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<DIV>John et al,</DIV>
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<DIV>read this carefully. I'm not in favor or against any specific
technology...But I think this point blow needs to be understood very well by us
as a pattern community. Rules advantages to a given technology are a slippery
slope. Regardless of the technology we choose to help out.</DIV>
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<DIV>Big thing in the current rules the battery is not the fuel. Its the fuel
tank! The electrons are the fuel. So weigh with a dead battery.</DIV>
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<DIV>I think that a case could be made that the current AMA rules could be
interpreted either way. FAI has already set a standard in that Jason's models at
the 2003 WC as well as those used at the Euro champ in 2004 were weighed
with the Batteries installed.</DIV>
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<DIV>This is an interesting idea and I'm not taking a position on other to say
what the rules are giving us. I think that opening up the weight limit for
Electric only is not a very good idea. The reason is we are dealing with some
limits. These limits help keep our sport in a price range and in a performance
range. Allowing electrics to weigh without batts gives a huge advantage to the
electrics. Right now the limiting factors for electric are weight...Batteries
and motor combos. The power is equal to that of glow motors not more and not
less EQUAL or as the NFL would call it parity...the battery technology right now
is coming up short or just making the grade. The amount of power you can have
are very dependant on the batts we can use. More power means more battery in
today's technology an this mans the weight is higher 4P 8000mah packs vs the 3P
6000mah packs. But the weight limit is keeping the batts to a specific size and
capacity. When the batts change and get lighter or more output the weight will
come down. This will allow you to make weight even with the batts easier.</DIV>
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<DIV>If you blow the weight limit higher now you are driving more and more power
in favor of the electric setup. This also drives costs. Example. Chip's DV bipe
is a very big model. But with the opportunity to make weight without the
batts...Chip now has a distinct advantage in using electric power. His wing
loading is better being the bipe as he can carry 13 or 14 lbs with the
extra wing. On the other hand a glow motor as it gets above a 140 to 160 becomes
almost a problem in terms of fuel consumption vs power. Guys are complaining
about fuel consumption rates now on the glow motors. This will drive people to
gasoline...Not that Gasoline is bad...Just makes it now the advantage over glow.
The result is you are now driving the guy that don't want electric away from
glow over to gasoline.....So the glow systems are now the antiques.</DIV>
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<DIV>Then we change the rules to encourage glow motors to make a come back....We
did this with 2 stroke vs 4 stroke. The 4 strokes have less power so let us give
them extra cubes...60 2 stroke and 120 4 stroke. A couple years
later 4 strokes have the advantage and we give the 2 strokes a boost...No
engine limits just size and weight. Then the 2 strokes came back with more
power....and the limits of 2M and 5KG means the performance of the models is way
more than ever before and the rules evolve to make the flying harder rolling
loops, circle and snaps. Now electric comes on the scene and gasoline too..The
end result is a keeping up the Jones'</DIV>
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<DIV>Here is the JUST of my argument: So do we change the game again to
encourage these technologies or do we keep the game the same and make the tools
fit the game? We have already proven that an advantage in the rules will drive
the technology to that as the preferred choice. If we keep the rules the
same and make the technology come to us then the game is less effected and there
are more choices to do the job. YS 160, OS 160, Hacker, ZDZ....Now everybody
gets to play on equal footing...the game. No specific equipment is getting
the granny clause because its tough to make the rules with it. It has been
proven many times now that Electric is capable in both performance and rules
compliant. Gasoline is also in the works and being ready to prove its mustard
too. Glow is the preferred choice for now. I'm in favor of keeping the
game the same and letting the guys that want the new technology to develop it to
compete in the same game on the same field. Giving a hand out to one technology
over another has in the past driven costs up, driven changes in the equipment
and made the products we use even more and more specialized than they already
are. This means decline in participation in my book.</DIV>
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<DIV>Gasoline and Electric are already Viable and has proven to work in the
environment we already have. Yes perhaps your airframe choices are less if you
choose electric or gas today..But there will be more and more for both
gasoline and electric as time passes. The rules changes can't take place until
2007 regardless. In that 2 years today's models will be old news and something
new will be in works like Hydrogen power models or something.</DIV>
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<DIV>Troy Newman<FONT id=role_document face=Arial
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