[bensidus197217]

I've had four nitro helis Raptor 30, Century Hawk, Kyosho Nexus, and a Light Machines 110. I now have a HK500GT (which I love and fly often) and am waiting to work out a trade for a HK600. For me I find the lack of messing around that comes with electric very attractive but not the charge times. I don't miss the fuel and it's problems also the fooling around with mixtures. What is everyone elses opinion.

[waylander]

I personally prefer electric, I have many, many electrics and 1 nitro. The reason are: I can fly electrics closer to home (my smaller ones); they aren't as messy; quieter; easier to set up.

As for the waiting to charge, with A123 packs and new 5C lipo packs charging times are in the 15-20min range so you only need 2-3 packs now to fly continuous.

[Max]

I have made the switch to electric last year.
I still fly nitro but electric is now my first choice for flying priority for many reasons

• No fussing, no mussing with fuel pumps, fuel bottles, glow drivers or starter motors. I just plug in a battery and go fly
• I keep them in my car and fly every day at lunchtime. Sometimes early in the morning before work.
• Nothing to clean up.
• I dont have to worry about charging my RX battery the night before...Nor the Glow driver battery..nor the starter motor battery.
• I can fly my 450's and 250's in a gymnasium during the winter
• I can fit 2 T-Rexes, DX7TX, 2 B6 chargers and 6 lipos into a carry on steel case for when I fly abroad for work. I don't have to schlep starter batteries, fuel, ni-starter, etc either
• I set my timer and go fly. I never have to worry about a flame-out due to a bad glowplug. When my timer runs out I land with a 20% reserve on battery power.
• I don't have to fiddle with the needle settings or have to adjust my mixture when my engine starts to run too rich or too lean.
• My 6 batteries for my 450's at $80 total have lasted me all season, and will probably last me all of next season too. I flew dozens and dozens of flights on these batteries. Compared to nitro, I figure I would have gone through about 10 jugs of fuel for the equivalent flight duration on a 30 size heli. More if it would have been a larger heli. At $25 a jug conservative, the equivalent amount of fuel would have cost me $250...x 2 seasons that I am getting out of my batts, that would be $500 in nitro fuel.
• did I miss anything else?

[Dangaras]

The neighbours don't call their counselor to bitch about your noisy airplane....................

[Dave Holmes]

I, too, have started in the electric direction, but most of my planes are nitro. I hate wiping the slime off my planes, but on the other hand it's so darned easy to pour fuel into a tank as opposed to pouring electrons into a battery. I can refuel a plane in a minute and a half while it takes an hour to recharge a LiPo. Also, if I want more than one electric flight I need to take more than one battery to the field which entails more than one hour spent charging the night before.

When LiPos get to where we can quick charge them like NiCads, it will be no contest.

[gothicbunny]

I think as the price to fly electric comes down for bigger models, nitros will slowly fade out. I haven't seen too many places stocking 30 size nitro any more and even 50-60's are becoming rare but still available if you hunt. Now we are starting to see 90 size electrics from the manufacturers and fast charge lipos I think most people getting into those sizes are going to start off electric, especially if they aren't flying anything else nitro already.

[Dennis Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Dave Holmes

I, too, have started in the electric direction, but most of my planes are nitro. I hate wiping the slime off my planes, but on the other hand it's so darned easy to pour fuel into a tank as opposed to pouring electrons into a battery. I can refuel a plane in a minute and a half while it takes an hour to recharge a LiPo. Also, if I want more than one electric flight I need to take more than one battery to the field which entails more than one hour spent charging the night before.

When LiPos get to where we can quick charge them like NiCads, it will be no contest.

New lipos with a 5c charge rate are miles ahead of what you can safely charge a nicad at.If you charge a 5000mah nicad at 5c which would be 25amp it would explode or vent pretty fast.I do not charge my lipos that high .Normaly 1c but in a hurry 2 c.I do have 3 chargers though.I am a 30 year nitro veteran that is really starting to enjoy electric.

[waylander]

Originally Posted by waylander

I personally prefer electric, I have many, many electrics and 1 nitro. The reason are: I can fly electrics closer to home (my smaller ones); they aren't as messy; quieter; easier to set up.

As for the waiting to charge, with A123 packs and new 5C lipo packs charging times are in the 15-20min range so you only need 2-3 packs now to fly continuous.

Originally Posted by Dave Holmes

I, too, have started in the electric direction, but most of my planes are nitro. I hate wiping the slime off my planes, but on the other hand it's so darned easy to pour fuel into a tank as opposed to pouring electrons into a battery. I can refuel a plane in a minute and a half while it takes an hour to recharge a LiPo. Also, if I want more than one electric flight I need to take more than one battery to the field which entails more than one hour spent charging the night before.

When LiPos get to where we can quick charge them like NiCads, it will be no contest.

Just as a note to the above...

[OICU812]

The answer is in my signature.

At Ircha this year I spoke to several Ircha vets that had been going there for well over 5 years, this year there were equally as many Electrics as nitros for sure, and to add to that probably half that were flybarless on both ends. Next year the electrics will be more. All the major competitions this year proved Electric and Flybarless is in fact taking over, so no you are not dreaming sir.

BTW Dennis I pm'd you so we could meet up one day before I move.

[OICU812]

BTW


Charge times? A non Issue, this is another one time investement to say good bye to nitro forever. I can charge (12) yes (12) 6S 5000mah packs in less then 20 minutes 100% ready to fly!