What I am getting at is that your posts sound like (not saying that you intend for it to be) its just bashing a brand on the basis that your friend's plane is overweight, along with a few here on RCU. Hell, mine was overweight too!
I'm not really bashing on the brand. I have owned 2 fliton planes and they were fine. What I'm bashing is the fact that fliton KNOWS there are at least a few Elements out there, but doesn't do anything to correct it. They know who they shipped it to, if they really wanted, they could recall the heavy ones. It probably wouldn't even be needed to open the boxes, the weight difference is so big, it would probably show just by weighting the entire box.
I agree, FAI rules DO NOT allow for the planes to be 1g over 5kgs. But it is not that all the Elements are overweight and they happily are misleading the consumer.
Not all Elements are overweight, but THEY ARE willingly misleading the customer by not recalling the heavy ones.
Some in RCU have owned it and flown it and its as per advertised by the manufacturer. Do those planes not get any credit.
They do. I clearly state, several times even, that there are light ones out there. That doesn't change the fact that if you purchase one, you might get a heavy one.
Also, by replacing mine Fliton has shown that they are solving a problem that I have with my Element, not to forget that they know why it got overweight.
By not even responding to other peoples inquiries about it, they have shown not to be consistant in their after-sales support.
Hey, how did an Element cost between 1,000-1,500 EU?
A basis airframe does not fly. I was talking about the plane including engine, servo's and so on.
TN ... I think you missed the point, please don't say I am a rare form in that sort of patronising manner. In my personal experience about the Element problem, Fliton has not ignored me. An explanation was given and a solution along with it, to my satisfaction.
Now let me turn the tables on you a bit.. you were saying you thought that because I know someone with 1 bad plane, I wash bashing the brand Fliton, or at least, that was the impression you were getting. Well.. it seems to me that since you were helped, you think they'll help everyone, which in fact has not been the case, so far.
what about those that are not overweight?
If they send my friend one, I'll talk about those. As long as they haven't, I can't, since I haven't seen one yet
You think its because they could not care less? If they could not, I will not be getting a replacement of which they assure will weigh in as advertised. Perhaps maybe 1-2g heavier but I can live with that.
A few gram deviation is normal, they wouldn't be the first manufacturer to be somewhat on the optimistic side in that respect, but this is more than a few gram. And again, they might be helping you, they're not helping everyone - so far.
Despite all the above problems ALL the above sold like hotcakes.
Again, for instance, a weak wing can be reinforced. A plane that's to heavy, cannot easily be made lighter.
I'd rather have a plane with a faulty wing bolt mounting plate (as long as you know before flight) than one that's way overweight. The first is easy to fix, the second isn't.
Fliton's main problem is their failure to handle customer service properly. That is why its boiled to a point that people feel they are trying to rip hobbyists off. But are they? Let's be fair.
In all honsty.. yes the way it is now, they did rip my friend off. Maybe not intentionally and I'm not saying they're ripping everyone off, but right now they're letting customers pay the bill for a fault somewhere down the construction line. A fault they could have and should have fixed, or which they should at least fix afterwards. It's nice for you that they helped you, but they also let you suffer the problem in the first place.
Fliton makes nice planes at a nice price. If just for funflying, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a fliton if the model and color scheme would suit me. However, these are not 'funfly' airplanes, they're ment to fly contests with, but since it's overweight, one can't.
Again.. the fact that they helped you out, doesn't change the fact that a) they haven't helped everone and b) it seems they have done no effort at all recalling the heavy ones, or informing the public about the existance of them.