I was cleaning up my Giles after flying this evening and noticed the same split in the covering that I had last fall. GP sent me new wing last time. I hope it works out again.
When I load the wing by hand the split opens pretty easy so I fugure I got lucky again only having it crack and not completly blow off the panel.
I don't think I'm stressing it that much but as many as are out there not having a problem. Me breaking two wings makes me wonder.
Later,,,basmntdweller

How much does your Giles weigh?

12lb 4oz with OS160FX. 8800 on 18-6 Pro-Zinger
later,,, basmntdweller

Had the same thing happen to me. I was pulling the servo leads thru the wing with my hand near the wing joint (with very little pressure) and it sounded like rice krispies. Turns out it was a seam in the balsa skin that had split apart and lifted off the wing structure. Hard to fix, had to decover the wing and perform minor surgery. I e-mailed Great Planes for assistance but never got a reply!

Chuck

This split on mine runs from front to rear just outside the forward plywood dowel plate. It's about 2" long. The sheeting is split across the grain not on a seam.
Later,,, basmntdweller

What CG are you guys using?

I was not so lucky. My wing "appeared" to be OK during assembly and close inspection before hand but when it was put to flight, it was a completely different story.

My wing broke/ripped clean in half at the fuse side 2.5 min. into only it's second flight (just over 10 min. total flight time on the plane) on a mild half throttle banked turn. Needless to say, it was a total loss including my new Saito four stroke, on board glow driver, receiver, spinner, servos...etc...etc... It also came down into the location of several spectators were standing but very thankfully managed to clear out before it hit.

I contacted Great Planes and they told me to ship it back to them for inspection. Well (this is where my faith in Great Planes totally vanished), after a couple weeks I received a new kit with an inspection note inside stating "there was nothing wrong with the kit and if I had the same problem again, I would possibly be charged for the replacement kit"!

In my eyes, there is only one of two things that could have happened, either the wing/kit was faulty or I assembled it wrong (I've assembled over two dozen ARF's and several scratch/kit planes before this one. I'm not stating that I could not have made a mistake but, the location of the failure was not in an area where my assembly was involved). Under no circumstances with a mild banked turn and an engine well within the recommended range at half throttle should any plane experience a catastrophic failure that I encountered on that day.

I'm sure others feel different but, from that day forth, my hard earned has been spent elsewhere and will from now on. My faith in Great Planes products has been lost.

FWIW,

433rd

Seems like everyone that sends warranty items to Great Planes Product Support receives the same sort of note. "Our products are never at fault; you ham-fisted modelers keep messing things up. We are just replacing/repairing your item 'cause we're nice."

More likely that their legal department won't allow them to admit there is a problem.

Look on the bright side. At least they replaced the kit. Better that than nothing.

I talked to GP today. Was told to send it in and they would get a replacement wing kit out to me.
later,,,basmntdweller

Hi all,

>>"Our products are never at fault; you ham-fisted modelers >>keep messing things up. We are just replacing/repairing your >>item 'cause we're nice."


This has been the standard mode of operation. This was also the case with their FX engine liner fiasco. Their standard reply is you either are running it too rich or too lean. It is not GPs fault that the liner is peeling. Go figure!!!

Azhar