The Inside Loop 2014/02
The balance of content
As the editor-in-chief of this magazine, I receive an abundance of email, countless telephone calls, and occasionally letters. I’m happy to report that the majority include comments that are positive and complimentary to the publication.
When they’re not as favorable, it’s usually because the reader would prefer to see more articles covering segments of the hobby that he or she enjoys. This is understandable, yet challenging, to provide everyone the coverage they desire when dealing with so many segments of the hobby.
To take it a step further, some readers also have strong feelings about the power plants within the aircraft or helicopters featured, or reviewed, in the magazine. While I do my best to keep a balance, the truth of the matter is that the magazine receives far more electric-powered aircraft for review than gas- and glow-powered models combined. Manufacturers today often market .40- and .60-size models with the choice of a combustion engine or electric motor.
I can appreciate both sides of the issue. With gas or glow models, there is the unmistakable sound and smell that defines RC airplanes, and in most cases you can fly longer on a tank of fuel than with electric power.
Electric power, however, offers simplicity after you understand the basics. Noise and finicky engines are becoming a thing of the past. The plug-and-play experience is also a good starting point for beginners, but airplanes and helicopters of all types and power systems have their place in Model Aviation (MA).
In this month’s issue, Greg Gimlick will help demystify the terminology commonly used with electric flight and provide a solid foundation for understanding it, while Terry Dunn reviews an aircraft powered by both a glow engine and an electric motor and compares and contrasts the differences.
Park Pilot
This year I have taken on the role of editor-in-chief of Park Pilot magazine, which is dedicated to smaller, electric-powered, park flyer–type aircraft. Park Pilot’s goal is to instruct and inform readers about this exciting segment of the hobby. Being at the helm of both publications will allow me the opportunity to better coordinate the content with little overlap.
If electric models pique your interest, a subscription to Park Pilot, which includes four quarterly issues, is only $9.95. To find out more, visit www.theparkpilot.org.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
