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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are plenty of ARF's out there at
under the current weight limit.. Granted they may not be all 2M but for
the beginning flier do they truly need a full blown whiz bang plane.
</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2> </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=2>
Del<BR> nsrca - 473 </FONT></STRONG></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=edbon85@charter.net href="mailto:edbon85@charter.net">Ed Miller</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> Wednesday, February 09, 2005 8:47
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [SPAM] Re: *SPAM* Re: Rules
Survey</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sorry this is long but this issue is an important
one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At one time I was all in favor of an increase in
weight limit to 11.5 or 12 pounds. Today, I'm leaning
towards leaving the 11 pound limit in place. I built an EMC after flying
Dave's EMC's and let me tell you, to build a large 2M plane using conventional
( read low cost ) materials like fiberglass, foam, plywood and balsa can
be a challenge. It requires careful planning to put only what is really
required in the plane for structure and durability and careful selection of
fixed items like hardware, radio gear, engine, pipe, etc. Painting has to be
closely monitored. But the 11 pound limit is very doable. My current EMC is
down to 10 pounds 9 ounces and I believe the second one I can build at maybe
10 pounds 6 ounces. That's a $400 basic kit with maybe $200 worth of
wood/plywood/endgrain balsa, etc. in the structure. Where the real $$ is
spent is in "lite" versions of fixed hardware like CF wing and stab tubes, CF
landing gear, CF tuned pipe, Mintor head and Perf Specialties AAC piston/liner
assembly ( my OS 140 RX weighs 26.3 ounces ), special batteries, etc. I have a
Hanson rotomount in my EMC that weighs less than 3 ounces with hardware, no
extra $$ spent there but a lot of labor. So, the 11 pound limit is achievable
with a "conventional material" kit of a large 2M plane at a relatively low
cost for the airframe. It still requires higher $$ hardware to outfit the
plane to ensure an 11 pound or under result, the same higher $$ hardware one
typically outfits a composite airframe with also. The newer
composite airframes such as Dave's Vivat's are from the get go, lighter and as
such open up the possibility of electric power ( a 12 ounce penalty over glow
power ) OR a</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2> super light, under 10 pound
glow powered large 2M plane. Would I notice the flying difference between a
9.75 pound EMC over a 10.5 pound EMC ??? Yes, I think so. Would I be able
to capitalize on that ?? Would I be now be a threat in Master's ?? Doubtful.
The top of the heap like the Lockhart's, Hyde's, Newman's, etc. are so very
close they need every tiny bit of advantage they can beg, borrow or steal. The
more "average" Joe pattern guy just needs to make the weight limit as 3/4
pound of extra airframe weight is the least of our worries. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At this point in the game, to me, an increase in
the weight limit MAY help the pattern newbie "buy an off the shelf ARF" and
assemble with the best value accessories which may result in an over 11 pound
plane, a plane that newbie will be plenty competitive with until their eyes,
thumbs and fingers get to that top of the heap plateau. </FONT></DIV>
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