zipnsplat

My Feedback: (33)

posted this on another site, but would like your comments...

Guys, was flying at the field a couple weeks ago on a nice sunny day. Was on about my 4th flight when all of a sudden my 50cc Aeroworks Extra 300 stopped receiving input. Nosed in from about 300 feet and completely destroyed my plane, busted up the DA50, and stripped 2 servos. Looked down at my radio and it displayed 0V! Tried to get into the settings menu, but the Tx was completely locked up. Couldn't do anything. Turned it off and back on and poof, everything started working again.

Called Hitec to tell them what happened. They said sorry, send us the radio and we'll fix it. I told them that I wanted compensation after loosing approx $1100 because my Tx locked up. They quickly referenced their warranty disclaimer stating that they are not responsible for any incidental damages!

Does this seem right? I sent the radio in to Hitec and they were able to replicate the problem, so we know that it was their fault. Shouldn't they cover my expenses? I have several calls into them trying to get this resolved.

I am a huge Hitec fan, but I'll be honest, this has put a bitter taste in my mouth with them. They said they fixed the radio, but honestly, I'm scared to use it again...

Thoughts? Suggestions?

dignlivn

I agree with you, I would not use that radio again.

Sorry for your loss. Have you thought about a
Futaba Radio ?

JMO,
Bob

zipnsplat

My Feedback: (33)

Nah, I switched from JR when I went with the Hitec Aurora 9.

Wanna buy it? I'll give you a sweet deal!

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

Radio Manufacturers have never offered to replace lost airframes when a radio goes south. If they had to cover losses like that, the price of radios would soon go out of control. Then you get into the argument that if you had somebody build your plane, what was it really worth? What if you scratch built it from your own drawings, it might be worth 50,000 to you.
Liability on something like this is a very slippery slope. Does it suck that you lost your airframe from an obvious defect, yes sir it does, can the hobby afford to cover stuff like that, no way!

That being said, I will give you 20 bucks for the Aurora

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

Sorry for the issue but basically you are out of luck. The manufacturers warranty disclaimer is pretty airtight legally.

Must be a software glitch if Hitec could reproduce the problem and it undoubtedly is now corrected.

This issue provides good reason to test fly new equipment several hours in a beater airplane. If if all goes well, enjoy it.

phantomdriver

Get a Futaba and be done with it. I struggled with Horizon over radio issues and no success.
Best money I spent on the hobby so far. 12 FGA. Period. Sorry to hear your loss. I know the
feeling when things go astray and you pocket book hits the dirt. I'm surprised they admitted
duplicating the problem. That being said they should look at this closer.

rcdude7

My Feedback: (264)

It is a shame that you lost a fine plane because of a TX failure. I hate to say it, but it is the nature of our hobby that this sometimes happens. If our radio systems had double or triple redundency features built in they would be too expensive for the average guy to afford and would probably not sell anyway. I think this could have happened with any common brand currently on the market as they are all built to compete in the same market and are pretty much the same as far as quality goes.

zipnsplat

My Feedback: (33)

I sent the radio back to Hitec. They were able to duplicate the problem. They said it was a cold solder joint on the power connector...

dhal22

dang, a manufacturing defect. that sux.

corsair-wb

I had on of the hitec radio's ( the one that replaced the prisim 7 ) and had a problem with the throtle on all of my heli's. I sent it in and they said they fixed it but it did the same thing ( whe at idle it would jump to full power and the same with it at high idle it would goto low idle) I did set the trim up so that it would not happen anymore but still could not trust the radio.

Have to love my Futaba

kksiu2002

My Feedback: (4)

Futaba ain't that great either. Mine had a jammed stick. I ended up having to send the unit back to Hobby Services three times. On the first two times, they broke something else. Things are just not made like they used to anymore. There's just too much competition. Everybody has to cut corners in order to stay in business. Consumers get bad quality controlled product. Every now and then, a consumer gets screwed big.

ss40

So what did they reproduce. What was the problem? You must have received a detailed explanation of what went wrong??

