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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / September 2005what a ripoff
I recently purchased my first plane ( been flying heli's) It "was" a Phoenix Classic 40 trainer. On its first flight a strong gust of wind flipped it over and sent it crashing nose first into the ground. Damage was smashed front and totally smashed wing. I contacted several R/C stores and they all tell me that replacement wings are not a part you can buy seperately.Even the manufacturer wont supply them on their own. Now considering the plane is a "trainer" i thought spare wings would be at the top of the parts available list. Looks like I now have a very nice ornament for my helicopter room. Dennis In article <4336a477$0$24141$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader- 01.iinet.net.au>, tugbloat@iinet.net.au-makemeskinny says... > I recently purchased my first plane ( been flying heli's) > It "was" a Phoenix Classic 40 trainer. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Looks like I now have a very nice ornament for my helicopter room. > Dennis Take the wing's span, chord, and airfoil and find the closest match from another manufacturer. Wing saddles are easy to adjust, if needed, on trainers. Alternatively, you should have one rib good out of the batch, or a good front half you can combine with a good rear half to make a pattern. It takes a lot less time to scratch build a constant chord wing than you probably think it does. >Take the wing's span, chord, and airfoil and find the closest match from >another manufacturer. Wing saddles are easy to adjust, if needed, on >trainers. Alternatively, you should have one rib good out of the batch, >or a good front half you can combine with a good rear half to make a >pattern. It takes a lot less time to scratch build a constant chord wing >than you probably think it does. I second John's suggestion--he took the words right out of my mouth. Trainers are very forgiving beasts. You might be able to get an old wing from someone in the club or someone on this newsgroup. Set the CG between 25% and 33% of the wing's chord. Go easy on the first flight or have an experienced pilot test-fly it for you. One flight should be enough to see if it needs any further fore-aft weight adjustment. Hope this helps. Marty Or have a foam core cut from the existing wing remnants. Fastest way to build a wing that Iknow of. And a lot tougher than built up.  SignaturePaul McIntosh RC-Bearings.com "when steel just isn't enough" > In article <4336a477$0$24141$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader- > 01.iinet.net.au>, tugbloat@iinet.net.au-makemeskinny says... [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > pattern. It takes a lot less time to scratch build a constant chord wing > than you probably think it does. > I recently purchased my first plane ( been flying heli's) > It "was" a Phoenix Classic 40 trainer. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Looks like I now have a very nice ornament for my helicopter room. > Dennis Welcome to the world of ARFs. Hey, at least all you lost was money, and not the knowledge/patterns/plans gained to rebuild or repair the wing on your own at nominal cost (what do they call that? emotional attachment? "time wasted"?). According to the marketing droids, you should be very happy and relieved right about now. Aren't you? PRose ARF newcomers should be happy to know that that some brands do sell replacement parts for their ARF planes. Vote with your dollars! SignatureNoah I also expressed my disappointment with ARF prices & support some time ago. Was flamed down - " you know, you should be thankful for ARFs as it saves you time and money" was the dominat feedback. Bollocks, I am in it for the fun without bankrupting myself. This ARF thing is proof of how business is clawing its way into your wallet to such an extend that people actually believe they're getting a bargain. All part of marketing I suppose. Get into scratch building - an hour each night isn't much and before you know it you have an aircraft or 2. If you're a newbie start with a "Sturdy Birdy" - very simple and strong as well as cheap. Just search the 'Net for sturdy birdy as free plans for it is available. Also, take a look at www.spadtothebone.com Happy landings. I would bet that you couldn't buy wing kits for the majority of kits available today. How about yelling about that, too. SignaturePaul McIntosh RC-Bearings.com "when steel just isn't enough" >I also expressed my disappointment with ARF prices & support some time ago. > Was flamed down - " you know, you should be thankful for ARFs as it saves [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Happy landings. Don't think that ARF manufacturers who actually offer wing kits seperately are doing you any favors. I lost my NexStar a couple of months ago. A complete ARF is $109.99, or you can buy just