ELECTRICS

LiPo Batteries: Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries have actually been around for some time now, in fact, there may very well be one powering your watch or Laptop Computer. But they have only recently become very popular in RC airplanes. They pack a lot of power into a small package, but it comes at a price… a few prices actually. Not only can they be fairly expensive, but they are also somewhat dangerous. If these batteries have more than one cell, they will require a balanced charger to prevent the over-charging of one or more cells. Should this happen, or should a LiPo battery become seriously damaged (like what might happen in a bad crash), the battery can catch fire or even explode. So proper care and feeding of LiPos is a must!

Brushless Motors: In a typical electric motor, an armature rotates inside of a set of fixed magnets. The armature is an electro magnet whose poles are reversed as they rotate between a set of brushes.

In a brushless motor, the electro-magnetic changes are determined by an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC). Brushless motors are far more efficient than brushed motors. They also come in two basic types - Inrunners, where the outside of the motor is held fast while the inner armature rotates and Outrunners, where the motor is held by the armature and the body of the motor spins around it.

ESC: The electronic speed controller senses the position of the motor's armature and electronically changes the electro-magnetic fields of the motors magnets. The ESC also performs double-duty as a voltage regulator and supplies power from the battery to power the radio's receiver (More on receivers in the radio section)

Why go electric?

While many of us like the sound of an internal combustion engine, they are a lot more hassle than electrics. They require fuel, an ignition source, and very often an electric starter with a heavy battery and an entire list of support equipment - Not to mention the time spent wiping off the oily mess after each flight.

Personally, I love the roar of a "real" engine, but electrics have become so easy and reliable, that I have to admit that even I really enjoy the ease at which I can pull a plane out of the car and start flying it! So, it's a personal preference. If I could only do one type, I would stick with fueled engines, but to many others, they prefer the clean, quiet simplicity of electrics.

The biggest downside to electrics is that once a battery has been drained, re-charging can take an hour or more (which can be done through your car battery right at the field), but unless you have a few extra battery packs on hand, you'll be limited in your flying vs. charging time. And frankly, the batteries aren't cheap (But then, neither is our fuel).

For more info on electrics, please stop by the RCUniverse Electric Aircraft forum.

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