RE: Futaba 6014 receiver heat issue
Ryan,
Yes you gamble when you fly - but due dilligence basically says you did everything reasonable to put your plane in the air in a safe manner - spectators can reasonably expect to not get hit by a run-a-way aircraft.
Example 1: I fly my Nieuport 28 with a Futaba 9C and PCM reciever - same as I flew last year. I check everything out. It all appears to all be good based on my years in the hobby. Something happens - I can state that I reasonably did everything I could to avoid such an incident.
Example 2: Someone new approaches me and askes me to check out their Nieuport 28 and give it a test fly. It is built just like mine. It has a Futaba 8UA Tx with PCM reciever. I personally know Futaba had a design defect on early 8UAs that would cause them to quit transmitting. There is documented evidence I know. I fly it anyway without checking that the Tx had the proper fix - something happens - I am in deep do do.
Right now there is a question about the 6014 failing if it is used in the same manner as we are all accustomed to. The documentation basically states this it should be mounted and used the same. I use it anyway - there is documentation on RCU that I knew about the potential risk and ignored it. In any lawsuit, I am dead meat.
Like I said, you can gamble - I don't like to given what can happen. I have had my share of mishaps over the years - hit a house once - but in good faith I did all that was possible to retain control over my aircraft. I lost control over a 26 pound Carden Extra 300 due to the 8UA - I still remember standing there praying it wouldn't hit anyone and cause injury - I just didn't want to see anyone get hurt - I didn't have time to consider a lawsuit.
I had my doubts about Futaba's system before the Toledo show - but one of their executives assured me it was one of the best systems on the market. Now there is a question and Futaba refuses to answer. It doesn't take a month to do an evaluation by a group of competent engineers - and I believe that Futaba has competent engineers - something else is going on - and I don't care to speculate here. What I do know is that Futaba is an industrial giant in electronics - not just RC. Yes, they have had the technology for years - but I believe they were pushed to market by Spektrum - in fact, I believe that if Specktrum had not brought their product to market, there would be no Futaba FAAST system right now - there would be no economic reason to do so.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Dan