wjvail
Senior Heliman
Location: Meridian, Mississippi
My Posts This: Topic Forum | A few thoughts...
1. There is an ongoing fundamental problem in the modeling world today. That is the continuing reference to our models being "nitro" models. It is hype I started to see a few years ago when the cars started to take off. "NITRO, NITRO, NITRO!!!! 65MPH NITRO MONSTER TRUCK!!" "GET THE SMELL OF PURE NITRO AND POWER IN THE NEWEST ASSOCIATED XXX MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER NITRO NITRO NITRO... THING" To be clear, our models are largely methyl alcohol powered. They run somewhat better with some nitro and must have oil mixed in... but in the end, they are alcohol engines with a lube and idle/power additive (nitro). Our models will run all day on 0% nitro + 14% oil. Even "hot" helicopter fuel is less than a 1/3 nitro and "sport" heli fuel is only 3 parts in 20 nitro. With the above said, it is worth noting that even in these difficult and inflated times, methanol is still only about $3.00 USD a gallon. 53 gallons of the stuff can be had for about 150 bucks. I can mix a gallon of 10% nitro fuel for around $7.00. If things get too difficult, I will still keep flying my glow models but it will be on lower nitro fuel. Now would be a good time to reread the subject line of this thread. Given there are no "nitro" models, would it be better to ask "glow in the next 5-7 years??" To answer the question, I think it will be exactly where it is today just with fewer modelers, and of those still in the game, more will choose to fly with fuels with a smaller percentage of nitro-methane as an additive.
Item 2. No matter what happens to the price of glow fuel, or the performance and price of electrics, I will always have a glow fuel model. I am personally fascinated that there is a tiny engine with a piston going up and down and a small controlled fire in my model making it go. I think it's pretty darn cool to add two cups of liquid to my model and get 10 minutes of flying. I just built an LT-40 trainer with a Wankel engine just to see it go. Clearly there are better and cheaper ways to power a trainer but I like the idea of a miniature rotary engine puring away in the front of my toy. I have to believe that I'm not the only one that feels this way and predict that some of us will always have a glow fuel model.
Finally. Having been an early adopter of Li-Po technology and electric models in general, I've now had the pleasure of throwing away 'bout 2,000 dollars in batteries. It seems to me that many of the people that love their electric helis are pretty new to the hobby and while they've felt the sting of paying hundreds of dollars for a new battery pack, they haven't felt the shear pain of then cutting the connectors off said packs so they can trash 'em. There is nothing like not flying an electric heli for a few years only to realise you will need to buy new flight packs just to take 'er for a spin around the field. It is entirely possible that once the newness and advertising pitch of electric flight wears off, we may see a rediscovery of glow powered models.
Cheers,
Bill
"Well, Nothing bad can happen now." |
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