Debra
11-29-2007, 03:54 PM
Dear Mr Lee,
This e-mail is not a questioning one, but a kinda testimony.
I've been reading your column since 80's. Always found it to be second to none. I learnt a lot reading it. From my 47 years og age, 39 has been dedicated to this sport of ours. On mid 90's, I decided that I would become a model airplane article writer in my country. So, since 1994 I've been writing for model magazines in Brazil and abroad. I believe that your example was a motive for me to enter in this endeavour.
I'm a Mechanical Engineer with Airplane Maintenance specialization, what provides me fair ground for my technical articles.
Now, on MAN December issue, I have the pleasure of knowing by your always useful column, that OS Engines in Japan is to launch an ethanol driven model engine.
To give you a glimpsy of what this might mean for us in Brasil, please note that since 1979 we have cars that run on ethanol only. I first bought mine in 1981. This technology has developed so much in here that, in the past you had to make an ption: buy a gasoline or a acohol driven car. Since 2005 this has changed dramatically with the Flex Fuel concept. This is not like your flex fuel cars that has been adapted to run on 15% alcohol. Flex Fuel in Brazil goes to the full meaning of it: you can fill up your tank with 100% gasoline or 100% alcohol, or any mix of both. After that, just turn key and start driving. As of September, about 80% of the drivers in this country would be choosing to fill tanks with alcohol, that is about 60% cheaper than gas. Other thn that, EMBRAER offers the first alcohol powered cropduster in the world: The Ipanema. Not by accident, the prototype was painted green.
So, a model engine that runs on ethanol rather than methanol, will fill the bill here. Races already use alcohol only driven cars, including entry level 2 strokes go karts, that uses a mix of ethanol and synthetic oil.
I believe this is a first for O.S. that will just meet the first for Brasil in alcohol driven engines.
Keep the good work. I really enjoy reading your column.
Rogerio A.
Brasilia-DF
Brasil
Dear Sr. A.,
Just a note to thank you for the nice letter. I always enjoy hearing from modelers in other countries. I once visited Brazil briefly during WW II thanks to the U.S. Army Air Corps. When going over seas to the CBI (China-Burma-India) theatre, we left from Florida, and flew down the coast of South America to Belem, Brazil. Then to the Accension Island and on to Africa. I remember the trip well as I didn't particularly care for the 10 hour flight from Brazil to a tiny speck in the Atlantic ocean. No radio navigation homing available due to enemy submarines in the area.
How well O.S. 's Ethanol fuel will be accepted by U.S. modelers remains to be seen. It is going to be interesting. I have a direct contact at O.S. and forwarded your letter on to him letting O.S. know they may have a big market for their engine in Brazil.
Thanks again,
Clarence Lee
This e-mail is not a questioning one, but a kinda testimony.
I've been reading your column since 80's. Always found it to be second to none. I learnt a lot reading it. From my 47 years og age, 39 has been dedicated to this sport of ours. On mid 90's, I decided that I would become a model airplane article writer in my country. So, since 1994 I've been writing for model magazines in Brazil and abroad. I believe that your example was a motive for me to enter in this endeavour.
I'm a Mechanical Engineer with Airplane Maintenance specialization, what provides me fair ground for my technical articles.
Now, on MAN December issue, I have the pleasure of knowing by your always useful column, that OS Engines in Japan is to launch an ethanol driven model engine.
To give you a glimpsy of what this might mean for us in Brasil, please note that since 1979 we have cars that run on ethanol only. I first bought mine in 1981. This technology has developed so much in here that, in the past you had to make an ption: buy a gasoline or a acohol driven car. Since 2005 this has changed dramatically with the Flex Fuel concept. This is not like your flex fuel cars that has been adapted to run on 15% alcohol. Flex Fuel in Brazil goes to the full meaning of it: you can fill up your tank with 100% gasoline or 100% alcohol, or any mix of both. After that, just turn key and start driving. As of September, about 80% of the drivers in this country would be choosing to fill tanks with alcohol, that is about 60% cheaper than gas. Other thn that, EMBRAER offers the first alcohol powered cropduster in the world: The Ipanema. Not by accident, the prototype was painted green.
So, a model engine that runs on ethanol rather than methanol, will fill the bill here. Races already use alcohol only driven cars, including entry level 2 strokes go karts, that uses a mix of ethanol and synthetic oil.
I believe this is a first for O.S. that will just meet the first for Brasil in alcohol driven engines.
Keep the good work. I really enjoy reading your column.
Rogerio A.
Brasilia-DF
Brasil
Dear Sr. A.,
Just a note to thank you for the nice letter. I always enjoy hearing from modelers in other countries. I once visited Brazil briefly during WW II thanks to the U.S. Army Air Corps. When going over seas to the CBI (China-Burma-India) theatre, we left from Florida, and flew down the coast of South America to Belem, Brazil. Then to the Accension Island and on to Africa. I remember the trip well as I didn't particularly care for the 10 hour flight from Brazil to a tiny speck in the Atlantic ocean. No radio navigation homing available due to enemy submarines in the area.
How well O.S. 's Ethanol fuel will be accepted by U.S. modelers remains to be seen. It is going to be interesting. I have a direct contact at O.S. and forwarded your letter on to him letting O.S. know they may have a big market for their engine in Brazil.
Thanks again,
Clarence Lee