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Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
#27
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
ORIGINAL: FILE IFR
My JL T-45 has been good to me for 5 years. It's still in service.
ORIGINAL: PaulD
I can't vote.
There's no ''They're all crap'' option.
PaulD
I can't vote.
There's no ''They're all crap'' option.
PaulD
My JL T-45 has been good to me for 5 years. It's still in service.
#28
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
My cousin Bruno Borges has a Skymaster Big Hawk and he is really Happy with the plane, he also have a BVM Bandit. I think most of the manufactures has some kind of problems and during the building you have to solve most of the them to fly the aircraft...
#31
RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
ORIGINAL: essyou35
The only person who can really tell us anything, is someone who has multiple models from all the above brands. Any single model could have issues, so multiple samples are needed.
The only person who can really tell us anything, is someone who has multiple models from all the above brands. Any single model could have issues, so multiple samples are needed.
I think it shows how far our expectations have slid when this is the standard. If I buy an ARF and the stabs blow off in flight, I don't think I want to just dismiss that as an incidental flaw. I need to have two stabs blow off in flight to deduce that a manufacturer has a problem building stabs?
I built an ARF for a customer (from one of the mentioned manufacturers) where the thing looked nice from a distance, but it was a total clusterf**k inside. The customer paid extra for the 'super scale' F-15 gear. They were so scale that the doors won't close because of the drag links. The rotating mains landed right where the bypass and engine was, so the bypass/engine had to be moved back which put the pipe nearly four inches out the back of the tail-cone. There were enough things wrong that necessitated redesigns that it was clear that they'd never attempted to put one together before they started shipping the model. That's not "growing pains", that's just a piss-poor company with a piss-poor product and an even piss-poorer attitude about the end-user.
#32
RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
I dont think our standards have changed I just think its what is out there to buy. Until someone talks BVM into producing different and larger scale jets I dont think anyone can really do anything about it. The simple fact is people are buying from the only options out there, it is what it is. I dont settle for bad quality! If I see something thats wrong or needs improvement I dont just complain about it, I offer a solution or possible fix. Just ask Lowell or James if you dont believe me, I have super high standards for my equipment. The most important thing to me when I get a new product is support and continued product developement. I cannot speak for others, I dont have a hobby shop or anything I sale that would require me to say something.
I think its pretty simple, everything has pros and cons. A buyer has no excuse to buy any jet out there blindly, tons of knowledge can be found if you just research a little.
I wish people would be mature shoppers and just research the jet they would like to buy, but it seems more people just ask for opinions.
I think its pretty simple, everything has pros and cons. A buyer has no excuse to buy any jet out there blindly, tons of knowledge can be found if you just research a little.
I wish people would be mature shoppers and just research the jet they would like to buy, but it seems more people just ask for opinions.
#34
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
What good is all that George if your plane falls apart in the air because there is no glue in the proper places? Everyone knows you are a Skymaster pleeb so your stake in this claim means nothing. Skymaster has some good points, best of all landing gear, I think they have the best gear out there when it comes to these ARFS, but if I had to list all the other shortcomings in their kits from hardware package to mounting styles I would be here for days!!! This thread is not a place for company reps, period. This thread is for pilots and builders of said companies aircraft who have no affiliation in ANY other company and have experienced their shortcomings and wants to make future buyers aware of what they are getting into. Fei Bao makes damn good cockpits , Jet Legend is great at glass work (most of the time) and has some really good hardware. ALL of them suck at customer service!!! That is what you give up for the low price of the models.
I think its funny when some people say they have had a model that flies perfect that many others have had issues with. I guarantee you that this person who has tons of flight on one of these jets is an experienced builder and has made MANY modifications. I dare anyone out there to build any of these manufacturers models as is, straight from the instructions and see how long it lasts. It wont be very long and I think most buyers out there know this though.
I think its funny when some people say they have had a model that flies perfect that many others have had issues with. I guarantee you that this person who has tons of flight on one of these jets is an experienced builder and has made MANY modifications. I dare anyone out there to build any of these manufacturers models as is, straight from the instructions and see how long it lasts. It wont be very long and I think most buyers out there know this though.
#36
RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
+1 to everything Ian said. I see each of these planes as a platform that needs to be improved upon to make successful. Some require more work than others.
#37
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Hi
If i could choose/vote i would add CARF (Composite ARF). Building quality of CARF is awesome.
But on the other hand, i have/had a Skymaster Viper where the wings was destroyed by a little heavy, but regular landing on the airfield grasland. After inspection of the wings, we found, in our opionon,the secondmain wing bar, which could be better buildt in with more reinforcement and this was the reason, again in our opinion, for the wing damage. More than 100 wonderful flights without any problems before.
Now i ordered a new Viper, again from skymaster.
Why ?
