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<DIV>I think electric are weighted without the pack. At least I have seen
it written on this list that way/</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Randy</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=MKMSG@aol.com href="mailto:MKMSG@aol.com">MKMSG@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 09, 2005 2:32
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Participation</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 1/9/05 12:57:21 PM Central Standard Time, <A
href="mailto:Norm500@comcast.net">Norm500@comcast.net</A> writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Just
some thoughts from an electric flyer that hasn't started in <BR>Pattern
yet. I have flown electric power in IMAC, but am <BR>interested in
Pattern because of the 2-meter size limit. My IMAC <BR>plane, a
2-meter Staudacher which weighs just over 13 lbs. RTF, <BR>and is as large
as I want to go. In larger electrics the price <BR>starts going up
exponentially, but 2-meters start looking rather <BR>small alongside of the
now typical IMAC planes.<BR><BR>BTW, my battery pack weighs just under 3
lbs. so if the rules were <BR>ever changed to allow electrics to be weighed
without the pack, <BR>I'd only be at about 10 lbs. Not too bad for a
plane that was <BR>originally built and flown with a Quadra gas
engine.<BR><BR>Anyway, the point of all this is that you might be able to
start <BR>attracting some electric powered flyers that want to compete
<BR>simply because of the 2-meter limit on size. I know it's not
<BR>something that's going to happen overnight, but changing the rule
<BR>about weighing with the battery installed would surely help. I
<BR>also know that some of the top rung people are already flying
<BR>electric pattern, but with state of the art planes that's hard for
<BR>entry level builders to achieve.<BR><BR>I've been trying to decide on a
pattern plane to build for some <BR>weeks now. I'd like it to be a
2-meter if for no other reason <BR>than my eyesight isn't very good and the
larger planes are easier <BR>to see. Thinking of building a Typhoon 2K
with Mike Hester's <BR>modifications, but the project looks daunting to
someone who's <BR>never built a wing with tubes, adjustable wing and stabs,
etc. <BR>Also have been considering the Focus II, but figure it will be
<BR>overweight with the batteries.<BR><BR>Oh well, that's my input for
today.<BR><BR>Norm<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Norm: Because most pattern enthusiasts fly glow powered models, there
really hasn't been much discussion or concern regarding how glow/gas/electric
pattern aircraft are weighed. Competition rules should be as fair as
possible when applied across the board to all the different types of models
authorized to compete in a given category. Rather than weigh electric
pattern ships without batteries, it's my personal view that either 1) the
weight limit for pattern should be eliminated, or 2) weigh all aircraft
types -- gas, glow, or electric -- ready to fly....with fuel or
batteries as the case may be. I'm not pro or con any particular type of
power plant. I've used glow engines for nearly 55 years and currently
have two electric pattern ships on the workbench. Our
AMA competition rules are guided and influenced by international FAI
rules and it will be interesting to see how this issue is handled as more and
more modelers move to forms of power other than glow fuel.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mike Moritko </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>