[leopard1]

Recently purchased a Parkzone F-27C Stryker. RTF package. Brand new from my fav LHS.
Got home and eagerly opened the box. Close inspection revealed the motor mount had been overtightened in all the corners, resulting in crushing of the foam. Decided to see how the electronics checked out. A pleasant suprise was that the Esc provided was an upgraded E-flite 30A. The box stated that it had a 25A. Cool! Battery charged. Turned on the provided TX. Hooked up the battery. Esc armed successfully. Great! Check the control surfaces movement....c%%....the elevons would not function according to input. Ok....time to call product support. Product support from Horizon has me check the TX settings and finally agrees that the supplied TX is faulty. Send it in for a replacement. I mentioned my concerns about the motor mount. Was told to try it regardless and that is should not be a problem. Decided to swap out the RX and use my own equipment. Futaba RX and my trusty 9CAP TX. A quick setup and all is now good. Elevons respond accordingly. Off to the field for a maiden!! First flight....take it easy....half-throttle....easy lap around the field..float in for a landing....sweet! Ok time to see how it goes with some power...around the field again at half throttle....pull bak to go vertical....kick it up to full power....and the motor separates from the fuse...down it comes

Called product support. Supplied pictures from initial out of the box and after the motor ripped itself off. Got lost in their callback list a few times. Finally(three weeks later), I call to see what is up....the representative appologizes for lack of communication, product defects etc.

End result....new complete RTF package is in the mail!!!!!!!!!
That is product support!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People I spoke with were friendly at all times and I was never made to feel like I was just a number. It is good to know that some companies stand behind their products like this.

Sure the Stryker I purchased is repairable but I should never have had the problems I had right out of the box. Then again...s&^%* happens and I don't hold that against them. Great service and support....hard to beat.

Cheers,

[chuebner]

Glad to see that a guy can still get a fair shake now and then!

How do you like the Stryker? Is it the new version?
I have been contemplating picking one up for winter flying.
Would it be a good snow lander?

Cheers
Curt

[Guest]

I wish all companies were like Horizon when it comes to customer and product support, that's one of the main reasons I fly JR, there is simply no better support out there!

[reo]

For the price, the Stryker is a cool airplane....unfortunately mine only lasted 3 flights but I don't think that Horizon would be willing to take responsibility for the leaves and branches imbedded in the airframe....I have ordered another one.....Ron

[leopard1]

LGM-yes...great support is always a nice thing.

Curt: The Stryker should land on snow quite fine. Yes it is the newest version. I have repaired the original frame. Lots of CA, packing tape and two carbon fibre rods
It flies very well at almost all speeds. Vertical is almost insane with full power. Lots of fun to toss around at hig speed and then go low and slow across the strip. I have not had the guts to try it inverted yet. I figure to order in a bare airframe and coat it in fibre glass with carbon rods. Should be near bulletproof then. Should also prevent leaf and branch collection

Ron: Sorry to hear about yours. They do take a little getting used to. My pulse is always up for the first minute or two...or three

I'll do a Stryker thread in the electric section when I get the bare frame in.

Cheers,

[reo]

Originally Posted by leopard1

LGM-yes...great support is always a nice thing.


Ron: Sorry to hear about yours. They do take a little getting used to. My pulse is always up for the first minute or two...or three


Cheers,

in truth, it was a nice flying little jet and speed was not the issue, I've been flying turbines for 9 years and have faster electric stuff in the barn, the issue was that two of us were doing some inpromptu 'racing' with similar electric a/c (I was losing to a FunJet) and when I realized that my eyes were flying the 'other' plane once I eyeballed mine again I put it in the trees so not to risk our vehicles in the pit area. Never a life and death thing, just a matter of sacrificing an airframe for safety and autobody work.....Ron

[leopard1]

Ron,

Wise choice and quick thinking on your part
Is yours repairable?

Cheers,

[reo]

Originally Posted by leopard1

Ron,

Wise choice and quick thinking on your part
Is yours repairable?

Cheers,

I didn't bother....I gave all the components to my grandson and he is still using them in one of his projects so he thought the crash wasn't such a bad thing!!...Ron