viper1676

My Feedback: (14)

I am thinking about picking up this plane as the ARF. I have a Super Tigre 45 for it but am concerned about the power issue now. I also have a Magnum .61 I could put in it also. Will the .61 fit in it without a ton of modifications??

Viper

DR.B.S.

Thanks Bud but why a ceiling queen? It flies to sweet for that. Wind is good ya.

Happy landings,
The Doc.

DR.B.S.

Go with the .61. you will need to modify anyway.

Happy landings,
The Doc.

PS,
It's worth every aggravating moment once she is up there.

Trollmaster

I wonder if Horizon has this thread pinned to a wall in the bathroom

DR.B.S.

That would be cool[8D]

heli_Rod

It's probably hanging on the roll right beside the toilet!....LOL


My son has one of the complete RTF Raptors. The first flight wasn't very good and didn't impress me much. He flys off grass (thick grass). The take off run was extremely long and when it did get airborne, it was struggling to stay in the air. Everytime you tried to climb, the wings started rocking, trying to tip stall. After 5 minutes wallowing through the skies, he decided to land. As soon as he pulled the power, it was like it hit a brick wall! That 3 blade flat prop was a drag brake. The nose immediately dropped and full throttle was applied, but not enough power to regain control. While damage was minor..broken prop (no loss there), nose gear mount broke and left main gear knocked loose. We were quite dissapointed at the performance. and were ready to agree with the "CRaptor" nickname. He is repairing it now and will try again with a different prop.

Since then I have seen a couple others fly with the Evolution .52 and the OS 55AX. They had the droop tips off and fly well. Not fast, but well! Flaps are a must.

I have since purchased a grey ARF "Raptor" and an OS 55AX for myself. I think the plane is worth a second chance.

TRAINER?.....NO WAY....FUN....YES!

Rod

DR.B.S.

Thank you heli rod. I see that you have had exactly the same problem I had. I was very disappointed with the "out of the box" performance myself, hence the term Craptor.
Please allow me to explain what I did.
1) scrap the 3 blade paddle prop
it's ok for some plane's but not this one off of grass
2) try a 11 x 6 2 blade prop
3) add some weight to the nose to get it nose heavy
the instructions are wrong about the weight you need it to be nose heavy, I added 3 1/2 ounces
4) take out the fuel tank and fuel proof everything including under the canopy
5) lock tight everything including the engine muffler bolts
6) set the exponential to almost 0 in not 0 % depends on what you like but there is way to much as is
7) add the servo's for the flaps because they are needed for take off
8 balance the wing tips

Overall this is a nice flying plane once all the gremlin's are chased away but there are many to contend with. I just wish these issue's were solved before it hit the market because once in the air, and the engine is going without leaning out, it performs very well.
Don't give up on her she doe's well after the necessary modification's. I often wonder about false advertisement and the ramification's thereof.

Happy landings,
The Doc

gofastz

Well it took a hammer and a crow bar but, the OS 91 FX is in the Raptor.....Going to run a APC 12/10 on the engine and she should really go!!!!! The install took just under 5 hours...E-mail for the details....Only a couple of big problems to over come, other than that it was straight forward...Had to add 9 oz. to the tail....Hope it doesn't slow it down to much.....The 91 runs really good!!!!....Getting just under 12000 on the ground with the 12/10....Will try to get it in the air tomorrow....Please not the Master airscrew was for the photo shoot only....Will run a APC....Mark

heli_Rod

WOW!...that must have taken a pretty good shoehorn to cram that 90 in there! If it doesn't speed it up, at least it should jump off the ground in a few feet!

Please keep us posted. I'm interested on the flight performance.

Rod

Tennwalker41-delete

My Feedback: (15)

I had that same problem with mine. I did managed to get about 10 flights out of mine because of the power issue. This plane is wayyyyyyyyy too heavy for that litle evo 45. I calle HOrizon and told them it should have more power and they replied we know what we r doinand i said yea i know what ur doin too. To make a long story short they got me for $400 but it wont happen again. THe plane did fly well not fast but well but that doesnt matter when it doesnt have enough power to get off the ground. If u buy one and find out the hard way dont even bother to call horizon they already cashed ur check.

schwatd

Two things,

1 Gofastz, wow!!! will the wings stay on?? That should be a rocket ship.

2 Tennwalker41, you said an Evo 45? Mine came with an Evo motor but i could have sworn it said 50 or 52 on the side casing of the engine. If it's true then that would explain the poor performance I am beginning to read about in some of these posts. I know I have the very first Raptor from the LHS and I think the local town around here.

