bjr_93tz

Thanks Jim, I reasonably expected the plane would have come out at 4.95-5.0kg with cdi given the advertised weight, bear in mind that Oxai models aren't thick on the ground in my club, expectations were based on weights others had posted on the 'net. In an ideal world a non-cdi 160-170 powered Aries should be flying at about 4.75kg.

Volkert, the final weight was a shifting value as my power system was always going to be a work in progress, however I could not make 5050g with lightweight leads, R6008HS 2.4Ghz RX and a 10A regulator with a 450mAh 2S lipo feeding BOTH rx and ignition. Yes it would do one schedule but you wouldn't want to stay up too long. All other equipment was esentially "recommended" stuff K&S fuel tank, aluminium fuel lines, go-model control horns, recommended Futaba servos. I was not going to replace $500-$1K worth of new servos to drop 2 ounces. The plumbing in the engine bay is minimal as I know how heavy silicon tubing is. With a lot of work and a lot more $$'s you could get in under 5050g but in all honesty, it would be a flying accident looking for a place to happen and that's not a risk I'm prepared to take. It's probably back to about 5.3kg now.

I've baged my own DLG's and know full well that to save 20 grams, first find 20 places to save 1 gram. The secondary issue is that the COG of the bare airframe is behind the COG of the finished airframe, I need the CDI, battery and APC prop to balance, otherwise I have to relocate the gear from where it's designed to go. You can't simply compensate for excess weight behind the COG by removing weight from in front of it.

Just like it seems in the US, nobody checks the weight in Australia and I suspect that is one of the main reasons why this particular airframe was sent here. Oxai would have known from the time it sent the wood to the laser cutter's that this was going to be a heavy plane. Perhaps like balsa, Oxai should advertise "competition" versions of their planes at one price and flog off the "sport" versions like mine at a more reasonable price.

I've probbably been a bit harsh on YS as it has been a great motor and YS did look after me first time around, but the timing and nature of the second problem really got to me. It's not every day the Nats are so close. I probably could have taken a firm "No" from YS on the chin but to be completely ignored under the circumstances, that's cost them any respect I did have for them. Forcing me to buy parts that I'm sure are going to fail just as quickly isn't helping their case either.

I suppose anyone starting out in the sport can take away from this that buying the big name equipment doesn't mean your going to get quality, value, or good service if/when you have a problem with it....