Such is the problem with artf models. Because you have not built them yourself you do not know how badly they are built!
My solution is stick to kits! I have not bought an ARTF plane yet, so i have never experienced these problems. It must be really frustrating. Lets hope that Weston UK can restore their reputation for decent models. Because of what you guys have said i think a lot of people (myself included) will stear clear of Weston uk in the future. Manufactururers don't seem to realise that if their product is dodgy, the word gets out by way of forums.
Luke

SIMON G - I guess you are Simon in NMAC? if so I have to say I thought your new HYPE looks nicely made and easily up to the standard of the Cougar which I felt to be pretty good but with any ARTF there will be compromises.

Regarding Kits - its hard to justify the price of most kits when the equivelent ARTF is often cheaper though I can understand the QA given to a model you build yourself is (normally) going to be better than a factory worker will give it, also you have the knowledge of how to fix it if you thump it - and we all do that eventually - in my case it seems sooner rather than later these days, my thumbs are getting dumber!

Being objective -
ANY manufacturer can have a problem it is how the manage that problem that makes a difference.

If Weston were truly aware that there even may be problems with some of the HYPES they should have publicised that fact and recalled all stock they could find. To do less is not showing a duty of care to their customers and indeed to the general population as who knows what or who a plane will hit when it falls from the sky due to airframe failure.

A question - what attitude would a microlight or light aircraft manufacturer have in such a situation? - Whats the difference between a model and a light aircraft?.

Perhaps a letter to BBC Watchdog would liven things up a bit?

Gone Flyin - Brian

Just to add more oil to the burning fire:

My new 'original' HYPE 3D fell apart last Saturday.

How was incident with Your friend ? What exactelly
did happend ?

I lost complete elevator (in fraction of second, first left, then
right) and plummeted to ground.
Damage report: airframe 100% loss, engine 100% loss,
2 servos from wings are usable....

More or less very expensive crash. I am still waiting for
answer from Weston UK. Got call today (it's Easter Monday!!!)
from EU distributor so he promised to look at it tommorow.

Indy

who is this EU distributor !!!!

Rgds
Alvin

To be honest I still do not know EXACT name of company
but e-mail to [email protected] got me wanted
response. You might want trying that.

That's unbelievable ! Bad luck. I know how you feel as it happened to me months ago.

Just got call from Weston UK.
Not only that they are going to replace plane but they also cover shipping !

Now that's customers service !!!!!

Kudos to Weston UK.

What can I say, I'm waiting for brand new, spanking
HYPE 3D

Flying Brian has got a really good point guys.
If the kits are faulty they should be recalled before one of these hype accidents hurts someone. We can assume that more of these faulty hypes are out there- anyway i guess we will find out sooner or later when a kit breaks up in flight and hits someone.
Sorry for the pessimistic attitude.
Happy flying
Luke

hey Luke...I'm sorry but first of all your guilty of double standards, your sponsored by Pete Tindal - who's poorly designed control horns are responsible for many a good models demise. Also endangering people.

Westons have sold many hundreds of Hypes with few problems. During the construction proccess theres bound to be a "few" that maybe don't get the required amount of glue. or have a slightly weak piece of wood fitted. I'm afraid thats the price we all pay for a performance prouduct at an affordable cost.

Seems the guy with the problem here is very happy with the outcome.

I'm just happy that theres now a selection of 3D/Fun flys out there with the Weston stuff and Al's great Topmodel range that are genuinely light and on the threshhold of Fun fly excellence. But, they also have to be flown accordingly (not implying that all failiures are down to misuse, but a percentage are. I watched a guy at a club a month or so back flying a Hype with a .61 like a pylon racer! I heard it broke and Westons did him a deal on a new one....is that fair on Westons?)

You betcha that I am happy with outcome !!!

Weston redesigned model and changed manufacturer
of the plane but in so many planes there must be one dud.
My bad luck that I've got one

They reacted swiftly and in my beneffit. They could just say
that I dumb-thumbed plane.