Tennwalker41-delete

My Feedback: (15)

I also got the first one that came into our LHS owned by a freind of mine. IT had one of the Power Trainer Systems they call it a 46 size. I even tried mine with 30% heli fuel and it wouldnt get out of its own way. I have an Evo GT26 gas engine and its a powerhouse and runs very very well. They made a poor choice in that engine especially for a beginnner. I loved the plane was cool lookin and would fly well if u could get it off the ground. I have owned and flown most every type and size of plane out there so it wasnt a question of skill. Even had a freind of mine with 50 years n the hobby said it was sad to build a plane powered like that and then try to sell it. I explained this to Horizon and they sorta said sooo. Glad to c that i wasnt the only one. I used to buy from them often but not again. The only products of theirs i kept was my Evo 26 gasser and my good ole G26. Shame they cornered the market on the Zenoah G26 they last forever and u never have to touch them. Mine is in a Giant UCANDO at 13lbs and will fly the pants off it lol.. yall b good.

Tennwalker41-delete

My Feedback: (15)

They called it a 46NT. More like a 20 size in power.

DR.B.S.

Wow!!!! That ROCKS !!!!! Please let me no how she performs. Isn't it funny since I made my first post and all these people that said it was just me are now not commenting? I see that I am not the only one that is having these problems. I want to personally thank each and everyone of you that posted there problems.
You people are OUTSTANDING !!! Nothing like the truth to help out those that are having a problem.
My problems are solved with mine, and I do love the plane. I would by another one (,gray.)
However, I am a former hobby shop owner. I sold many Hanger 9 products and most of them were good. There was always' a fluke. I just recently had a former customer tell me that he was flying his Alpha trainer and the rear stab and rudder just fell apart in the air. He called Horizon and they told him to send it in and they would look at it. He paid the shipping both ways. They called him back and told him yes it crashed. He then replied "DUH I told you that and why it did, it fell apart in air after 12 flights." Yes he checked after every flight. He also had 4 people witness this. Hanger 9 wouldn't fix, replace or pay for the shipping. So he contacted me and I am now putting it back together for him but he did not have a good thing to say about them.
I gave Hanger 9 the benefit of the doubt because they must run across many misleading stories daily. As a former hobby shop owner, I under stand this. I have the benefit of knowing that this person is as honest and truthful as the driven snow but they cannot know that. This is why I am going the extra mile for Horizon Hobby and I am not charging for the repair. Although the plane has a funny opium smell to the wood, I will over look that, lol.
C'mon Horizon stop misleading the novice and the intermediate. Tell it how it is. You make a dam good product and you can overcome a lot of problems with a little honest R and D. This is why I am going the extra mile for you.
Happy landings,
The Doc.

russm

doc, i would not count on horizon or any other plane manuf. or dist. for help,.or a full or partial refund. the few times i have called these people i have never recieved much help. russm

Trollmaster

If I were you, keep the MA on it for the maiden and maybe a couple more flights just in case anything stupid happens. I usually do this since APC's are a tad more expensive. After everything seems to check out okay, then throw on a APC

DR.B.S.

Russm I couldn't agree with you more. That is why as a former hobby shop owner I am still going the extra mile. So that we don't lose anymore flyer's and buyer's. Let mail order compete with that.

The Doc

Tennwalker41-delete

My Feedback: (15)

Without a doubt Horizon has the worst customer service ever. DOnt even bother callin about an engine or tech question. I called one day about a stopper in the gas tank. They told me it was gas compatible too ha. I knew better than that. The person on the phone said that it would b ok soooooo i said this is a $1200 airplane are u goin to accept responsibility for your advice and i was told nope we dont accept anything. GOodbye horizon.

DR.B.S.

