Never Buy a Hanger 9 product again!!
#1
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Never Buy a Hanger 9 product again!!
My son crashed our favorite Hanger 9 Otter today after an engine failure. Tried to find a replacement fuselage but they no longer make the Otter and do not have the replacement parts. If they are going to drop planes every couple of years for something "new"...then they just do a disservice to their previous customers!!!
#2
My son crashed our favorite Hanger 9 Otter today after an engine failure. Tried to find a replacement fuselage but they no longer make the Otter and do not have the replacement parts. If they are going to drop planes every couple of years for something "new"...then they just do a disservice to their previous customers!!!
Good Luck .....
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What I would like to see is when the manufacturer discontinues an ARF that they offer the plans for people who would like to build the plane or repair an existing one.
Mark, your not going to find the other manufacturers any different, so I wouldn't be so hard on H9.
Mark, your not going to find the other manufacturers any different, so I wouldn't be so hard on H9.
Last edited by tacx; 03-09-2014 at 04:25 PM.
#5
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init4fun, I agree that these are toys as we have totaled two $4,000 jets in the past year alone. It's just he really loved this plane and the frustration of not finding one or a fuse. for sale really sucks!.....I like the idea if the manufactures would release builder plans after the parts supply had dried up!
#6
init4fun, I agree that these are toys as we have totaled two $4,000 jets in the past year alone. It's just he really loved this plane and the frustration of not finding one or a fuse. for sale really sucks!.....I like the idea if the manufactures would release builder plans after the parts supply had dried up!
#7
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init4fun, I agree that these are toys as we have totaled two $4,000 jets in the past year alone. It's just he really loved this plane and the frustration of not finding one or a fuse. for sale really sucks!.....I like the idea if the manufactures would release builder plans after the parts supply had dried up!
imagine: you're a manufacturer with a design that's ready to be sent out to pasture... you're not making the airplane anymore because it's not selling (it's not profitable) so you discontinue it.
THEN you're going to spend the cash to create a set of builder's plans (which likely don't exist) .... ?
I DO feel your pain though, particularly that a great airplane is no more. not fun at all.
#8
:-D good idea in theory, but I can't believe it will ever happen....
imagine: you're a manufacturer with a design that's ready to be sent out to pasture... you're not making the airplane anymore because it's not selling (it's not profitable) so you discontinue it.
THEN you're going to spend the cash to create a set of builder's plans (which likely don't exist) .... ?
I DO feel your pain though, particularly that a great airplane is no more. not fun at all.
imagine: you're a manufacturer with a design that's ready to be sent out to pasture... you're not making the airplane anymore because it's not selling (it's not profitable) so you discontinue it.
THEN you're going to spend the cash to create a set of builder's plans (which likely don't exist) .... ?
I DO feel your pain though, particularly that a great airplane is no more. not fun at all.
#11
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My son crashed our favorite Hanger 9 Otter today after an engine failure. Tried to find a replacement fuselage but they no longer make the Otter and do not have the replacement parts. If they are going to drop planes every couple of years for something "new"...then they just do a disservice to their previous customers!!!
Have to agree, but that will be the length of my comment about Hangar 9 products. As I am tired of folks on this forum jumping down my throat for voicing my displeasure with certain products.
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A few years ago I flew my SIG Rascal 40 through a tree and It busted the wing up pretty good. I could have bought a new wing from SIG but it was easier to remove the covering and repair the one I had. I also made it a bit stronger by replacing the fiberglass wing spar with carbon fiber. I recovered it and while I was not able to get the blue covering that they used Monokote came close enough that you probably wouldn't notice. Most of the time, for me anyway, it's more fun to repair stuff than it is to buy it.
#13
Sorry about your misshap
I like Hanger 9 top product and I hear what you say but with so many ARFs around it would be easyer to select a new design and have more fun. This is why I like the Hanger 9 product.
#14
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My son crashed our favorite Hanger 9 Otter today after an engine failure. Tried to find a replacement fuselage but they no longer make the Otter and do not have the replacement parts. If they are going to drop planes every couple of years for something "new"...then they just do a disservice to their previous customers!!!
Learn to scratch build,, that 's the only way to ever guarantee you be able to have the plane you want
#15
I have to say I like their quality, subjects, and service, but I too do not, or should I say cannot, buy their products because they just do not leave them on the market very long.
Last edited by scottrc; 03-19-2014 at 08:29 AM.
#16
I gotta think that the time offered is in direct relation to the profitability of each plane . Supposing it costs a certain amount to have the factory do a run of let's say Twin Otters , and being a new plane everybody's just GOTTA have one . So the first few thousand or so of em sell like hotcakes and H9 makes a nice return on it's investment . Subsequent runs don't sell as well cause , well , it ain't the latest and greatest shiny new RC bling , so they order less to be made cause less are selling . Eventually , except for a few who REALLY loved the design the sales dwindle to the point of not being able to sell enough of em to justify the factory time to produce the order . I couldn't blame any company who would eventually stop supporting something that had become no longer profitable . Had the Otter developed it's own "cult following" like , for instance the Sig Spacewalker , well then you can bet demand would have kept the supply side happy and producing nice new Otters for years to come .
PS , I miss the resounding "CLUNK !" as an eight track changed tracks too , but lack of demand kinda did them in as well
Last edited by init4fun; 03-19-2014 at 10:43 AM.