$30 for the Aurora!

rambler53

My Feedback: (494)

Quality control in a loaded product is risky at best. My Futaba radios have been problem free for over 30 years.
Touch screen is going too far I think. Sorry about the lock up and losses. The crash is damage they'll never cover.
Claims how great the radio is/was are going to slow down until more field time proves whether this is a fluke or a major recall. Boasts of Hitecs low price can cost you a lot down the road as in this case. The old adage comes to light once again, you get what you pay for.
No one would like to lose $1100 or enjoy someone else losing $1100 due to faulty inferior equipment, prematurely advertised to be the best.

nghttrnrdr06

JR 9303 is my answer..

rambler53

My Feedback: (494)

...

ARUP

2.4 has its problems so I'm staying with my 72 radios. Sorry about your loss. Be very glad it didn't crash into someone or something and cause extra damage! Some folks have recommended Fut radios. I fly Airtronics mostly but the other day I got one of my Fut radios that hasn't been touched in >2 years and amazingly the transmitter and receiver batteries charged up like new from dead flat status! I cycled them to evaluate their 'holding' power and they were okay. This is only anecdotal evidence about the batteries, anyway, but it gives me a good feeling about the rest of the Futaba system! Good luck with your 2.4.

sweetpea01

My Feedback: (10)

Your post has nothing to do with this thread. Stay on topic.

This is not a 2.4 issue but a QC issue with a solder joint that powers the radio.


Next you'll say its a racist radio or some other B.S. spin. This is outta control.

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Hmmm, manufacturing defect.

Lets say the plane had hit someone on the way down. I wonder just how airtight that disclaimer really is.

Maybe we should ask Toyota.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

When Airtronics first starting selling the RDS8000 (I think that's spelled right) it had a problem with one of the IC's. If voltage dropped for just a moment to a certain level, the system shut itself off. They replaced any radio that displayed that behavior with no explanation. I know a few people in the inside, and that is where I got this information. They used the cheapest parts they could find. This didn't cost me a plane, but it did for a buddy of mine at the field.

Chances are, HiTec used the same chip and will likely do the same "silent recall."

The new Airtronics systems use the better chip. I'll bet that is what they (you) are dealing with. I believe they DO owe you a refund for your total loss, but I doubt you will ever see a penny.

Funny, the same type of attitude was used by Toyota and see where it got them.....

Highflight

My Feedback: (4)

How did we get from "cold solder joint on power connector", which was the stated problem, to "Chances are, Hitec used the same chip (as Airtronics) and will likely do the same"?

I really wish people would read a thread before coming in and making stuff up that has nothing to do with the topic.

ejc34710

Wow. So sorry for your loss. I would be raging. Im using a Futaba 6EXA (original FM, no dual rates or expo on rudder) and was JUST ABOUT to order the Aurora 9. I liked everything about it. Welp, not now!!! Im sticking with Futaba as they have served me well in the past. That is about the worse thing that could happen. Im mad enough when i wreck my planes. but when a new flagship radio is the cause, whew, i woulda probably used it for a baseball. I bet everyone who reads this wont be buying a hitec radio anytime soon!!

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

If you believe the "cold solder joint" explanation, then I would agree with you. Most electronics, however are wave-soldered and there are few such possibilities.

Years ago, JR radios had a lot of unexplained failures and it was connected to using glass fuses and clip holders. A lot of planes went down as a result.

Prop_Washer2

My Feedback: (26)

And by the way, Futaba isn't in the battery making business. Most Futaba batteries are Sanyo. Futaba has had it's share of problems, and JR has had issues as well. One cold solder joint isn't the end of the world for the manufacturer. It sounds a little strange when the Voltmeter reads Zero, then whats powering the voltmeter indicator? Anyway what do I know, I am just an inspector for NASA...(Soldering, Polymeric, SMT, CC&H).

My A9 has yet to fly, but I will put it through my shake test, and battery cycle test before I install it in a big plane. I'm gonna throw it in my GP Giant Stick to get some time on her...

toolmaker7341

Just bought an Aurora 9 and will buy another. I own all the brands and never had a single problem other the wore out pots from heavy use. How much time before the crash? I always fly a new radio in an airplane that I don't care about with cheap servos for at least an hour of air time. Any manufacturer can have a cold solder joint. We want radios as cheap and as good as it could be with all the bells and whistles. The cost would go up ( alot ! ) if the manufacturer had to check each solder joint under a microscope. The owner can take the radio apart and check it themselves with a loupe or jewelers visor if they so chose. Just my 2 cents.

zipnsplat

My Feedback: (33)

Had about 12 flights on the Tx when it locked up...