Parkzone Extra 300 Upside Down Wings *HORIZON LEAVES US IN THE COLD*

[jaskel]

It has come to alot of peoples attention that the new Parkzone Extra 300 has an upside down airfoil! yes the wings are incorrectly moulded...see here http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...232620&page=53

Horizon Hobbies have confirmed there is a problem and they are looking into it!

some people have reversed their wings and noticed improvements!

Everyone that owns one please check your wings for a flat top and curved base! this is incorrect, should be a symmetrical wing!

Lets see what horizon hobbies do!

Jas

The pics below show the correct shape on the box...and pics of mine show a flat top!

[Numbthumbs]

LOL. that does look like they put the wing on upside down. Someone is getting fired for that probably.

Might explain some of the CoG problems people are having?

[stevecooper]

I for the life of me can't believe anyone could miss that! bubsteve

[SkiCrazy]

Yep, its true, mine is the same way. Just bought it Saturday, took it out to fly on Monday and it was awful. So, rather than COG or elevator problems, turns out is a lift problem. Horizons response: 'sorry, we're looking into, and will have replacement parts available when possible'. Date unknown.

So, as I'm standing in the hobby shop trying to decide which extra to buy on Saturday....I PICKED THE WRONG ONE!!!

SkiCrazy

[jaskel]

Originally Posted by SkiCrazy

Yep, its true, mine is the same way. Just bought it Saturday, took it out to fly on Monday and it was awful. So, rather than COG or elevator problems, turns out is a lift problem. Horizons response: 'sorry, we're looking into, and will have replacement parts available when possible'. Date unknown.

So, as I'm standing in the hobby shop trying to decide which extra to buy on Saturday....I PICKED THE WRONG ONE!!!

SkiCrazy

I wouldnt say you made a mistake..it is still a great plane and I am sure HH will fix the issue! it will take time as it is on a massive scale..but im confident it will be fixed.

In the mean time, flip your wings upside down! several have tried this and said it feels alot better! also your servos will be on the top of the wing, it may look funny, but it will fly alot nicer!

[Heli Jim]

Well, don't blame HH for the problem,....blame Park Zone. Horizon has a good reputation
for standing behind what they sell, and that is to be admired.

On the bright side, these planes should fly inverted really well!!!

[Lieutenant Loughead]

WOW! Usually Parkzone has better quality control than that! I wonder what happened?!

Looking at the photo on the box, it looks like it was supposed to be a symmetrical airfoil...

[jaskel]

Originally Posted by Lieutenant Loughead

WOW! Usually Parkzone has better quality control than that! I wonder what happened?!

Looking at the photo on the box, it looks like it was supposed to be a symmetrical airfoil...

yeah the wing should be symmetrical....lets see how they go with a fix

[pdubree]

If you check and look real closely you will see that horizonal stab is also inverted on the parkzone extra 300

pdubree

[Wildflyer]

The slight semi symmetrical airfoil at the tips is about the same as having a little washout in the wing, so that the tips will stall last, at least thats the intent.

My LHS has 2 planes in stock both wrong, the owners plane-wrong, and the 1 he sold to a friend, wrong, thats 4 for 4.

I'd flip the wings and maybe the stab and fly it as much as possible, i'm sure they will replace the parts or what ever they have to do, to make it right.

[jaskel]

Well just got back from a flight with the wings flipped SO MUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! The plane flew nice and when I came in for a landing I cut throttle at 20 or so feet out and it glide in silky smooth with NO throttle, did a little flare re the end and perfect touch down!!!!!!!

Anyone that says it doesn't make a difference flipping the wings are on crack!

I reccomend it to any one!

Do it!!!!!!!!!

[smokejohnson]

Did it change your CG flipping the wing over? I have a couple of friends with this plane and their first flights were scary. They moved the CG forward and it flies better now.

[jaskel]

hmm no not really..maybe 10mm if that

[Victory Pete]

Originally Posted by Heli Jim

Well, don't blame HH for the problem,....blame Park Zone. Horizon has a good reputation
for standing behind what they sell, and that is to be admired.

On the bright side, these planes should fly inverted really well!!!

That is almost funny, I know not for you guys. I have had a few issues with Horizon Hobbies products but they always come through with flying colors. By the way, Parkzone is a division of Horizon Hobby, most of all their products they distribute are thier own divisions.
VP

[groundrushesup]

Originally Posted by Victory Pete

That is almost funny, I know not for you guys. I have had a few issues with Horizon Hobbies products but they always come through with flying colors. By the way, Parkzone is a division of Horizon Hobby, most of all their products they distribute are thier own divisions.
VP

Yup, I had a bit of a chuckle myself.

Yeah, I know about walking a mile in someone else's shoes and all that jazz, but I'd like to think I woulda picked up on such a thing while I was putting it together - I mean sheesh! perhaps the photos focus the mind, but the airfoil looks almost like a boat hull for goodness sake...

I'm interested to see how this shakes out vis. Horizon.

s'scribed....

GRU

[jaskel]

dont worry, ill keep you guys posted as to how it goes!

Just had another fly today with the flipped wings...perfect, floats so much nicer

[Numbthumbs]

As Ministeve pointed out in another thread, they haven't even put up a bulletin on their website about this seemingly large-scale flaw. Basically they are waiting for you to complain before they take action. That seems a bit daft.

[jaskel]

no, what they are doing is liasing with the manufacturing plant in china and im sure they are discussing best plan of attack!

[Numbthumbs]

Originally Posted by jaskel

no, what they are doing is liasing with the manufacturing plant in china and im sure they are discussing best plan of attack!

That is certainly true, but in the meantime, people are still buying defective planes from Parkzone, who know about the problem. Seems to me the best solution would be to put a sales-stop on the plane right away.

[jaskel]

agreed!

[flyboyt]

I bought one of these also with the upside down wing. Has anyone brought this up on RC groups? The Horizon reps are always on that message board.

[Numbthumbs]

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...3#post15587959

I posted it there, and just bumped it, it seems there are less 300 flyers on RCG...

[Turner]

There is actually a pretty lively discussion going on about it on this thread:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1232620

[stevecooper]

Turner-Of-Tally'town: Good stuff,thanks for the link, Bubsteve

[Wildflyer]

I just posted it on the HorizonRcFlyers forum, I figure that should hit home.

http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/