Overall the Quality of the Skymaster and "Scale"-Style is good. Everything works well, all parts survived :-) over 100 flights and was original, even the air cylinders. Of course, they are not 100%tight and lost a bit air, but no problem for two times gear out and in in the air plus start and landing. All technical details like CG, recommondations for ailerons, flaps and so on was ok.
The service is even OK too. As i build up the first one, i found out, a wrong front gear was built in and can't be driven in,if the servo was installed. But no problem. A short mail to anton and a new front gear arrived within 10 days direct. Of course, there was a lack in the quaility inspection, but it was only a wrong servo plate installed. Anyway, the service was perfect in this case.
Painting and Colour Quality is perfect. Everything fits exact, no different colourshadesbetweenfuselage and wings (Experience with other manufacturers where different colour shadeswas used !!)
Recommendations to improve the quality:
Wider Carbon/Cevlar reinforcement into the wing where the Gear is mounted and a better reinforcement (Carbon Rowings) to the second main wing bar.
Use a bit less glue in the wings :-)
But iknow the only weak point now, from my point of view,and are able to reinforce it by myself if i built up my next viper :-)
In the past, i saw how fast Skymaster picked up information about weak points and solved them. For example, as i orderd my last viper, i read at the same time in a thread here in RC-Network about Gear-Reinforcements which was offered from Sandor from the Netherlands. I ordered them. As i receivedmy Viper , a similar reinforcement was already built in from Skymaster. And the reinforcement in the gear areawas strong enough, because all damages on the wings was outside of this area and the gear itselfhas no damage. This is, was i even expect toofrom a manufacturer: Pick up Information and bring them into the production line without wasting a lot of time.
Another thingis propably one of the most big point of Skymaster: The Landing Gears are perfect about functionality, possibilities of adjustment and quality.
Any question about my voting :-) ?
With best regards from switzerland
Rainer
If i could choose/vote i would add CARF (Composite ARF). Building quality of CARF is awesome.
But on the other hand, i have/had a Skymaster Viper where the wings was destroyed by a little heavy, but regular landing on the airfield grasland. After inspection of the wings, we found, in our opionon,the secondmain wing bar, which could be better buildt in with more reinforcement and this was the reason, again in our opinion, for the wing damage. More than 100 wonderful flights without any problems before.
Now i ordered a new Viper, again from skymaster.
Why ?
Overall the Quality of the Skymaster and "Scale"-Style is good. Everything works well, all parts survived :-) over 100 flights and was original, even the air cylinders. Of course, they are not 100%tight and lost a bit air, but no problem for two times gear out and in in the air plus start and landing. All technical details like CG, recommondations for ailerons, flaps and so on was ok.
The service is even OK too. As i build up the first one, i found out, a wrong front gear was built in and can't be driven in,if the servo was installed. But no problem. A short mail to anton and a new front gear arrived within 10 days direct. Of course, there was a lack in the quaility inspection, but it was only a wrong servo plate installed. Anyway, the service was perfect in this case.
Painting and Colour Quality is perfect. Everything fits exact, no different colourshadesbetweenfuselage and wings (Experience with other manufacturers where different colour shadeswas used !!)
Recommendations to improve the quality:
Wider Carbon/Cevlar reinforcement into the wing where the Gear is mounted and a better reinforcement (Carbon Rowings) to the second main wing bar.
Use a bit less glue in the wings :-)
But iknow the only weak point now, from my point of view,and are able to reinforce it by myself if i built up my next viper :-)
In the past, i saw how fast Skymaster picked up information about weak points and solved them. For example, as i orderd my last viper, i read at the same time in a thread here in RC-Network about Gear-Reinforcements which was offered from Sandor from the Netherlands. I ordered them. As i receivedmy Viper , a similar reinforcement was already built in from Skymaster. And the reinforcement in the gear areawas strong enough, because all damages on the wings was outside of this area and the gear itselfhas no damage. This is, was i even expect toofrom a manufacturer: Pick up Information and bring them into the production line without wasting a lot of time.
Another thingis propably one of the most big point of Skymaster: The Landing Gears are perfect about functionality, possibilities of adjustment and quality.
Any question about my voting :-) ?
With best regards from switzerland
Rainer
#38
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Hi All at the end off the day we are all looking for value for money,if you need BVM quailty you pay BVM prices,i have built and flown over 10 FEJ models,yes in the early days they had some problems with leaking cylinders and heavy models.I have just completed my second FEJ HAWK with the light weight constuction and if it flys as well as my first i shall be well satisfied. At least with FEJ the model comes complete with everything NO extras to add on with a second to none after sales service.I am not sure why they do not advertise there prices but just drop James an email and he will normally come back with a price within the hour and it will be very competative if not cheaper than any of the other chinese companys regards Keith
#39
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Hi every one, I will vote Skymaster. They gave me the best service i could ever have expected from a manufacturer after i came to grief with my Viper jet. John and Anton came to my rescue and sent me all the goodies I needed to do my re build.
