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Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/20/2004 8:04:43 PM   
pgitta


 

Posts: 218
Joined: 1/2/2004
From: , IL, USA
Status: offline 		Collective pitch upgrade for Hummingbird coming? Oh boy, I can throw even MORE money at this thing!

You know, it really is criminal that companies sell these things knowing FULL WELL that in their stock form they simply will not last for more than a few flights before the motors start burning out. Oh sure, you have a warranty they'll tell you, but they ALSO know that anyone will soon tire of sending burned motors back to California every week all the time paying shipping costs, etc. and that will come to an end really soon and VIOLA! they've gotten away with selling an inferior product once again.

The other thing that cracks me up is that Century themselves on their own website offer "upgrades" to make their original product fly properly. Imagine going to Ford Motor Company's website and seeing an "upgrade" for your Taurus:

"Stainless steel bearings to replace stock rack and pinion bearings increases you steering response considerably"

or

"Special titanium brake calipers solve stopping problem. Of all upgrades, the most important one you can make"

And will the hobby store take it back? "Hell no, talk to Century. You have a warranty"

Will Century take it back? "Hell no, but we'll send you another motor"

Are you reading this Century? You're making ME pay more than double the cost of your stinkin' heli (high authority tail motor,brushless main,ESC's,gyros, etc.) just so I can make your defective product fly for more than an hour.

Why can't you just charge $279.00 for the damn thing instead of $79.00 and give us something that you know will work and last? That way I don't have to experiment with a million different options wasting time and money along the way just to make it work.

Stop insulting my intelligence.

Signed,

Irritated.

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RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/20/2004 9:32:57 PM   
Charlie



Posts: 2336
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Fredericton, NB, CANADA
Status: offline 		Selling crap in there heli is how the keep the price down, so when you walk by it in a store the price looks good, and then you want to buy one. But little do you know, you have to spend another $200 to keep it running and fly right. But when you break it all down, they're the smart ones, and the consumer is the dummy for not doing his/her home work before buying. It's a company, they're in it to make money.

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RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/20/2004 9:37:51 PM   
glennT


 

Posts: 74
Joined: 12/8/2003
From: ;,
Status: offline 		Ya, the cheapie helies are best compared to a demo version of software. More to pay if you want continue.

(in reply to Charlie)
       Post #: 3

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 1:27:53 AM   
ChopperMike


 

Posts: 874
Joined: 10/26/2003
From: Wausau, WI, USA
Status: offline 		Are you finished ranting? The HB is a good heli at a decent price. What more do you want?

And I wouldn't use Ford as an example. Any Ford I ever drove needed a lot of upgrades to work properly!

Mike

(in reply to pgitta)
       Post #: 4

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 1:36:09 AM   
pgitta


 

Posts: 218
Joined: 1/2/2004
From: , IL, USA
Status: offline 		Are you finished ranting?

Not yet.

The HB is a good heli at a decent price.

Based on what? Motors that burn up after 2 hours? "Hummingboards" that go up in smoke? Tails that spin like Peggy Flemming when the battery is half discharged?

What more do you want?

Thought I explained that in my "rant" I want a product that lasts more than a week. Especially one I paid over $200 for. If I need to spend more, fine. Just make it WORK at the price you charge, or take it back like every other store and product will do. This is the only industry that can get away with charging premium dollars with a "no return" policy. And no, I don't mean crash damage.

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Electric airplanes are great, but my extension cord keeps getting caught in the trees.

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RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 3:00:44 AM   
ChopperMike


 

Posts: 874
Joined: 10/26/2003
From: Wausau, WI, USA
Status: offline 		OK, first off I've flown mine a lot more than 2 hours and the motors haven't burned up. Two the tail doesn't spin when the battery get down to half charge. And finally, I spent twice as much for my Hornet which IS a total piece of crap. I haven't gotten 1 decent flight out of that thing yet. Even after spending over a hundred dollars on upgrades to make it flyable. It still isn't. So, yes, the Hummingbird is a good heli at a decent price. Even if I have to eventually put better motors in it, I'm not going to complain considering how much I've stuck into my Hornet POS.

Mike

(in reply to pgitta)
       Post #: 6

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 3:33:49 AM   
helisfreak



Posts: 363
Joined: 2/16/2004
From: phx85281, USA
Status: offline 		I understand both side, and what you are trying to say. But I mean there is pros and cons, never going to be perfect. I spend money on a lot of rc crap that is now I think back it not worthed, only worthed the experience. I recently just bought a aerohawk, which I shouldn't. But so far I guess Im satisfy with it according to the price. I crash it at least 10 time now, broke 1 tail blade and just finally broke the rotor head today while flying and 5mph wind smack it on the ground. Just order the new rotor head from raidentech (hear some bad thing about this place, run by criminal). But no choice... cheap... But i agree with pgitta, company could have make their stock product a better quality, but they sure on purpose make is suck so it break.. and you're tire of it breaking and you have to buy upgrade. THAT's why I have a dream.. someday.. i will buy a milling machine and make all this damn little part... using aluminum.. OR even MAKE my own helicopter....

I admire this guy right here, where he almost mod his all his helicopter by making his own part...
http://www.cuttingedgecnc.com/index.html

check it out, if you do have the budget, do what this guy does... milling and make your own stuff..

