink pots though. Our learning curve has been steep. Part of our fun in the hobby. WE ARE NOT MASOCHISTS. Yeah. Well. Best friends can be demanding.

[M Spencer]

Pachasa Air Engine (1928) http://www.modelenginenews.org/pachasa/index.html

Got me thinking about Compressed Air Engines , now . You get plenty of exercise pumping them up . 

Dunno if modern stuff would make tank weight acceptable  . Nitous injection for the 4 - 2 break . 



seems they may have suffered a lack of development ?

[M Spencer]

 
"Flash Steam" is the next big thing,  " 



http://www.steamcar.net/flying-steam-5.html