Mercy! Mercy! That Dang Nabed PERCY!

Arcane RC Airplane Information

When we were on the trip south two weeks ago I walked into a Hobby Shop and started looking around. It was the type of shop that I like because the owner handled consignments. Not only was there new stuff on the shelves and all the things one might expect but in a corner were half a dozen models that were used and for sale.

The first thing I notice were some used engines. I bought several and the owner threw in one that looked to be mostly good for parts. These were Glow Engines, and the sun seems to be setting on these as a means to power an RC model airplane. Electric motors and two stroke gas engines. (Small versions of what is in a chainsaw or various powered lawn and garden implements) is replacing the Glow technology.

Earlier in the trip I had bought a Sixty-Sized model airplane with what looked to be a good engine. To my chagrin I discovered that the carburetor was corroded shut. When I finally got it unfrozen and running I discovered some other issues that suggest bad seals. In reading up I found that the salt air mixed with the corrosive properties of the glow engine fuel are extremely hard on these engines and they have a limited service life. Since I don’t really care that much for electric motors, that leaves the new generation of gas engines for me to choose from.

Many RC Airplane Flyers like electric motors. They are much cleaner than Glow that throws out a lot of unburned fuel that is greasy and covers airplane. After each flight you have to spray them with Windex or some other type of cleaner to get the gunk off.

The problem with electric begins at the propeller. It has to be the right size and pitch or it will over load the Speed Controller (SC). The size of the SC is measured in amps and you have to make sure the motor and prop are compatible or the SC burns up. Then you have the electric motor, powered by a battery with up to eight cells. Recharging requires the proper charging device for the type of batter you're using. The batter is heavy and must be carefully positioned to make sure it rides atop the plane’s center of gravity. Anyway they are a pain in the butt and unlike a gas engine where you can check out the gas tank, you can’t see the electricity. I have a couple of electric flyers, but they aren’t my engines of choice.