The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I was wondering if anyone else has had problems with the Interlink controller. Just recently, mine broke. And I know what you're thinking, "this guy just doesn't know how to use it." Well, its hard to make that claim with someone who has been flying for five years. When I opened it up, I found a huge design flaw. The springs connect to an arm that pivots around a tiny plastic pin (open it up and see what I'm talking about). Basic fatigue caused pin this pin to break. I am sending it back and getting it replaced, but wonder if anyone else has had the same, or similar, problem with this controller.

I am surprised that Futaba would associate themselves with this thing. It is poorly designed, cheaply constructed, and nothing like the Futaba I know (again, look inside and see for yourself). I know that if something breaks on the simulator controller, then it isn't as big of a deal as one breaking that is controlling a 10 lb plane flying at 70 mph. Great Planes probably told them to make it as cheaply as possible, but there comes a point where you're reputation is more important than saving money or winning a contract.

Let me know your opinion of the controller or if you completely disagree with what I'm saying.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Quality Control issues with the Interlink has been a known issue for a while now. Futaba claimed to have let a "bad batch" slip by. I agree with your point that it's poorly designed, but at the same time, I don't agree that it's Great Planes's fault either... Futaba made the thing... The quality of Futaba Tx units has gone down quite a bit in the 30 years I've been around this hobby. Great Planes and Knife Edge (the programmers) are actually doing a great job (IMHO) of replacing defective units.

If you have one of the bad units, call GP support and let them replace it for you. Opening the case voids the warranty, and may make it problematic for them to replace it. I doubt the makers of FSOne would appreciate everyone opening up the interface box either....!

Reading about all the Interlink problems, you'd tend to believe that it's a wide spread problem. But I also wonder how many thousands or millions of completely happy customers are out there that never say a thing about it...?

Oh, and my 2 Interlink controllers are both going strong. One is just under a year old, and the other came with the very first version of G3 that Tower Hobbies sold...

-Case

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

It says it right on the controller, "By Futaba".

They made it and signed it. If they thought that GP was asking them to make a weak or defective product they didn't seem to mind doing it. Anyone who signs their work is responsible first and foremost for that work.

That said, I got back into the hobby after a long layoff. First thing I noticed was the Futaba I bought when coming back in wasn't what I expected from Futaba. I've since switched to another brand. They aren't the first company to build a large customer base with quality, and then start cutting quality to increase profits.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

BTW, the idea that opening up a TX automatically voids the warranty needs to be explored.

The instruction manual that came with my Futaba has a section that explains how to tighten the gimbal springs and suggest replacing them with stronger ones if tightening isn't adequate. I also notice that the case screws, that years ago were "sealed" with paint to indicate whether or not the TX had been opened, are not sealed nowadays. I would suggest that opening the case no longer affects the warranty at all.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I ought to try to see if I can adapt my DX7 to the sim. That would be better than any futaba on the market.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

When I got the controller, I tried to tighten the springs but realized that option wasn't available. So, I like using my real controller instead since it doesn't feel cheap and is exactly what I will be flying with. I just don't like having to charge my transmitter after a day of simulator flying.

And funny thing is that one of the reasons I didn't get FS One was because I thought the controller felt cheap. I guess I kicked myself in the face on that one.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

One of my control sticks let go.

I just called KE and they sent me a brand new one.....free of charge.!!

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I agree that opening a Tx is a necessary thing. The INTERLINK, however, is NOT a Tx... it's a dongle that serves as copy protection for the software. If KE allowed anyone to open the box, their proprietary copy protection would be invalid.

Anyone remember the old Packard Bell PC's they put out in the early 90's? The things were painted shut, with big warning stickers about voiding your warranty if you opened the box. Problem was, I worked for an ISP that would install a free modem or NIC when you signed up for service. So here we are, adding to the capabilities of users' machines, but voiding Packard Bell warranties every day doing it...

-Case

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

One of my sticks let go also . Hobby Services replaced - said they were aware of the defect

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

One of my switches broke, when to the train section of the lhs, bought a new one and installed it. I don't really understand why everyone has such high expectations. "You mean this cheap plastic thing with a chip in it and sticks on it is actually suseptable to breakage!?!? Like OMG!"

Thats just the way I see it.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I don't think you really understand where we are coming from. This is about quality. If you compare this controller with the others that Futaba makes, or did make, you will see that the Interlink controller is crap. I broke it after 3 weeks of use. I have had my 4 channel Futaba transmitter for five years and have not had one problem with it.