I hope that not just Horizon but all these companies are reading this thread. What the heck has happened to customer service? I went to another local hobby shop and the guy said no one is interested in R/C airplanes so he doesn't stock or sell anything but electric's and then it is a limited supply. Well in all fairness to him, I understand. Why would he sell something he know's nothing about? He wont get any type of help from Hobbico or Horizon and he doesn't want to lose his car, truck and train people over incompetence.
I guess minimum wage also means minimum knowledge. These companies are racking in millions of dollars a year. Why cant they afford to educate there sales people, customer service and product information people? Have we fallen so low in there eye's that we the consumers are just not worth anything other than buy it and shut up?
Look at all the people that jumped on me after this first post. Finally some real people came through and told it how it really is. I guess we have no vested interest and we can afford to. We need to send a message to these people that we will not tolerate this abuse any longer. We will start to scratch build or kit build again so that we can have a competent airplane.
For all those people that wrote how wonderful this particular aircraft was out of the box, I would like to see them make a video. Take a brand new one, out of the box. Put it together and take off from a grass surface.
Fly it around, as is with no modification.
I agree this is a wonderful plane but not out of the box and not as the instruction's claim. For all those that understand and agree with me, can you imagine the new flyer buying this product and doing as the instructions say? They will think it is all there fault when it goes' in, if they can even get it off the ground. Then boom we lost another new flyer. Anyone that has gone to local clubs for help and doesn't receive much help knows what I am righting. Yes some clubs do see the new person through but a lot do not. For all those that do not, the industry and hobby shop loses.
Happy landings,
The Doc

DR.B.S.

To add to this, I would like to thank RCU for allowing me the use of this forum. I will not post anymore about this plane or subject. These are my final thoughts and comments. As far as the Evolution engine that comes with this plane, the specs I read claim it to be .45 size. It does perform very well on the Alpha Trainer and the PTS Mustang. Over all these companies are putting out a decent product for those that know what there doing. For all those that don't it is a nightmare. I know this first hand as a former hobby shop owner that is still picking up the slack for these companies.
This is the reason I got out of this business. I got tired of carrying these multi-million dollar companies on my back for there incompetence. There are easier ways to make a living. Now I just do it for fun, It's easier that way.

Happy landings,
The Doc

calachie

I can tell you what has happened to the customer service. It is all the people that buy a plane, not a clue what there doing, stick it in the ground and then say, Your plane is crap & will not fly you need to give me anotherone. If you buy a car, don't know how to drive & wreck it, Do they give you another car, I DON'T THINK SO. I have taken the Raptor up, No it is not a trainer plane, But it can & has been flown by a lot of people with the ability to fly one. The Raptor will fly with the setup it comes out with, No it is not a speed bomb, No you can not fly it like your Eagle you have been flying for 2 years like an Expert, But it will fly & fly's very well if you have the ability to fly it. No they should not advertise it as a trainer. I am sorry but it seems to me that most on this thread that couldn't fly it at first & then figured out that it is not a EAGLE 2 comes back to say they like it. Others learned that they are not as good as they thought and automatically blame the plane.

DR.B.S.

Doesn't fly like my F-4 Phantom either.

DBS

2HI2C

I have to disagree with that. I had a Evo.46 that the crank broke, sent it in to them & had it back & repaired in a week. No cost except shipping to them. You cant ask for more than that.

heli_Rod

I want to make it clear that I didn't post negative comments just to bash Horizon, Hanger 9 or any other manufacturer. I have great respect for Horizon Hobbies and have had excellent service from them. I am not a beginner flyer either (45 years flying R/C). My comments about the F-22 Raptor are purely informational and objective. I think people should be made aware of what they are getting into and it's limitations. I also thing the .46 NT is a good engine, but it is marginal at best for this model.

First....I like the airplane. It looks great and it flys well. I even bought one! I totally dissagree that it should be advertised as a "trainer" airplane. It is hard enough to convience newbies that they don't need a scale or semi-scale airplane to learn on. Noone wants to be a beginner, but this isn't the plane to learn on when there are so many excepionally good trainers available. I question why Hanger 9 has billed it as a trainer. There are enough sport pilots around that like the plane and will purchase it for what it is...a sport scale plane.

I also have a great Planes Gee Bee R-2. It flys great! It looks great! It was a great ARF to assemble. However, Great Planes had the foresight not to advertise it as a "trainer", which it isn't.

Just my pinion

Rod

Tennwalker41-delete

My Feedback: (15)

As usual there is someone who wants to blame the customer the one who pays their bills. Before u attack someones abilities to fly and handle an airplane maybe u should fly with them to see whether they can handle an airplane better than u. Goin to unsubscribe to this topic as that one expert at everything person has surfaced again. ITs neverrrrrr the manufacturers mistake alwayssssss ours it seems. FOr ANYONE who is interested i will match my skills with anyone for any amount.