Why choose nitro/gas engines today??

[19trax95]

I cant rally answer for the modern nitro stuff, since both my nitro machines are over 10 years old ( but still fly sweet). But i like nitro snce as long as i have fuel, i can fly all day without needing to charge batteries.

Plus as far as a 700 machine goes, i don't personally think there's anything better than a nitro with the sound, sight, and smell. But if it was a competition for ease of use and power, then id have to give it to electric. I guess if you buy enough batteries then you can fly all day too.

so with that said, i dont really have a favorite between nitro or electric. Both are sweet in their own way. Only i donnt really like about nitro is the support stuff to go with it like a starter, glow igniter, and fuel pump.

[justinspicer]

Automotive painter
Gotta have nitro and electric.
I do prefer my nitro.
Smoke and noise.
Fuel and fly.

[JasonJ]

As a recent adoptee of a big electric I can answer why nitro. On my nitro I can fuel and fly. The canopy stays on the whole time, I am ready in the time it takes to put the fuel.in the tank. With my 700, especially since I fitted the speed fuselage, it's a fair amount of prep for each flight. Putting the batteries on the tray, sliding the tray in the helicopter, powering up, putting that fiddly speed canopy on and fly. Now when I do put that 700 up, the experience is worth the additional fiddliness the batteries and canopy and all that entails. So if someone made me choose right now it would probably be the 700 electric, fiddly pain in the butt canopy, charging gear and all. It's kinda fun hearing the planker go on about the huge batteries and charging gear and all that, especially when they need the reciever pack on their 40 percent gasser plane they forgot to charge the night before.

[dogtooth]

So what's the smallest practical gasser available ? And what engine is that ? A small 2 stroke ?

[rhodesengr]

Ever see Tim Jones fly his big Nitro? That will answer your question. The answer is because it is awesome.

personally, I don't have any Nitro but I do have a coupe of gassers. I also have an Align 700L. The 700L flies better in all respects but my gassers are just more fun to fly. Power to weight is not everything.

Flight time is something to consider. The pros get about 3.5 minutes of hard core 3D on a high power electric. I have my 700L set for 5.5 minutes which is fine for the way I fly. My gasser uses about 1/4 tank in 10 minutes for sport flying which included big loops, flips, rolls, some tic tocs. People at my club laugh when they see how full my tank is after flying what must seem like forever to them.

[ChuckL]

Originally Posted by crashmaster swash

I was looking at O.S engines site and the biggest nitro engine (I assume its an alcohol engine) outputs 3,75hp. But thats almost nothing. Many of the bigger electric motors I have seen can output 5000w or more continously. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the bigger ones outputs about 20-30hp peak.

So can anyone explain to me why people still run nitro/gas engines??

Am I missing something here? Or possibly misenterpreting the numbers?

Are you missing something yup

[lazor 22]

Done big electrics, Im only nitro now. I prefer the nitros, they both have their advantages and disadvantages but the nitros feel better in flight, to me. Weight, disc loading and the power delivery. Plus I love the smoke trail and fogging up a feild in the evening!

[TT]

I will never own another nitro heli...ever. Flew nitro 600s and 700s for years. There is no going back for me. However, a big gasser would be awesome if it had the right amount of power. This is the best one I've seen:

Gas Conversion - SAB Goblin 700 - TRM VX300TT - RJX Pipe @ Southwest Heli Rodeo (6 min 4 sec)

It would be nice if someone would design a kit around a different engine platform instead of these Zenoah type engines...these are Zenoah cases right? Maybe a Desert Aircraft DA35 / DA50 or DLE 55...something with a teeny tiny crankcase. Forget the pull starter and use a one-way start shaft. Could be KILLER for an 800-size. Maybe I'll design one! I got mad CAD skills.

[Steve Graham]

I fly both a Synergy N7 and an E7-SE and love as well as hate them both at times for all of the reasons already posted.

Having said that I'm looking for a hero. Someone who will take a nitro to XFC and through pure style, grace, creativity, and joy of flight lay down a show that could not be denied by the judges. I simply know the machine with the right pilot can do it. I'd do it myself because flying my nitro against a clear blue sky inspires me to seek all of those attributes. I also suffer no illusions that as wannabe teenager in a middling 52 year old body I could ever get the job done.

Love watching Tim Jones fly.

[Slyster]

I didn't take this video but I was right there.. probably the most memorable flight I've ever witnessed in real life.

Tim Jones crashed at IRCHA 2012 with Andrew Merlino (5 min 16 sec)

[Darren@Oz]

Originally Posted by eightythree

For me- the mechanics of it all. Nothing better than internal combustion, the noise, the smoke, the maintenance. Nothing to complain about, but everyone always compares power... Im running an os91, still rich, still has plenty of power??? I like the pop n power feel of nitro !

Most importantly, fuel and fly when you want. Baby sitting large batteries for months I cannot handle, I dont fly much.. oh, and I cant stand 3-4min flying times !

Another point I would like to make is consistent power from start to end on a 6-7mim flight.. im not familiar with large high power high discharge setups. When I build electric helis, I use moderate power systems. Never a need for back to the future power for me, its not always about power

when it comes to RC heli's I like electric. Their power delivery is linear (which can of course be customised via the tx), they sound more like the real thing, don't need tuning, are virtually maintenance free - no messy oil stains.