Simply the best is all I can say
Stuart (South Africa)
Simply the best is all I can say
Stuart (South Africa)
#40
RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Ian,
While I agree with most of what you said, I have to disagree about who this thread is for. I think it's unfair to assume that because someone is a rep for one product, he cannot speak honestly or from first-hand experience on that product or a competing product. I think some reps often show bias to the point of straining their credibility, but to broad-brush them to the point of declaring a post or thread off-limits is too much.
Let's face it...if you go to a jet meet, how many pilots there are NOT reps for someone? What about ex-reps...can they post? They seldom lose their bias or allegiances just because they're not actively repping a product, right? A majority of those guys have a lot of information and experience to share (including their opinions on certain products) and shouldn't be left out of the discussion because of their affiliation. I think we're all big enough boys to read a post and determine whether we're being fed a load of BS by someone because they're a rep. For my own part, the experience I shared was real and really happened just like I wrote. A am a rep for Y/A, but I have built and flown lots of other stuff over the years. Y/A may be what I compare other products to, but many of those products are better IMO. Some ain't. The reader can discern for himself whether a comment is fair or foul and, like you said, some reps have earned themselves reputations for just spouting the company line.
While I agree with most of what you said, I have to disagree about who this thread is for. I think it's unfair to assume that because someone is a rep for one product, he cannot speak honestly or from first-hand experience on that product or a competing product. I think some reps often show bias to the point of straining their credibility, but to broad-brush them to the point of declaring a post or thread off-limits is too much.
Let's face it...if you go to a jet meet, how many pilots there are NOT reps for someone? What about ex-reps...can they post? They seldom lose their bias or allegiances just because they're not actively repping a product, right? A majority of those guys have a lot of information and experience to share (including their opinions on certain products) and shouldn't be left out of the discussion because of their affiliation. I think we're all big enough boys to read a post and determine whether we're being fed a load of BS by someone because they're a rep. For my own part, the experience I shared was real and really happened just like I wrote. A am a rep for Y/A, but I have built and flown lots of other stuff over the years. Y/A may be what I compare other products to, but many of those products are better IMO. Some ain't. The reader can discern for himself whether a comment is fair or foul and, like you said, some reps have earned themselves reputations for just spouting the company line.
#41
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Looks like Skymaster is the BEST of the "WORST" so far with Fly Eagle Close second.
I still don't understand why Fly Eagle doesn't have a major online distributor that has a website and A PHONE NUMBER, I had someone email me but they didn't even have a site, this is a red flag right there, I mean we are talking about a couple thousand dollars for a plane, should at least have a phone number to call in case anything happens...
I still don't understand why Fly Eagle doesn't have a major online distributor that has a website and A PHONE NUMBER, I had someone email me but they didn't even have a site, this is a red flag right there, I mean we are talking about a couple thousand dollars for a plane, should at least have a phone number to call in case anything happens...
#42
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Near as I can tell, Skymaster gets their airplanes more close to 'finished and tested' than the others. Fly Eagle has had horrible landing gear problems in the past. Fei Bao and Jet Legend have been pretty good I think.
In the end though, as usual, if you want a REALLY good airplane, you build it yourself. All these build threads where people bolt a couple pieces together and install radio and engine make me giggle.
In the end though, as usual, if you want a REALLY good airplane, you build it yourself. All these build threads where people bolt a couple pieces together and install radio and engine make me giggle.
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#43
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
ORIGINAL: ianober
...This thread is not a place for company reps, period. ..
...This thread is not a place for company reps, period. ..
I agree that most of the times you need to take building further and improve it over any manuals.
Regarding who should post in this thread or not,have you think there are "fake/double" members that might be reps too.
At least im not hiding and you are welcome to comment my posts[8D]
#44
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
From the things I've seen with build threads on Skymaster and FEJ jets, many major nodifications had to be made for the parts of the jet to fit together. When the fuel cells don't fit into the fuselage, or are taller than they are longer, you have to wonder if the manufacturer ever put their own jet together and flew it!
When parts don't come close to fitting, that indicates to me that the manufacturer either; never built the jet, or they also had to do major modifications to make it fly, and then decided to sell the jet kit AS IS rather than redesign it to fit/work properly. That was the case when someone asked me to build their Skymaster F-100. After seeing what I had to fix and modify, I declined to do the build, and the owner sold that jet at a major loss rather than risk building and flying a questionable airframe structure where the parts didn't fit.
From what I see and read, Skymaster isn't the only manufacturer with these problems.
But from my perspective, most of the jets coming out of Chinese companies are only meant for static display. The Chinese companies put a nice paint job on an airframe that is questionable, or not airworthy.