Also, I'm an engineering student and know quite a bit about structures and how things should be designed and built (I've done a lot of design work outside of school). In looking at the Interlink controller, I found several obvious flaws that even the most incompetent engineer would spot and fix. The thing is, Futaba, and as far as I know Knife Edge and Great Planes (no proof to dismiss this claim), want to put more money in their pockets by telling their engineers to design junk. They don't care if the product they sell is crap. They don't care about keeping their customers happy. The only people they care about are themselves and I'm sick of what seems like every other corporation in America doing the same thing. Instead of making things more efficient, they go the easy route and reduce quality to save money.

I know I'm ranting and I apologize, but there comes a point where enough is enough. And this is it.

Oh, and the nice guy at Knife Edge told me that the controller has been redesigned. We will see in a week or so if he was right.

EDIT: Added the last paragraph

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Hatty-

I feel your pain man... let's look at it another way. All of the major sims have fallen into a price bracket somewhere between US$160 and US$200. Toward the upper end of this scale are the sims that come with a controller. Toward the lower end of this scale are the sims that do not. If we only compare those sims that have a controller available (and price in the US$200 neighborhood), G3's Interlink Plus is the best there is. (Have you picked up a controller from any of the other sims? Pure Junk that doesn't feel anything like my real Tx.

Now if we look at the sims in the $160 range (without a controller) realize there's a price to pay for that option too... setup time. It took a week to get my 7CAP working with FS One. Phoenix and Reflex picked it up with zero configuration issues, but I've not mapped anything beyond the basic 4 channels yet.

Personally, I think I'd rather see KnifeEdge put their dongle in a box instead of the controller, and drop the price to US$160 (or so) without the Interlink. Only problem then is you'd have a bunch of cheap folks trying to save $40 who can't get their off-brand park-flyer controller to work because they don't want to take the time to setup the channel mapping and software radios. Leave the $200 option available, just don't make us buy it if we're willing to spend the time configuring our own Tx.

I really don't believe that KE or GP told Futaba to "make the thing cheap so we can pocket an extra $5"... In business, there is a given margin that must be made to stay in business. There is an even higher margin that must be maintained to profit. The upper end of what GP can charge for RealFlight has been dictated by the industry, demand and the competition. I would imagine they had a fixed budget in mind to spend wholesale on the Interlink, and told Futaba, "what can you build us in X quantity for X dollars?" The rapid prototype machine spits out what looks like an Interlink, everyone oohs and aaahs at it, and Futaba fires up the assembly line. The problem here really strikes me as a QA issue, rather than a design issue. My Interlink was "designed" the same way as yours, and works fine. Your's just slipped by QA with some bad plastic (maybe a heat seam, dust particle, 1/2 micron difference, bad batch of raw chemical, etc...)

I wonder who will be the first to release a new "Tx" model without the RF circuitry - just to fly simulators? And has everyone checked out the Spektrum module that will fly FS One with your DX7 wirelessly? Interesting!

-Case

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

On my interlink the cable broke at the top of the controller the top left (flight mode) switch literally fell out and the stupid pin thing broke on the elevator. [:o] No more 3D heli flying for me :(

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Boys,
Everyone needs to rant every once in a while. But we really don't know what Futaba is thinking. Nor do any of us actually have a clue WHY they did anything. We weren't sitting in on their corporate meetings, nor witness to any of the design process. To be unhappy with a product that didn't stand up to our use is human. Unfortunately, to go off the deepend and state the manufacturer's motives and though processes is also human. And usually blows all our other arguments. When we throw in "what THEIR motives were, or what THEY were thinking", it simply turns your otherwise worthwhile observations into just so much noise.

This needs to be detuned.
None of us have any possible way to know if the engineers were told to design junk. The idea that "they don't care if the product is crap" is a rather silly notion. You had a pretty good rant going until you threw in that. And it's overboard to think every corportation in America is doing all that nonsense.

The InterlinkPlus controller/dongle I have is not even close to being junk. There are two local hobby shops in the area that have had both RealFlightG3 and FSOne displays going since back before Christmas. Neither of them have replaced their controllers and them suckers have seen some pretty rough use.

Rants work best when they don't include the silly flights of "insight".

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

There was a vendor at the Perry Georgia Swap Meet last year that was selling Futaba "Transmitters without RF" for something like $30. He had a table full when the doors opened. As we were leaving the 2nd day, he was down to one or two stacks.

You want a laugh? I heard at least two different groups talking about using "them thangs" later. To fly their park flyers.....