a wing set for $69.99. I decided to simply buy a used trainer airframe for $45 instead. Selling a wing set for 75% of the cost of an entire ARF is a ripoff. Not offering a wingset seperately is probably just good inventory management. >I would bet that you couldn't buy wing kits for the majority of kits >available today. How about yelling about that, too. > Don't think that ARF manufacturers who actually offer wing kits seperately > are doing you any favors. I lost my NexStar a couple of months ago. A [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >>I would bet that you couldn't buy wing kits for the majority of kits >>available today. How about yelling about that, too. Well, it isn't as though ARF suppliers are alone in this practice. Go price a motorcycle carburetor, or an automobile part. Both are considerably higher separately than what they cost the manufacturer when assembling the item. It is just economics at work. It is easy to lose sight of how expensive stocking and handling parts can be when the whole item is discounted heavily. I liked the suggestion of finding a similar ARF model with a suitable wing whose retailer is supplying replacement wings at good prices. I hadn't thought of that. Where did I put that cup of prune juice anyway.......? <G> Ed Cregger >Where did I put that cup of prune juice anyway.......? <G> > >Ed Cregger was that for here, or to go?? ;-) Mix the prune juice with tequila and you will get a Senior Sunrise! Ken. Where did I put that cup of prune juice anyway.......? <G> Ed Cregger >> Don't think that ARF manufacturers who actually offer wing kits seperately >> are doing you any favors. I lost my NexStar a couple of months ago. A [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > >Ed Cregger I agree: try building a car out of spare parts: It will cost several times the cost of a new one. Most car manufacturers make more money out of the spare parts sold during the car's lifetime, than they do out of the new car. So reliability is GOOD, (but not too much....) J. > Don't think that ARF manufacturers who actually offer wing kits seperately > are doing you any favors. I lost my NexStar a couple of months ago. A [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Selling a wing set for 75% of the cost of an entire ARF is a ripoff. Not > offering a wingset seperately is probably just good inventory management. I own a parkzone Stryker and they offer a whole new fuselage for 19.99. Since the wings are part of the body that includes them. I don't really think that is a rip off. >>I would bet that you couldn't buy wing kits for the majority of kits >>available today. How about yelling about that, too. > I would bet that you couldn't buy wing kits for the majority of kits > available today. How about yelling about that, too. Not even in the same ballpark. It's a small step from building a wing from a kit to scratch building that wing. However, there is no direct path to go from having a Chinese slave spoon feed you to standing on your own two feet, so it is unconscionable for an importer to offer a trainer ARF without offering replacement parts as well. HTH, PRose >> I would bet that you couldn't buy wing kits for the majority of kits >> available today. How about yelling about that, too. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > HTH, > PRose Alas, we arrive at the problem. Some folks think that businesses "owe" their customers certain things based upon their own sense of morality. Like it or not, this is business. If it doesn't make a profit, it doesn't happen. Nor should it. The sensible thing to do would be to buy another kit of the same model, pirate the wing, then sell the remainder via RCU, eBay, etc. Trying to make one's misfortune a responsibility of the seller will not work. Ed Cregger > ARF newcomers should be happy to know that that some brands do sell > replacement parts for their ARF planes. Vote with your dollars! I personally like Parkzone and the Aerobird line of planes although Im new to the hobby. > ... Looks like I now have a very nice ornament for my helicopter room. In my first response to your post, I failed to notice that you're in Australia (that's what the "au" means, doesn't it?). I guess you won't be getting many wings from folks in the newsgroup. :o( Marty Most Arfs from reputable manfacturers offer spare parts for their birds Check with the on line hobby dealers or check the manfacturers hom page and you may find it -- locolobo > Most Arfs from reputable manfacturers offer spare parts for their birds. > Check with the on line hobby dealers or check the manfacturers home > page and you may find it. I just purchased two of Phoenix's Models, the Strega Mustang and a .25 size trainer for my son, they both have replacement parts and both are great flyers. Check if it is still available www.towerhobbies.com is the place to find them.... |
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