----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Mclarty
To: Sales
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 9:33 PM
Subject: Re: Attention Steve


Steve,

Thank you for the reply. I have flown the plane since I last talked to Dave. I have never crashed it, only knocked the landing gear off due to either either forced hot landing or the last one was a hard landing due to no glide slope. See this thread for more details. http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...a&pagenumber=3 I am also an accomplished pilot and not to brag better than most. I due the bulk of the test piloting for our 170 member club. I know how to handle and fly a plane in this catagory. I am sure this is why this plane is still in one piece with the exception of marks made by the landing gear on the two landings described above. My problem is not so much with the C.G. itself it is with the weight needed to get there. The plane weighs over 14 pounds. I understand you helped a gentleman remove weight, so I will tell you what I have and you can tell me what you think. I have no idea how I can reduce any weight without a redesign. I have built and flown many kits, and scratchbuilt planes. I am from the North were the only thing you do in the winter is build. Now I am in Florida were no one builds so I thought I would get into the ARF game. I know I can save weight, by moving the rudder servo to the fuse, but I will not do that. The plane is designed to have the servo in the tail and should balance to spec that way. The servos in the tail is what drew me to this plane. Here is what I have. Three hitec 605 servos in the tail. Standard extensions with one a reversing "y". A sulivan tail whel and spring (the one with the white plastic base should not be heavy). I have a 20 oz tank in the fuse over the C.G. I have two fuel dots located at the C.G on the left side of the fuse. I have a hitec 422 for the throttle in the tray that came with the model. I added a 1/4 - 20 bolt to the wing, becasue the spring did not seem to be enough. I have a Jtec snuf-vibe mount. I have a YS 140L mounted as for forward as it will go and still stay in the cowl. Actually it is farther forward than what really looks good, but I wanted to squeeze every MM that I could. I have a 2 1/2" MPI aluminum spinner. I have a 18 X 4 APC W 3D prop. The YS has a stock muffler. I have a Hitec 605 mounted in each wing and standard extensions. I have a Hitec seven channel receiver mounted on the inside of the firewall. I have a 1600 MAH NMH 6 volt battery mounted on the inside of the firewall. I used Dubro heavy duty control horns (the ones that are a bolt and the horn srews onto it). I balanced the plane just like any other that I have balanced. I inverted it and placed it on a balance set up that I have. I have it balanced at 4 1/2 inches. This is what Dave recomended I use and he said this is what the test planes fly at. The C.G is fine the plane flys and the pitch is well in control. I balanced the plane right. The main problem is the overall weight it took to get there. I am over 14 pounds. This is way too high of wing loading. I know I can save weight by moving the tail servos into the fuse. I can also move the tank back to the tank location. By moving all three servos to the fuse and moving the tank up front, I may even get to the 10 to 11 pounds advertised, maybe. I feel that I should not have to do that. I was drawn to the plane and bought it for the fact that it was designed to have the servos in the tail. I built and flew a Goldberg extra with a YS 120 in it for years. It is a great plane. They only thing I did not like was the push rods and torque rods on the elevator and rudder so when I saw this one with I servos in the tail and it was still at 10 to 11 pounds I bought it. I bought an arf I want an arf. I see that some people are taking the covering off of the bottom and re-doing the set up. When I build a plane, I always put the control rods or pull - pull systems in before the covering is on. I think it defeats part of the reason why someone wants to buy an arf. With the exception of the landing gear not still attached the plane is all in one piece. The underside of the wing and the bottom of the cowl has a little damage. The wheel pants are shot. It is by far not a pile of sticks. I could have it back in the air in about an hour. I am not trying to get you to pay for a crash that I have caused. I know lots of people that have tried that. I have not crashed the plane, only dorked it in. Under power it landed fine, hot but in my hands fine. The plane is flyable, but it is not what you sold me. I am sure you can not find a way for me to loose 3 to 4 pounds and still keep the servos in the tail as per plan, I would like you to refund my entire purchase price including shiping. If you would like the plane back, I have no problem with sending it to you: I do not want it, you should pay for that expense as well. My basis is I bought a 10 to 11 pound plane (see http://www.creekhobbies.com/extra330.html ) This plane was built as the manufacturer intended and it is 40 percent over target. Your website does not say that it is 10 to 11 pounds if certain modifications are made. I think because of this omition in your advertising, and I bought the plane based on this advertising, you are obligated to make me whole again and pay for all expenses related to this sale. I had far more expenses then these, but I will be happy with the cost of the plane plus all shipping. If we can come to an agreement, I will let the R/C universe crowd know that you satisfied me without disclosing anything you do not want published.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration in this matter.

Robert McLartyy