My very best compliments to guys at Weston UK.
I received call on Easter Monday from their representative
10 minutes after I sent them description what has happend!

Too bad they have only 3 models in product range.
Now....that Magnum looks very good

Hi Arnie, Please note that they were not infact Pete's product. He was just selling them to any modellers that passed by. As far as i am aware he stopped selling them as soon as he heard of the problem. Of course he could not keep track of who he sold them to.My harsh opinion is that it was the pilot's who had bought the control horn's faults for not checking the strength of their control setups properly- such a thing is easy to do. Besides, i have never seen a Hype break up, and i have almost never seen one fly. I was just commenting on thoughts allready expressed in this thread.
The main overriding factor is that Pete is one of the nicest Guys i have met. I cannot belive it was fault. End of story.If the bloke was flying his hype like a pylon racer, then it is his fault-he was asking for it i am afraid to say. I have seen quite a lot of this- nearly makes me sick- what a waste of a 3d model.Why dont they just by a magnum?

What horns's of Pete's have been breaking up. It's very likely that I have some. Please tell me before something happens

Amen to that !

3D should be flown like 3D.
For buzzing arround I have MiG3 racer for speed adrenaline rush

arnie

Guilty of Double Standards!!!!!!!

Pot calling kettle black Comes to mind!!!!


i know your a mate but i could not let that one go buy un noticed

why dont you put Westons under your name at the bottom like other pilots with a relationship to a manufacturer?

Hi Vease, Greg, isnt it?
I don't know what the horns were exactly cos i never bought them. If i recall correctly i think they were extra long 3d horns. Don't trust my advice though because i am not sure exactly what they were. Just look at your current servo horns- if they are the ones that came with the servos(which they pretty much always do) then they are safe. If you are not sure then just test one of them to breaking point to find out once and for all if its strong enough.
Luke

Ouch Boy.... that did it !........

only what he deserves!!

There were about ten written off planes at the Ascot model show today!One guy at the ascot model show today flying a Wild Card 3d had his wings fold at the bottom of a square loop at full throttle, BANG!. He had no idea why his wing broke! Serves him right- if he was going to do that sort of thing then he should have bought a pattern model. A good thing he was flying over grass and not people.The commentator then started talking about windshear being a possible cause- what a load of rubbish. He should have been flying his model in a way that suited it !

MMMMmmmm

its an old chestnut but one that is so often cracked.....

People want ARTF, that is a good design, it incredibly light, easy to throw together and they want it to be bullet proof aswell.....
EEEErr rarely happens.

Only way you get close to light, accurate, and bullet proof is to build it yourself.....

I flew a Madness for over a year with no trouble - and we know they made a gaff on the centre joiner of the tail plane with the wrong grain direction. But I never broke it and yet I gave it some stick. Yet plenty failed.

Producing an ARTF of extreme performance is always gonna be hard for Weston or anyone cos you will always get a wide group of neanderthals that forget what they are controlling and push it too much.

There is plenty to be said of the first Hype and its weaknesses but really, I think this plane is intended to use full throttle only in a stalled condition and then not for long... Give me any 3D Fun Fly model and I can break it in a single circuit its not hard..... Fly it properly and you are fine...

Its much like a ppattern plane - if you have a properly weighted pattern plane you can snap bits off that too if you abuse it..... these things are designed for a purpose......

I shall be intrigued to hear when the first people start complaining about bits falling off the Capiche..... weve driven it quite hard to ensure it takes a bit of punishment and speed but we have not been lunatics........ someone will though for sure.....

Archie.............mmmmmm peggy!!

Crikey your dishin it out arent you......

Have you heard from John - Has he got everything?

Is it all going to plan?

i let him fly my Diablotin super (i told him to be careful as it was extremely light) and he took off full bore and rolled ..... bang by by tail plane!!

everything is under control Chill dude :rainfro:

am chilled just fine..... my ear is a bit 'ot though !