When parts don't come close to fitting, that indicates to me that the manufacturer either; never built the jet, or they also had to do major modifications to make it fly, and then decided to sell the jet kit AS IS rather than redesign it to fit/work properly. That was the case when someone asked me to build their Skymaster F-100. After seeing what I had to fix and modify, I declined to do the build, and the owner sold that jet at a major loss rather than risk building and flying a questionable airframe structure where the parts didn't fit.
From what I see and read, Skymaster isn't the only manufacturer with these problems.
But from my perspective, most of the jets coming out of Chinese companies are only meant for static display. The Chinese companies put a nice paint job on an airframe that is questionable, or not airworthy.
#46
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
I have built 3 Skymaster Hawks and one Viper. I am now building an A4 and another Hawk 100.
There quality is very good and their customer service is second to none. Anton and John have been great with me and ofcourse BVM also supports their product.
Just my two cents worth.
Rei
#47
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
Well, that's a first. I've never heard anyone say that about Skymaster/Anton before! Especially about receiving good customer service. Second to none? Hmmmmm....
I'm bored with this topic. Anyone know any good jokes, or have pictures of their last family reunion?
I'm bored with this topic. Anyone know any good jokes, or have pictures of their last family reunion?
#49
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RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
ORIGINAL: powerjets
Nothing ?
ORIGINAL: powerjets
Please share your experience...
ORIGINAL: PaulD
I can't vote.
There's no ''They're all crap'' option.
PaulD
I can't vote.
There's no ''They're all crap'' option.
PaulD
I can probably chime in experience wise with Paul here as we have had the experience together on many of these planes.
Skymaster experience, Viperjet, nice airplane, some awkward build but overall ok however........ One wing was fine, the other wing was missing the top spar!!!!!!!! Nothing on the top of the wing tube socket running down into the wing. This was fixed by cutting the wing skin open, adding a spar, and reglassing the wing skin.
The wing tube itself is garbage, we have seen more than one bend under normal flying loads. Unfortunately this airplane was lost after very few flights, I did not see the crash so I won't comment on the crash itself.
Fly Eagle experience, myself, Stefan and Wolfgang spent hours and hours on the design, cad files etc of the Liberty sport jet. I drew the original idea, Stefan spearheaded the project, and wolfgang used his engineering experience to create the airfoils, moments, and CAD files etc. In the end, the Liberty ended up being very different from those drawings. Certain elements that were designed specifically for flight characteristics were changed by FEJ's. The final product did not look like the original drawings as much as they should have. The airframes for the small ones were very heavy, and the large ones had structural issues. Those issues were addressed by me once I had my kit with extensive emails sent back and forth to no avail. The response I received from James was "we are very busy with scale airframes and the Liberty is not priority". Fine, it's not priority, but there were structural issues, so STOP SELLING IT!!!! Paul was very interested in this airplane before he bought his viperjet and decided against the Liberty after seeing it in person. I don't blame him. There were parts missing in my kit which admittedly FEJ sent out, but they took a while. However, there were air cylinders where the piston pushrod was rusted, their answer was to just polish them up but the pitting in the rod caused major leaks on those cylinders.
I also had a FEJ Rafale which was nice, Paul saw that airplane too, but it took aftermarket cylinders in the gear to make them work too as even the replacements that were sent out leaked just as badly.
Jet Legend experience. A BAE Hawk that has been nothing but a nightmare to deal with, primarily in the paint finish on it. Admittedly, the jet is being repainted, but nobody can give me an answer as to what the original in the mold paint used is and it wrinkles and bleeds through with every type of paint / sealer we've tried on it.
No Fei Bao experience that I'm aware of personally, but you don't hear much in the forums of them outside of the ones that have failed in flight.
These are just personal experiences and opinions. I personally am not interested in any of the chinese kits anymore, but if I were to buy one, I'd buy from Global jet club, never directly. Skymaster has had problems, but on some of their smaller/older designs I'd still maybe own one. FEJ from my experiences, as well as the experiences of others who WERE big FEJ supporters (one in your area in particular) but now would never touch one of their jets again, is a manufacture I'd donate to a museum if I was ever given one of their jets now. I would never fly it nor would I sell it to somebody who wanted to fly it.
#50
My Feedback: (251)
RE: Fly Eagle Vs Jet legend Vs Skymaster vs Fei Bao
HI all, I think we all know who the reps, groupies and get one free flyer's are, so it would be nice to get fare comments from guys to actually pay for their jets.
Reps who respond are just a waste of space.
I personally support Skymaster jets, because of the superb landing gear, engineering and online prices.
Rcpete
Reps who respond are just a waste of space.
I personally support Skymaster jets, because of the superb landing gear, engineering and online prices.
Rcpete