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Old 11-13-2004, 02:03 PM
  #5  
bkuns
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Default RE: Funtana 90 and CA hinges

Mike

Let me introduce myself. My name is Bob Kuns, I was one of the original founders of Airflair. We last met at the GCRCC Flying Circus last year.
I started and stopped flying an F90 one day back in August. I set up my plane with a Saito 100, I used DuBro giant scale hinges and sealed the hinge gap top and bottom with clear covering. On the second flight, coming out of a low G turn, we all heard a loud crack and the wings, not the ailerons, started fluttering. I was able to land safely with no further damage. The wing spars had cracked. Amazingly the spars broke inboard of the end of the aluminum tube. I have only seen two other F90's, both owned by the same person and his wings failed in the same manner as mine on the first flight of each plane.
Having 30 years experience in RC and 10 years as a kit manufacturer, I am very confident in saying that the material used for the spars is totally inadequate.

In the very short amount of time I flew the F90, I was extremly pleased with its flight characteristics. BUT now its the middle of November and I have yet to receive my replacement wings.

In my opinion, Horizon would reap great PR benefits by publicly admitting the engineering shortcomings of the F90 wings and expediting the remedy of the problem.

Yours truly,
Bob Kuns