Warnberg

My Feedback: (1)

I found on Tower Hobbies web site that the Great Planes Spirit 100 Glider Sailplane Balsa Kit 99.5 was discontinued.... I was going to purchase one of these.... Are they going to have a new updated kit or is this model going away?

Thanks

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

warn,

I just posted the question directly to Great Planes in the Manufacturer's support forumin the Kit Building forum. We'll see what kind of an answer they give us.

papermache

Tinkrerpilot

My Feedback: (2)

It maybe just Tower Hobbies is discontinuing the kit but not Great Planes. They did that with the Riser 100 From Sig about a year or so ago. You can still get the Riser 100 straight from Sig. It will be interesting to see what they say from papermache's post in the other forum.

tink

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

No, it's as we feared. Discontinued "due to lack of customer support". The last one was sold back in May.

Once again, business rears its ugly head. Hobbico is in this hobby to make money, not to make modelers happy. If we don't buy enough of something, they discontinue it and we can all go pound sand.

I've still got my plans. I'll make a set of templates in case I need to make repairs or if I decide to build another one. Hobbico can't stop me from doing that.

The writing is on the wall. The big hobby suppliers are going to discontinue all kits and go totally to ARFs. Unless modelers stand up and do something about it, we'll all be flying chinese before long, and we'll have nobody to blame but ourselves.

papermache

Warnberg

My Feedback: (1)

Well RCplanet still has some kits, so I orderd it....

evan-RCU

If they sell a couple a year it's smart to discontinue them. Most people buy ARFs now because there almost the same price. I doubt you'll find very many modelers that would support you in keeping kits.

"we'll all be flying chinese before long"???????? Where have you been?

SoarLA45

Yep. We're already flying chinese LOL

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

Warneberg,
Thanks for the tip. I ordered myself a "spare" this afternoon.
I didn't mean to disparage anyone who chooses to fly ARFs. I have a few myself and they fly well for the most part. The thing is, I enjoy building as much as flying,and it distresses me to see how few kits there are on the market anymore. I realize that business is business and if something doesn't sell it probably shouldn't be on the market. It just seems to me that even the manufacturers who have kits available aren't trying to market them near as much as their ARFs. It's like they WANT to go out of the kit business. I guess that's why a great kit like the Spirit 100 gets discontinued and a POS like the Upstar is still on the market. Just my opinion.

papermache

evan-RCU

I agree. I design and build too but it's nice to go get an ARF and get in the air fast and if you break a wing you can buy a wing. But if you build it then it's something special that no one else will have, especially if you design it and build it from scratch. Unfortunately the people in the buisness are in buisness and need to make a profit. Someone can sell alot of junk flying planes and the people that buy them and have problems flying them think it's their own fault... sad...

Warnberg

My Feedback: (1)

Is it possible to get the build planes for this glider? Something where a person can make all the parts and build it?