Electric Control line Flight - How hard can it be?

I think all the top guys at the NATS are flying E-planes now.

duke.johnson wrote:I think all the top guys at the NATS are flying E-planes now.

I'm sure it's great to have rock-steady runs using a brushless motor with an accelerometer that easily duplicates that sweet-spot that other fliers work so hard to achieve with their glow engines for Precision Aerobatics.

Sorry... but "real" (full-scale) aircraft have petrol-fueled engines... I would agree that the "plug-and-play" of electrics is easier and less messy... and the reduced weight of the components involved is amazing.

Let's just hope they don't come up with any "scale-electric" events at the NATS... to me; that would just be wrong.

Part of owning an airplane; is knowing how to tune it's engine and fuel system for optimal performance. It's mostly the "noise" factor that gives electrics their edge... and the fact that their power-to-weight ratio is competitive to an IC engines'... given the latest battery technology and motor developments.

Sorry again... I'm just blowing-off some exhaust here... 

Nah,

I get it, even the electric folks still like their glow engines. I think if you want the competitive edge in PA electric provides that.

I have heard cases where as folks age their skin becomes sensitive to glow fuel. Electric allows them to still fly.

I also agree that tuning is a part of the game and adds some spice to the hobby. In the end it's up to the individual.

Did I mention I like glow?  

put a playing card in the prop for that life-like sound

I'm OK with electric scale if it brings participants.

I think it is electric scale regardless of the size of airplane, unless it became via ratio (1:8 1:12, 1:16, or whatever it actually is) with glow competing against electric in the same ratio

Phil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Pb_psj1A8

Up until the last year or so, I hadn't flown much R/C, the summer before this I dragged out my O.S. (gas) powered, modified Sig Kadet, a couple younger guys I'd never seen before kind of commented something to the effect that it was an oddity, I guess I hadn't realized that Electric has become the norm in R/C and i'd probably guess it will be in the next 2-3 years in C/L?

Wayne is dabbling in electric C/L. This Summer he built a nice eNobler to learn the differences in trim and construction. and just this month he's been trimming his eSmoothie. I haven't seen it yet, but the profile Nobler is really nice. They really do trim differently. I think the moments are different and they react differently to leadout position changes. He hasn't offered to let me fly one. I want to fly his TT46 powered Cardinal, but I'm not expecting an offer on that either. I guess he's seen me hit the ground too many times.  I busted the tail of of that floatyass Clownlikething last time out. An outside loop was 4 inches below the sky. That dang thing was all over the place... but I digress.

Wreckin' Rusty

....hey, nobody said it was gonna be easy!

RknRusty wrote:Wayne is dabbling in electric C/L. This Summer he built a nice eNobler to learn the differences in trim and construction. and just this month he's been trimming his eSmoothie. I haven't seen it yet, but the profile Nobler is really nice. They really do trim differently. I think the moments are different and they react differently to leadout position changes. He hasn't offered to let me fly one. :lol!:I want to fly his TT46 powered Cardinal, but I'm not expecting an offer on that either. I guess he's seen me hit the ground too many times.  I busted the tail of of that floatyass Clownlikething last time out. An outside loop was 4 inches below the sky. That dang thing was all over the place... but I digress.

Wreckin' Rusty

You can fly my Lew Woolard Fox .40 powered Cardinal anytime you want Rusty!!!

Problem is I am 100's of miles away.

This is more my speed!

I'd like to try that. I bet you gotta learn to like almost no line tension. And no wind either. Maybe I'll set up a throttle on my Mustang after the races if it has a wedge tank. Can't throttle a bladder fed one, and I haven't decided which way to go with that. I wish I hadn't given all of my FT postage stamps to JaspurX. 

Rusty

I can send you one if you want.

ian1954 wrote:This is more my speed!

That's pretty amazing... That's not a small airplane... It must be incredibly lightweight. The motor must be very small (light) and I'm surprised it pulls that well... for that duration.

Roddie

Cribbs74 wrote:I can send you one if you want.

Thanks, Ron. First I'll root around in my fuel junk drawer. There could be one in there. The spray bar is all I need, I even have a spare needle.

Rusty

I wouldn't in any way discount EP C/L flying as a possiblity for it may be "the wave of the future".

Until such time nitro fuel is no longer available I'll continue to use it. My current supply should take me some years ahead as I no longer fly as frequently as I once did.

There much to be said about tradition in modeling.

SD

roddie wrote:

duke.johnson wrote:I think all the top guys at the NATS are flying E-planes now.

Sorry... but "real" (full-scale) aircraft have petrol-fueled engines...

Not for much longer
 

Cribbs74 wrote:Nah,

I have heard cases where as folks age their skin becomes sensitive to glow fuel. Electric allows them to still fly.

Did I mention I like glow?  

Hello!

Just a salutary tale
In the last 40 or so years when drinking it, splashing over me etc I never gave it a second thought.....

Last year I seemed to get 'sunburnt' after a days flying even when there had been no sun.
Now, I am so allergic to the stuff it's untrue.
If I had my time over I'd wear nitrile (or similar) gloves and I wouldn't be as keen to hang around in the
prop stream of glow motors as I once was. I believe it's the Methanol Me doesn't like.

  

Hmmm, maybe I should be more careful.

I have to be real careful now with CA adhesives. If I'm gluing-up anything with CA... I set-up a box-fan behind me on a chair, or something to elevate it.. and run the fan on slow speed... just enough for a little circulation.

Years ago I had an old upright piano. Believe it or not; the "action" of an upright (vertical as opposed to horizontal) acoustic piano, was deemed; one of the most complex mechanical actions at the time it was first conceived.  There are "H" shaped "jacks" (88 of them...) involved, that sit spaced out evenly, in separate joints on a rail, and are an integral part of what makes the hammer hit the string. My piano was a 1935 "Francis Bacon"... and the glue that was originally used to mount these jacks, had aged and become dry and brittle. If a "jack" comes loose; the hammer wont move when that piano key is pressed. The 1st time this happened, I had to use tweezers to relocate the tensioned jack; to hold it in place.. and re-glue it with thin CA. The 2nd time it happened to a different note.. (it was only a few months later) so I decided to remove the whole rack (hammer/action assembly) and put it on a bench to re-glue/reinforce the other 87 jacks with thin CA. Soon after; I developed moderate sinus/respiratory sensitivity... and would experience "itchiness" (all over my body) that I needed to take antihistamine for, to relieve. This lasted for several years...

At that time; I was unaware of what "over-exposure" to Cyanoacrylate can cause in some individuals. I read about it years later. I am now more careful when I use chemicals; to have proper ventilation.

Roddie