#17
Their business model works for them, and that is great, however, it doesn't meet my time frame to purchase a product.
I really like the new 30cc Spitfire, but am really hesitant to plunk down that kind of change knowing that this company has a track record or not being able to support replacement parts and killing the product within a year of release. Again don't get me wrong, I am not knocking H9, they have the best customer service and they make great products, its just that they have too short of production runs. Again, it keeps them competitive and works for them, just not me, which is how the free market operates.
I really like the new 30cc Spitfire, but am really hesitant to plunk down that kind of change knowing that this company has a track record or not being able to support replacement parts and killing the product within a year of release. Again don't get me wrong, I am not knocking H9, they have the best customer service and they make great products, its just that they have too short of production runs. Again, it keeps them competitive and works for them, just not me, which is how the free market operates.
#18
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My technique is, if I really love the plane buy spare parts or even a second plane as reserve.
I understand ARFs are built in batches. Once demand goes down, they stop production for good and deplete what is left in stock.
It is unfortunate the kit business is practically dead. This was how it was possible to resurrect crashed planes after discontinuation.
With laser cutting and computerized manufacturing processes, you would think kits would be available that are easy to build due perfectly cut parts...
I understand ARFs are built in batches. Once demand goes down, they stop production for good and deplete what is left in stock.
It is unfortunate the kit business is practically dead. This was how it was possible to resurrect crashed planes after discontinuation.
With laser cutting and computerized manufacturing processes, you would think kits would be available that are easy to build due perfectly cut parts...
Last edited by falcon_56; 03-19-2014 at 05:15 PM.
#19
My technique is, if I really love the plane buy spare parts or even a second plane as reserve.
I understand ARFs are built in batches. Once demand goes down, they stop production for good and deplete what is left in stock.
It is unfortunate the kit business is practically dead. This was how it was possible to resurrect crashed planes after discontinuation.
With laser cutting and computerized manufacturing processes, you would think kits would be available that are easy to build due perfectly cut parts...
I understand ARFs are built in batches. Once demand goes down, they stop production for good and deplete what is left in stock.
It is unfortunate the kit business is practically dead. This was how it was possible to resurrect crashed planes after discontinuation.
With laser cutting and computerized manufacturing processes, you would think kits would be available that are easy to build due perfectly cut parts...
#20
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You cannot say this hobby lacks from creativity
#21
Mark.... I think for the price that people paid for those Twin Otters, there should be some type of support later on. (They were expensive!) A bit crazy that they discontinued it so fast. I just did a Horizon Hobby survey and said they should bring the Twin Otter back, but at a more reasonable price. If Horizon Hobby is in this for the long term, they should be thinking that way.
#22
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My son crashed our favorite Hanger 9 Otter today after an engine failure. Tried to find a replacement fuselage but they no longer make the Otter and do not have the replacement parts. If they are going to drop planes every couple of years for something "new"...then they just do a disservice to their previous customers!!!
Go TOP FLITE Replacement parts almost for ever ... Hanger9 Horizon makes one run on a plane then moves on ... Just their policy.
The only thing that TF did not make spares of on the GS 85" P-47 are the wheels. On my maiden the right wheel fell of into the 10' corn and I bugged TP for a replacement for months and the answer was always the same ... We do not have the wheels as spares and U can not buy them separate. (They are 5" dia and about 1& 7/16" wide a 1&1/2" hangs in the wheel well) well on day I get this package from TF with a note here is the wheel set now stop calling 3 times a week. signed Jennerfer or something like that. NO invoice so I called 1-800-Flowers and had a bunch of flowers sent to Jennifer at the return address ... Hope she got them.
#23
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I have and have purchased ARFs from Horizon Hobbies sold under the H9 name and they all have problems that the distributer has no control over. As far as stocking a replacement inventory this is something they do until the spares run out. Accept your loss and move on.
Last edited by flycatch; 03-20-2014 at 08:39 AM. Reason: spelling
#24
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I am guessing that most ARFs nowadays are designed via. CAD and built without plans. Even if the CAD program could print out plans, the manufacturer would have to add annotations/comments, along with some assembly instructions. This would require some effrot, man hours, and money. This fact needs to be balanced against the fact that many people who buy ARFs do not have the skills needed to cut parts from balsa stock and assemble a fuse, wing, etc. from plans. Most ARF owners simply scrap the plane and get a new one. In the end, there is a market for plans, but it seems that the demand might not be enough to justify the effort and expense, from the manufacturer's standpoint.
The only solution I can think of is to buy a second ARF kit, before it's discontinued, if you truly fall in love with the plane. You can then cannibalize the 2nd kit as needed. My father and I did this with my first trainer. I crashed often enough that the parts from the 2nd kit were mostly depleted before I was ready to upgrade to a more advanced plane.
The only solution I can think of is to buy a second ARF kit, before it's discontinued, if you truly fall in love with the plane. You can then cannibalize the 2nd kit as needed. My father and I did this with my first trainer. I crashed often enough that the parts from the 2nd kit were mostly depleted before I was ready to upgrade to a more advanced plane.
#25
Same principal with an ARF, buy a kit, strip it down, and methodically make templates off the bulkheads and spars. Parts that tend to get decimated in a crash.