EDIT: Got a call from Ace Hobby and Hobbytown and was told to send the Raptor back for replacement. I sent it back yesterday so it looks like at least two more weeks before I find out for sure. Jeff Fassbinder at Ace is who I talked with and he was very helpful. I just wish this had been done at first. $60 total shipping and 6 weeks wait on my part is not pleasant. Anyway maybe its going to work out.

That's why I always say buy the kits and put it together yourself, that way you know it is put together right. Those people putting those helis together don't care, and why should they when they are probably only getting about $1.50 an hour. I have read a lot of horror story's over the years about ARF's flying apart. You can have problems with any heli, but at lest if you put it together yourself you have peace of mine. Sorry for your lose, hope you get it straightened out

Ditto

I had a Muffler Break in mid flight last season that destroyed my R50. I emailed Ace a few times and got the run around. Long story short I bought a new 60 kit.

You have to see it from TT's point of view, they don't know if you went out and Dumb thumbed it into the dirt and are just trying to get a new kit or not. It's a tough call.

Yeah I can see that point to a certain extent but someone who knows helis should be able to look at the remains of this and get some idea of how it hit. The tail section had no dirt, scratches or dings so it obviously did not hit. The gear was broke and dirty. One blade broke right on the tip, I assume after it took out the boom on impact. The other does not have a scratch.The rest of the heli was clean so you can assume that it hit skids first, straight down, which it did. That, along with the screw the way it is, should be enough to support my claim. Now if it had been damage all down the side(s), front or back, dirt imbedded inside little holes everywhere I would think that someone lost control and came in hard on the side or with some forward, back or sideways momentum. It just so happened here that I was in a hover at an altitude that didn't allow time for autorotation but enough to cause damage.

Of course I guess someone could dumb thumb one straight down but if that had been the case I would not even be attempting to continue with helis.

I do see your point though.

By the way, I had a muffler incident myself on my JR Venture. The engine engine died at about a 10 foot hover right after the muffler halves came apart. I emailed JR, told them what happened, listed what had broke but was only expecting a new muffler because it had only done slightly less than crash kit damage. The send me a new muffler, a crash kit and it didn't take 3 weeks.

You have to look at it from their point. They get a lot of calls from people who crash helis for many reasons, and every one is pissed and blame the heli. No, they could never have crashed the heli themselves.

They gave you a crash kit and some of the parts. Granted, they maybe didn't give you all the parts, they missed it, but they gave you a lot more than many companies would have. Deal with it, fix it, fly it and have fun. If it is going to break you, maybe you should think about a new hobby. Basket weaving is pretty cheap.

Helis cost money, and crash for many reasons. You either have to suck it up, or forget it.

Fix it and go have fun and forget it. Your not going to get a new heli out of them no matter how loud you get, and if you did, whats to say you don't crash that one too?

Just my 2 cents.

I just got off the phone with Jeff at Ace and Don at Hobbytown and was told Ace is going to replace the heli. I will wait and see. I'm back where I was 1 month ago. Sending the heli back in, which is going to take a week, and then at least another week.

I agree with you Flyboy but in some cases its actually not the fault of the consumer. If everyone let flaws go without question it would eventually get to where there was no such thing as a warranty because there would be no need for one. If this were a money issue and I was just wanting a new heli for something mistake I made, I would not have gone out and bought another one while I waited for an outcome.

Concerning your comment about them not sending enough parts and that they just missed it, I don't agree. They have had the heli in their hands for a minimum of 2 weeks. Plenty of time to determine what was needed and send the correct parts.

As far as crashing the new one if I get it, as I said I bought another one and already have been flying it for weeks. If I get the new one its either going back to hobbytown and being exchanged for a JR, Hirobo or set aside as a backup. If either is crashed due to something I did or did not do then I will buy whats needed to fix it.