I got really lucky!!! ARF never again...

[MarcusCordeiro]

Well, practicing with my ARF Legacy/ST60, going for the last inverted looping of the eight when the plane didn't respond and it entered in a wing over...
I was really really lucky to be able to recover a couple inches from the ground avoiding the disaster and flying level until i landed.
Meanwhile, I could feel there was no "down", as I was trying to keep the level flight.
Landed and a quick "surgery" revealed the problem...






The landing gear reinforcement block came loose and it found its way to get in the middle of the BC!!!!

Now, I did get lucky, didn't I??
ARF, sorry, never ever again.

Marcus

[proparc]

Marcus over at the RC Universe forum, a guy just had a wing failure on his Dirty Birdy ARF. I am convinced that most ARFs are simply just not built to the level of craftsmanship that we individually put in a ship.

That said, the expensive F3A ARF's are an exception but, they cost thousands of dollars. When I build it, I know for sure that everything is to the standard that I want!!

[Brett Buck]

Marcus over at the RC Universe forum, a guy just had a wing failure on his Dirty Birdy ARF. I am convinced that most ARFs are simply just not built to the level of craftsmanship that we individually put in a ship.

    Certainly not, but when you figure they cost maybe $15-20 a piece including materials, you know a lot of time is not going to be put into it. I think they are doing pretty well for the money. You and I aren't to build a complete airplane for that!

   Of course, they could do it better for a lot more money.

     Brett

[John Stiles]

Aw geeeeeze....I just finished upgrading my ARF Nobler from a .40 sized engine to an OSLA .46! Was fixing to start flight testing this coming week. You got me spooked for sure!

[MarcusCordeiro]

Aw geeeeeze....I just finished upgrading my ARF Nobler from a .40 sized engine to an OSLA .46! Was fixing to start flight testing this coming week. You got me spooked for sure!

I have one ARF Nobler with the LA 46, actually it's my son's model.
Just be careful not to let the model hit the nose on landings. It might break the mounts...
It flies beautifully with the 46. You're gonna like it!!

Marcus

[Richard Koehler]

I couldn't agree more, no more ARF's.  My Super Clown ARF just about killed me twice.  First time when the elevator hinges failed, and the second time when the back of the wing came unglued.  Good thing in both cases I got out of the way fast.  This was before my knees went and if the same thing were to happen now -OH OH.

[Bill Little]

Arfs are Arfs are ARFs.......... their construction varies and the latter ones are better than the first ones.  Most still need some parts replacement, etc., and should always be gone through from top to bottom.

We have two ARFs and an ARC.  All got the crimped LO replaced, and one got a new bell crank also.  All got new push rods and horns.  You still have no control of what type of glue has been used in construction.   The covering job on the ARFs were not real good.

They can be worth what they cost but I would not trust any of them right out of the box.  And I would definitely get the ARC, IMHO.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[MarcusCordeiro]

I couldn't agree more, no more ARF's.  My Super Clown ARF just about killed me twice.  First time when the elevator hinges failed, and the second time when the back of the wing came unglued.  Good thing in both cases I got out of the way fast.  This was before my knees went and if the same thing were to happen now -OH OH.

FWIW, I have a ARF Pathfinder that the covering came off too... Very good I wasn't flying...
I've had my share of them...

Marcus

[MarcusCordeiro]

A few pics of the repair...
First I thought it would be a  good idea to have a look at the horns, so i popped the fuselage open by the top.
As we didn't find anything wrong, I made the two "windows", and that was it.
It's flying tomorrow!

Marcus

[dennis lipsett]

I'm finishing an ARC Vector with the mods that were in the Oct 2011  issue of Model Aviation.   Those modifications along with the things that were wrong with the construction made it apparent that I should have built the kit that is still on my shelf. worse I still have one or 2 ARC's left.

Dennis

[Peter Grabenstein]

Hi,

maybe Iám a victim of ARF´S too ?.

My first step before I start building,
pull-test leadouts, do this five times with 20 Kilos.
Listen closely for noise coming from center section.
In doubt,replace leadouts.

I have a new Nobler ARF which gets longer sidewalls,
hollow Balsa front top block plus plywood Spinnerring.
Maybe I will cut the GFK front part into fit or go for Balsa .
No clue yet.

My hint for the company !
Do pull-test leadouts before you install them.
Use good quality copper tube and
HIGH QUALITY crimping tool.
Do pull-test again after the wing is complete finished
checking bellcrank fixing.
Maybe replace the person or machine doing wrong.

S U R E this weak tiger is NOT STRONG enough for US !.
ARF/ARC are allways a ride between the edges.

Peter
may the Tiger with us.

[Luiz Ribeiro]

Marcus,

Since when are you flying this model? More or less, how many flights?
Any bad landing during this time?

Luiz.

[MarcusCordeiro]

Marcus,

Since when are you flying this model? More or less, how many flights?
Any bad landing during this time?

Luiz.

I bought the model from a fellow club member, and it probably has a couple hundred flights.
No bad landing.
I've been flying it for some 4 or 5 months.

Marcus

[John Stiles]

.........these things are assembled in china by 13 year old slave girls, not model builders.

The one I have was ordered by my R/C buddy, and was damaged in freight....when he notified the compny he bought it from, they sent him another one and he gave the damaged on to me. It's the only one[ARF] I've ever owned in my 50 year journey in C/L. It's only flown twice so far. I hope it does some better next flight, but my new plan is to remove the wing for inspection first. 

[Paul Taylor]

IMHO....

ARFs are not a bad plane for the money and time. I look at them as a tool to get someone flying quick. And some people are more into flying then the building. What ARFs may do is get someone rebuilding models. Once a person rebuilds a ARF after a mishap they will discover that they can build one.

So they do have a place.

As most people know the first thing you do with an ARF is replace the BC and lead outs. Not a hard thing to to. While you are into the BC have a look around to make sure what you can see in in good order.
And it is always a good idea to iron down the covering and tighten as needed before you fly the plane. And as with any monokote job the covering will come off over time due to fuel getting under the edges. So at some point all monokote planes will have to be recovered.
As for wings coming out of the plane that has nothing to with it being an ARF, and every plane should be pull tested before flying.

Ryan and I have been flying ARF Tutor II's for several years. Mine has been recovered twice and his is currently be recovered. Just due to getting fuel under the edges.
Sitting here counting I have 5 ARFs and all have been recovered, repaired at some point.

No one will every build a plane or anything for that matter that is going to be up to your standards. If you are building or painting your house you will most of the time put in a little better effort. Pull out a bent nail and put in a good nail. A contractor will bend that nail over beat it down into the wood and maybe, just maybe put a good nail next to it without splitting the wood.

ARFs do have a place... but no one does it better then when you build something yourself.
 

[john e. holliday]

Well my Nobler ARF is on its third power plant.   Must have at least three dozen flights on it.  The Oriental ARF is the one that gave me fits.

[Joe Yau]

Hi Marcus,
Glad you were able to save it..      I have a Legacy ARF as well,  originally bought it for my first Electric project.  but after going over all the parts like the wing, fuse.., I was no longer motivated to build it. as a lot of the joints needs to be reglue properly, and wrong wood used at the wrong places.  also I don't trust those crimped LO terminations either.  It was just a lot to fix up..  not to mention I still have to rebuild the nose for the front mount motor.     this is probably my last ARF.

[Peter Ferguson]

I think getting an ARC is really a better deal. It gives you the opportunity to inspect and  correct deficiencies before they turn into problems like the one you had. Some are better than others.