The Battle Against the Airplane

Dear Reader

Don’t think for a moment that I’m going to bring up the topic of “extremely loud flights” over southern Germany and the “environmentally friendly truck convoys” passing through our Alpine countries again. No, I’d like to point out that electric propulsion has now made its way even into the remotest corners of our valleys. That’s a welcome development in itself. We all need to learn together how to handle the immense power—which can be delivered almost explosively—in our aircraft. Electric power systems—much like gas turbines or the new 2.4-GHz RC systems—are not merely technical improvements, but true revolutions in RC model aviation. They eclipse all previous technologies and our associated habits by decades. Electric propulsion easily allows us to install 5 kW(!) of power in the nose of a 2.5-kg model. Logically, that really

things really take off! Climb rates of 60 meters per second or more require not only appropriate structural design in the aircraft but also a high level of skill from the “pilot.” On top of that, the same rule applies here: more noise doesn’t necessarily mean more power or speed. When I think back to the tried-and-true “knalltreiberlinge,” just inhaling the subtle scents of burnt secret “cider mixtures” still makes me euphoric today—just as I recall how, during takeoff, we had to exercise patience for quite a while until full power was reached; whereas the electric motor responds immediately and develops enormous torque. For us users, this means we must exercise great caution and care. Anyone who fully trusts the electronics is naive. The rule is: whether the motor is on or off, as long as the battery is connected, never let your body enter the propeller’s rotation zone. Once in the air, power must be “managed” so that the flight doesn’t turn into

turn into a constant struggle against your own aircraft. Only shoot straight up into the sky as long as you can see the aircraft with your own eyes. During aerobatics, make sure that the magnificent machine isn’t constantly one maneuver ahead of where you think it is. It’s a shame to miss the beautiful paint schemes on the planes when the eye can no longer keep up with them... In pylon racing, use just enough power so that laps eight through ten don’t turn into a gliding competition. Electric model aircraft enthusiasts who leave their car’s engine running for days on end to charge their planes—or run a generator somewhere in the background—would be better off investing in battery packs or solar generators instead of that expensive fuel from Libya.

Wishing you much success and enjoyment
with electric flying,

Emil Ch. Giezendanner