(in reply to ChopperMike)
       Post #: 7

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 4:00:24 AM   
pgitta


 

Posts: 218
Joined: 1/2/2004
From: , IL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

OK, first off I've flown mine a lot more than 2 hours and the motors haven't burned up.


You must have much better luck than virtually every person posting about their HBs in this forum. I flew about 30 minutes/day and after 4 days it wouldn't get more than a foot off the ground at full throttle. Took apart the motor and the brushes were almost gone. So, can't explain your fortune.

quote:

Two the tail doesn't spin when the battery get down to half charge.


Again, a frequent complaint. What can I say?

quote:

So, yes, the Hummingbird is a good heli at a decent price.


I don't disagree with you actually. The $79 HB bare bones kit is just fine. Tough too, I might add. Just some of the components are terribly cheap (motors,batteries,mixer board)

What I'm saying is it can be a great little heli...

...for another $300

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Electric airplanes are great, but my extension cord keeps getting caught in the trees.

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RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 10:21:32 AM   
Banished Outside


 

Posts: 163
Joined: 9/21/2003
From: Sheffield, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		I love my Dragonfly & Hummingbird

Let's face it, the tinkering and moddin' is all part of the FUN!

If they were perfect - you wouldn't be reading this forum!

Steve

(in reply to pgitta)
       Post #: 9

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 11:31:06 AM   
lawnhawk



Posts: 198
Joined: 11/28/2003
From: McHenry, IL, USA
Status: offline 		I agree that half the fun of this hobby is the fun that takes place on the bench.

You can't just walk into your local hobby store and expect Wal-Mart service. When it really comes down to it, these are not kiddie toys, they are high performance electronics with extreme heat and amperage tendencies.

When these motors burn out, it is normal wear, I don't care how short the time frame is. Motor brushes being worn after two hours is not a defect in materials or workmanship. The only way it is possible for micro helis to exist is through lightweight materials. The ramifications are electric motors that were never really designed for the job. Don't you think we'd all prefer to run 540 or 550 motors on our micros? A much more adequate motor for the job, but far too heavy.

The truth is the HB does not need any mods whatsoever to fly. If you took the time to balance and trim the copter, it flies fine, out of the box, no upgrades.

If you really think you're going to spend money only one time, and that your hobby store will exchange your heli every time a brush goes bad, then you're in the wrong hobby. Go to Radio Shack and get yourself a $19 car.

(in reply to Banished Outside)
       Post #: 10

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 12:23:02 PM   
pgitta


 

Posts: 218
Joined: 1/2/2004
From: , IL, USA
Status: offline 		these are not kiddie toys, they are high performance electronics with extreme heat and amperage tendencies

LOL! The Space Shuttle is high performance electronics with extreme blah, blah... THESE are hair dryers with big blades on them and that's ALL they are.

quote:

You can't just walk into your local hobby store and expect Wal-Mart service


Really? Why not? Why are they exempt from backing up their products? If I buy a hair dryer from Walmart and the motor burns out in a week, they'll take the whole thing back and I'll buy a better one. I don''t give two craps about the motors on these things being overdriven. Tough. Then put a disclaimer on the box that states that fact. "This product has a limited lifespan before replacement parts will be necessary" OR, just put a brushless motor in the kit and sell it for more.


quote:

If you really think you're going to spend money only one time, and that your hobby store will exchange your heli every time a brush goes bad, then you're in the wrong hobby
.

Typical snide, condecending crap. Not what I said at all, but go ahead and interpret however you wish.

And thank you for your gracious council on which hobbies I should be in.

quote:

Go to Radio Shack and get yourself a $19 car.


And I can think of somewhere YOU can go too.

< Message edited by pgitta -- 2/21/2004 6:51:33 AM >

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Electric airplanes are great, but my extension cord keeps getting caught in the trees.

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RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 12:47:39 PM   
acr1346



Posts: 138
Joined: 6/21/2002
From: St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Status: offline 		The fun of reading complaints, almost the same as working on an HB or Hornet. "Ford" bet they never had "recall". Firestone, wish
I had some of the tires they used on the Explorer. Ya gotta love the "lemon law". Try taking a new car back after the recall for a
full refund. Think about the fact you paid $200 bucks for 1/10 the plastic in a $25 model car from the toystore, or the R/C car
at toys-r-us, with radio, $59.99. When you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow. This forum is the "learning"
curve. Know before you go, isn't always as easy to do as it is to say, but the research and knowledge you get here is the best defence
against the HB, Feda, Aerohawk, Pico Pro...etc................good luck, but never quit trying...........................

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You can fly the Empire State Building if the motor is big enough!

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RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 12:56:08 PM   
pgitta


 

Posts: 218
Joined: 1/2/2004
From: , IL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

but the research and knowledge you get here is the best defence against the HB, Feda, Aerohawk, Pico Pro...etc


You are right. Unfortunately, our research and knowledge come from other's experiences of being BURNED. Too bad so many have to throw their money away so others can "learn"

The stuff should just be made better.

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Electric airplanes are great, but my extension cord keeps getting caught in the trees.

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       Post #: 13

RE: Sick of heli makers knowingly selling crap - 2/21/2004 1:26:39 PM