Erik R

My Feedback: (32)

Andy,

Thanks for the kind words. I hope you're right about the rest. I truly don't know. I also don't blame Dantley and others for being angry and lashing out. I truly hope they can satisfactorily resolve their issues. We all have too much time and money invested in these airplanes. Regards,

Erik

dubd

Erik, I have no ill feelings towards you. I wish you the best with the second plane.

Erik R

My Feedback: (32)

Dantley,

Thank you. I wish you the best also.

Erik

AndyAndrews

Yep, that's what I thought to until I experienced it first hand last year when a close friend of mine had the audacity to offer advice to FEJ at KY Jets after one of their large hawks folded an elevator show central.

And yes it was absurd. It was so absurd, I have no intention of ever going to that rally again.

tj coleman

So is someone saying that FEJ are now offering doubler formers for the honeycomb one's? I have already "doubled Up" the one's supporting the tail feathers on my F-14 with CF plates and Aeropoxy. Still not sure on the rest though. Looking forward to receiving the SM F-14 now which i ordered 3 months ago. Hopefully in time before I'm tempted to fly the FEJ F-14.

FenderBean

Dang I really enjoyed seeing that F-4 phantom with all the ordnance, I wouldnt let that stop you from attending the event and hanging out with friends. It was really awesome seeing you keep your cool on that one take off that took further than I could see to get some speed. Most folks would have paniced and probably buried it. I plan to attend next year and give Jose a run for the most flights logged! I hope to see you there!

jetpilot

My Feedback: (48)

Its funny how many times you have stated this and still people think you were offered a replacement jet.
How many times much you say this?
Scott

smaze17

My Feedback: (60)

It's pretty mind-boggling to think that all of these FEJ threads could have easily been avoided had they just come out and stood by their customers. Instead, they chose to blame and alienate their customers. It is obvious to everyone that there are and have been structural issues with their airframes. What do crew chiefs rely on during a Sprint Cup race? Well amongst other things, they rely on their drivers letting them know what's going on with the car during the race. FEJ needs to listen to their customers regarding their product. But unfortunately they have proven that they care not to do this.

Best of luck Erik. It would be refreshing to see an FEJ success story amidst all the failures.


S

David Searles

My Feedback: (49)

Quote:

Originally Posted by smaze17

It's pretty mind-boggling to think that all of these FEJ threads could have easily been avoided had they just come out and stood by their customers. Instead, they chose to blame and alienate their customers. It is obvious to everyone that there are and have been structural issues with their airframes. What do crew chiefs rely on during a Sprint Cup race? Well amongst other things, they rely on their drivers letting them know what's going on with the car during the race. FEJ needs to listen to their customers regarding their product. But unfortunately they have proven that they care not to do this.

Best of luck Erik. It would be refreshing to see an FEJ success story amidst all the failures.
S

Actually, I would prefer NOT to hear of any FEJ success stories! They would be far too individual, and without merit, considering the almost universal failure of FEJ's business model! The only thing I would like to read anymore re: FEJ, would be if
1 They were to come on to this site and give a complete, total admission of their failures. Not only in their structural design and construction, but also their absolute lack of any customer service integrity.
2. Produce a detailed action plan of how they intend to compensate past owners for their losses. And follow thru with it!
3. Agree to submit detailed plans of how they have not only corrected the known weaknesses of their designs, but also pre-tested those corrections, to insure structural integrity for the intended use.
4. Establish a Bonded US dealer to accept deposits & final payment for future orders, with option for refund, if delivery schedule(of the COMPLETE KIT) is not met. (No more sending funds off to China, with no recourse)

I may have missed a few things, but that's my short list. Other than these actions, any news regarding FEJ IMO is completely worthless! By this time, anyone still putting out their good money for FEJ products deserves exactly what he gets! If it crashes, so be it. Don't bother coming onto RCU and complaining, I really don't give a *****! and I don't think you'll find any sympathy from anyone else either. If it flies great and holds together for a season or two of flying, so be it! You got lucky! Again, I would advise you don't come on RCU trumpeting your success, it would be in very poor taste, considering all who have lost $$$ previously. Don't be surprised if you get flamed horrendously if you do!

Erik, I neither question or condemn your decision to accept another F-16 from FEJ, that's your choice. I do, however, question your decision to report this through this thread. If the jet fails and crashes again due to structural issues, what could you possibly gain by exposing yourself to the absolute and total massacre of abuse you would receive? (The community already knows their reputation, so you'd not be providing anything not already known)If the jet succeeds, again, what is to be gained through your report? One jet, built by an FEJ rep, with unknown modifications is successfully flying. Whoop de dooo! How does the knowledge of this one, very specific instance, effect any of the continuing issues this overall community has with FEJ as a company? What's in it for you? Perhaps this is one you really would be better keeping to yourself. Either way it goes, you're opening yourself to accepting abuse which is better directed at FEJ solely!

David S

AV8ATOR

My Feedback: (5)

Erik, I neither question or condemn your decision to accept another F-16 from FEJ, that's your choice. I do, however, question your decision to report this through this thread. If the jet fails and crashes again due to structural issues, what could you possibly gain by exposing yourself to the absolute and total massacre of abuse you would receive? (The community already knows their reputation, so you'd not be providing anything not already known)If the jet succeeds, again, what is to be gained through your report? One jet, built by an FEJ rep, with unknown modifications is successfully flying. Whoop de dooo! How does the knowledge of this one, very specific instance, effect any of the continuing issues this overall community has with FEJ as a company? What's in it for you? Perhaps this is one you really would be better keeping to yourself. Either way it goes, you're opening yourself to accepting abuse which is better directed at FEJ solely!