But then I can understand why some people might still like them.
I'm a car guy who loves V8 power. Once upon a time you either had a V8 or a rotary maybe if you wanted the fastest car. Now in modern times if you want a fast car, the logical option is a high tech Jap turbo 4 or 6 cylinder. But would I swap my old skool V8 for a high tech Jap 2JZ or RB26 ? No way! I love my V8, the sound, the feel, the look.

So when it comes to some things it's not always about the most logical choice. 'Passion' isn't always logical

[AlarmedBread]

Because NITRO BABY!!!!!!!!!!

IRCHA 2015 CAMP HARDCORE (5 min 24 sec)

[eightythree]

Originally Posted by Darren@Oz

when it comes to RC heli's I like electric. Their power delivery is linear (which can of course be customised via the tx), they sound more like the real thing, don't need tuning, are virtually maintenance free - no messy oil stains.

But then I can understand why some people might still like them.
I'm a car guy who loves V8 power. Once upon a time you either had a V8 or a rotary maybe if you wanted the fastest car. Now in modern times if you want a fast car, the logical option is a high tech Jap turbo 4 or 6 cylinder. But would I swap my old skool V8 for a high tech Jap 2JZ or RB26 ? No way! I love my V8, the sound, the feel, the look.

So when it comes to some things it's not always about the most logical choice. 'Passion' isn't always logical

I love the mess, oil on my brand new tx, using my pants as a rag, Just like working in my shop! Ha!

Never owned a v8, or a 2J, always wanted to. EJ25 for me baby! ! Sooo where's the v8 of helis?? Never made it? Twin V nitro heli? ! Lol

[jharkin]

Originally Posted by JasonJ

It's kinda fun hearing the planker go on about the huge batteries and charging gear and all that, especially when they need the reciever pack on their 40 percent gasser plane they forgot to charge the night before.

Very few guys flying 40% gassers "charge the night before" anymore. A123 batteries are extremely popular for RX power in the giant scale plank community (that's what I run on mine) and we field charge them in under 10 minutes

Even better, my 700 gasser has an onboard generator and never needs charging.

[gassed]

electrics have allowed pilots to get away with sloppy collective management. Without collective management issues they get to do smack faster in their bid to be 3D pros.

[Train Fixer]

So can anyone explain to me why people still run nitro/gas engines??

I hope this doesn't sound rude, but..

That's one of those question that if you have to ask it, you probably will never really understand the answer.

[Rob43]

There's definitely something different about the power delivery of a big bore nitro engine powered bird compared to the similar sized e-model. Although the peak power isn't nearly as great, the delivery is quite different. Flying the same routines and moves, it's not really making much more power than the nitro bird. The capability is there, of course, but you must load it enough to extract it. There just isn't that much load in normal 3-D flying. I know my Tareq powered 700N leaves no doubt of it's performance. I find it every bit as much a monster as my 10000 watt Xera 4530-500.

Still the original question is a reasonable one. Entirely subjective. My reason for a nitro is simply a change-up between flying my other e-birds.

[Atomic Skull]

Originally Posted by TT

It would be nice if someone would design a kit around a different engine platform instead of these Zenoah type engines...these are Zenoah cases right? Maybe a Desert Aircraft DA35 / DA50 or DLE 55...something with a teeny tiny crankcase. Forget the pull starter and use a one-way start shaft. Could be KILLER for an 800-size. Maybe I'll design one! I got mad CAD skills.

OS already tried that with the GT15-HZ, it has a tendency to blow up if not tuned just right and is generally unreliable. Small crankcase gasoline engines seem to be really fidgety when used in helicopters.

People use the Zenoah RC engines in gasser helis because they are extremely robust and "just work", better even than the supposedly helicopter specific Zenoah PUH series. The flywheel makes them run smoother and the engine is self contained so you just drop it in the helicopter and bolt it down.

[Atomic Skull]

Originally Posted by crashmaster swash

So can anyone explain to me why people still run nitro/gas engines??

Am I missing something here? Or possibly misenterpreting the numbers?

Operating costs of a gasoline helicopter are far far cheaper than electric. If you figure in the lifespan of the battery and replacement costs, gasoline comes out cheaper per flight. Also you can fly for 30 minutes or longer on a single tank. And there is no waiting for batteries to charge, just fuel and fly.

[mqowen]

For me personally there are a number of things I love about nitro.

Sound.
Smell.
Smoke.
Smoke trail.
Convenience of not having to pull my canopy off.
No charging.
No planning.
Short time between flights.
Short time to be in the air.
Traditional
Mechanical
Flight times
Challenging collective managment
Smoothness of flight

As far as power goes electric is more powerful. I flew my buddies Goblin yesterday just to try it out. Yes it has pop. But for me I don't really need more power than I need. It's pretty hard for me to understand how anyone would lack power with the OS 105. If you can't make the heli perform with that engine something is wrong. But I also understand those with expert skill enjoy the extra hard power of electrics.

I like electrics too. And there are some advantages to big E helis. I like both, but at this point I really like my nitros.