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I bought my new RealFlight G3.5 this past Sunday and after 2 days of flying it the right gimble centering spring (elevator) let go. It popped and I thought "what the heck was that" then noticed the stick acted like the throttle stick. I thought to myself "danged, and I read about this happening". Well, I called GP support and they said I should return it to the LHS where I bought it, and if they didn't take it back then to call them back and they'd exchange it. I sure didn't wanna have to wait 2 weeks after I buy the thing to play it again. To my suprise the hobby shop exchanged it for me, with receipt in hand of course. So I give them props on handling the situation, but did overhear 2 folks behind the counter talking about how I should've contacted GP about it instead of bringing it back. Too late! I had my new one in hand. The only drawback was I had to uninstall and reinstall the software due to it being coded to the Interlink. No problem, though.
Now I'm using my new DX6 transmitter (which has been a bear to map out the channels correctly...another story in itself). It works fine now. I've resigned myself to either using the DX6 or my older Futaba 7ch.

~Ron

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I have the same issue with mine. My throttle stick is messed up bad. I have only had this sim for about a month now. I loved it when it worked but now I am not so sure what to think. I need to send it in. Sometimes the th. works and most of the time it does not. Will they fix it? Or charge a fee for this?

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

I can almost bet for a certainty they will repair/replace it for free. They've been nothing but helpful when it comes to the problems with my sim. First problem I had was the Futaba adapter cable has an intermittent open wire somewhere, causing my Futaba xmitter only to work when I hold the cable a certain way. So they have sent me an entire cable set. Now I don't need them after exchanging the unit from LHS and a new set of working cables. But the customer support is there. Others have mentioned that it isn't Great Planes with the issue, it's Futaba.....the maker of the Interlink.
If you get a buddy box transmitter mated up to your Interlink then the "wear factor" is now gone. I don't mind using my DX6 box. If I'm right these boxes don't transmit when on the "buddy cord" so the batteries should last quite a while.

Like I mentioned, the conversation I heard by the 2 behind the counter at LHS leads me to believe they even know about a wide-spread problem with Interlink because one person mentioned if the word got out there would be a mass exodus away from it. Sounds like they know what's up!! I do think, however, that GP should step up and tell Futaba to correct the design flaw. Like one previous poster stated after opening his, some cheesy little piece of plastic should not be trying to restrain the force of the centering springs.

~Ron

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Thanks

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

well i am fairly new to the world of rc flying ive had nirto powerd trucks and cars and my dads flown planes since he was a kid and he bought me the GP 3.5 for christmas to learn so i dont crash two many more of my planes and i had it going for a week straight just constintly playing and it just broke the liitle black peice that holds the spring on to mobe the elvator up and down so my dad phone tower hobbies and they sent us a new one so now we have a new controler and a busted one that you can still fly with its just a bit hard

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

The controller for the display model at my local hobby store is broken. Right stick aileron spring is popped so it flops back and forth. Things been that way for a couple months that I know of. Ross

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Hi all,

I must agree that Futaba transmitter on my Real Flight Lite broke after a month of use. The quality is so cheap reminded me of those cheapo throw away radios included with 99.00 RTF park flyers. Yes, the quality of lower end Futaba radios have taken a nose dive in the last 15 years. The last entry level radio that Futaba made of quality was the Conquest 4 NL made in Japan 20 years ago. DP

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Well, guess what. I just got my replacement controller in the mail and it is the same thing. Everything is the same. No updated design. This really makes me mad because the guy I talked to (I now wish I wrote his name down) told me that the problem had been fixed. The only good thing was that it took a day to get here via UPS ground (USPS took 5 days to get the broken one to them). :) But, only time will tell. I am almost certain this thing will break again, but we will just have to see. Oh well, I finally get to fly again, so I really don't care right now!!!! :D

Oh, and does anyone know how long the warranty for these things last? I was thinking the standard 6 months, but I could be wrong.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Went flying today. Pretty cold. Everyone had trouble starting engines. And guess what............

One of our Futaba bigots had a problem with his Futaba TX. Seems something in the right stick broke while he was flying. He was in a world of hurt for a minute there.

Didn't get a chance to check out how old the TX was. But it was one that sells for just under $200 in a complete package.

RE: The RealFlight Controller is Horrible
 

Thats pretty funny and quite scary. Everyone once and a while needs an eye-opening experience like that to get them out of the one-path frame of mind. But, it just goes to show how dangerous this hobby can be (from a financial perspective and the danger to other people). Unlike modern airliners, RC aircraft (actually all rc) do not have redundant systems, so if one part of the machine breaks down, there is a good chance that it will cause the demise of the rest. Thats why I cringe at even the thought of purchasing an expensive craft. Actually, if I always thought about how expensive my setup at the moment is, I would probably never fly. But like someone in the forums said, part of the fun is that there is always the chance that your entire investment could go up in flames at any moment. And boy was he right.