Mick, dont get me started on how many Airworld hawks I have owned, flown or seen fly with no issue what so ever.

That needs to be qualified. Mick B lost his Airworld Hawk after the fin detached.

The fin spar on the original AirWorld Hawk was poor quality ply, neither long enough or strong enough for the task. Add some fatigue, perhaps rough air and off comes the fin and complete loss of control as happened at a public display.

I originally built my two Hawks with the original fin spar, as I assumed it had been thoroughly flight tested.

After the fin spar broke on one model, fortunately without loss of the model both of my Hawk fins were substantially strengthened and stiffened, its not difficult after removing the jet pipe and working through the airbrake recess. Geoff White flew his AW Hawk with a Pegasus but had incorporated the fin mod. at original build. Many flights with zero problem.

I reported this problem to H-D but don't know if he took any action.

That said, if you are flying an unmodified AW Hawk, you have, potentially, a lethal problem waiting for you.

I still have two AW Hawks (also with much improved landing gear mounts) and now have complete confidence in the structural integrity of the airframe, proven over many flights and now with JetCat 180 RX power, the perfect engine for this model.

The SkyGate Hawk can also be improved in this area too. After seeing the fin flutter on the original SG Hawk in Hungary, I substantially strengthened the supporting structure for the fin post on mine, it looked rather inadequate to me, no doubt caused by the urge to keep the weight down to 20kg.

David Gladwin.