David S

​+ 1 Well said!!!

Jetkopter

My Feedback: (1)

You know this thread is just a waste of five pages on RCU, Why didn't you just build the plane, fly the plane and then after a bunch of successful flights give us your fly eagle story. Then MAYBE we could be talking about positive things. I know first hand that they are guessing on how to build a model Jet. The only thing FEJ has perfected is the paint job. The truth is they don't have engineer or any one who can calculate a structural load that works for them. All of this stuff is supposed to be right or close to right before you release the model for sale. Like I said in previous threads, they have some good people around them who are trying to improve the product but they cant get there act together and probably never will. If you have to pay your rep to fly to china to show you what's wrong with your planes you should be picking another business to be in. If you don't have the knowledge required to build a safe model please get over yourselves and hire some who can because none of us want to be at the flight line wondering if you got it right this time.

Erik R

My Feedback: (32)

Just wow. Whoop de doo?!? Don , you too?!? I just lost my Ultra Lightning on the maiden today. I typed a whole report, but RCU took a dump. Everything new, best of the best, and it just sailed away. Futaba 18 MZ, 2 sbus rx's into a powerbox cockpit srs, with redundant 123 batts. Just Fing sailed away. Truly, I don't give a flying crap about what the haters here think. I was just trying to do a good thing. Don't know how much I'll post here forward. Bad day. Bad week. All the best,

Erik

Erik R

My Feedback: (32)

Airplanes400

My Feedback: (349)

That's it !! They need to rename the company to FEG ... Failed at Every Guess.

RCflyerCT

My Feedback: (13)

Erik,

Congrats on the new jet...it looks awesome and I am sure Nir will do a great job on the build. Looking forward to flying with you in Hamburg soon.

Wes

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

David I would bet this one would be off limits. Their business model would not survive.

tlj125

My Feedback: (1)

David is spot on! My FEJ story is one of total loss and shameful response from FEJ. One of the first 1:5.5 scale F16 crashed and burned after elevator failure several years ago. Should FEJ do as David suggests, I would consider buying again. As it stands, I would not and have not done business with them again.

Terry Jacobs

basimpsn

My Feedback: (5)

Wow!! sorry about your Ultra Lightning man 18MZ, two futaba rx and it still flew away ? did the turbine shut down indicating loss of TX signal? that's scary man. Once again sorry about your U/F maiden.

ravill

My Feedback: (11)

VERY scary about that UL. Wow. Sorry Erik.

How is that even possible? I have just a slew of questions! Yikes!

Shaun Evans

Erik,

Sorry to hear about that. That's got to be awful.

Erik R

My Feedback: (32)

Yeah buds,

I downloaded the data from the ecu, which was still intact. last off condition shows "rc signal loss". Engine parameters show full throttle, then end. Everything was brand new. Linkages all still intact after crash, and tested servos with a servo driver. 1 batt tested plenty of voltage. Other was too damaged to test. This is my first radio related loss since switching to 2.4. I believe it was a powerbox failure, not an interference/signal loss issue. New jet is ordered, and I think the engine is repairable. Nothing to do here, except lick my wounds and press on. Thanks for the thoughts.

Erik

Erik R

My Feedback: (32)

Buds,

Also, it didn't just sail away. About 4 minutes in, the jet was dialed, and I was loving it. I did a knife edge pass about 10 ft high. I stayed in it longer, because I was loving the rudder authority, and complete lack of coupling. When I went to roll out, a few hundred yards downfield, it didn't respond. Just kept sailing. I hit the engine kill, then it went into a violent right snap into the ground. The pass was right to left, canopy in, so I was holding right rudder. the engine had shut prior to impact, so no fireball. I believe the engine shut due to failsafe before I even hit the engine kill. Just been a bad week for me.

Next question I know you have is install. Both rx's were mounted below a plexiglass, non-mirrored tray, with 2 antennas above, and 2 antennas below the plate, each 90 degrees to the other. this was to date, the cleanest install I've ever seen in a jet.

ravill

My Feedback: (11)

Does futaba have a system like JR with a little data box that lets you see if indeed you had a failsafe condition?

This might indicate if you had just a weird area where you weren't getting a signal?

Finding an answer just makes me feel better.

Erik, keep your hard earned money longer man. That's enough crashes for anyone. My condolences.

AndyAndrews

Same thing happened to Tony Quist at Tuscon a few weeks ago with his new Ultra Flash. He is a Futaba guy. He took off and the jet decided to basically fly on it's own until it lazily rolled over and hit the gound. Total loss.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Sorry to hear about the flyaway, I think 2.4 has been oversold as being immune to RF problems. I lost a Bobcat on a Futaba 12Z several years ago, sure seemed like a radio failure (RF link) to me but no way to prove it one way or the other. This is the best reason to have RSSI telemetry back to the transmitter, so you know what happened. Does the 18MZ not have that?

Wonder if anyone mass market is going to make a 433 MHz system like the FPV guys use?