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Off Topics > **Century Heli Quality Issue: Potential Hawk Buyers Read This

corn_tortilla
Heliman
Location: Round Rock

I had recently been doing small test flights (<3-4 mins each) to remove slop from the rudder, linkages, etc on my hawk mechanics that will be going into my Bell 222 kit. On my 5th test flight (<2 tanks of fuel total I was ready to start to tune my engine. On about my 5th hovering pull-out, @ about 80ft, the nose dove downward and threw the heli into a continuous flip into it’s death.

Post mortem on the heli’s death, was that the metal ball-link came out of the plastic swashplate. An Issue due to a faulty part (which was tight before flying that day, but came out in a short flight)

So before you buy a hawk based on the fact of it’s only $159, think of these things:
1) Do you want to deal with a company you can’t even get someone on the phone ( I tried twice and both times was on hold forever (1st time for 30 minutes & 2nd for 20 minutes) before I hung up. (No 1-800 number for Century, so that's an LD call)

2) Do you want to deal with a company that won’t respond to emails. (It’s been over a week since the first email I sent out)

3) Do you want to deal with a company that hasn’t even asked to see the swashplate to see if the flaw is in design or manufacturing. (To prevent stuff like this from happening from other customers)

4) My damages will be in the ball park of $180 in replacement parts for in essence a $159 helicopter. (Plus, there is the possibility that my gyro/receiver could have died in the crash)
The cost of replacing the parts is more than the heli!!!

Before I would just vent on the forums, but other members told me to call/email Century. I’ve tried both options and still can’t get in contact with them. I guess my first instict was correct before.So if Century has 'really improved' in the customer service, etc; then please get in contact with me.

~Corn

01-09-2004 05:40 PM

shootist
Senior Heliman
Location: New York State, East Coast US

I'm sorry about your crash. If you didn't CA glue the ball link into the swash, why do you think Century is responsible?

01-09-2004 05:55 PM

Woody218
Veteran
Location: Bismarck, ND

This is a good example of why people shouldn't buy an ARF heli. If you build it yourself, you can build it right.

Gravity Always Wins!

01-09-2004 06:06 PM

CyberPilot
Veteran
Location: Yorba Linda CA

I have the Hawk ARF

It's been fine since April of last year. No problems!

Dave

~OCHC~
I make kits from helis :-)

01-09-2004 06:07 PM

HOMEPAGE

SteveH
rrProfessor
Location: Texas

Corn,

For the life of me I can't figure out how in the world that happened. Not saying it didn't, but I've been flying RC helicopters of all makes and models for eighteen years and I have never before seen a ball come out of a swash plate of any kind.

Please call Heli-world on their 800 line and ask for Dennis, tell him I suggested you call him, and see what he has to say. Don't know what he/Century can do for you, but that is the way to go about it.

SteveH
Magnum Fuel
AMA76186

01-09-2004 06:14 PM

corn_tortilla
Heliman
Location: Round Rock

Shootist,

Thx for you concern. The swashplate was already assembled in my kit when I got it. All the ball-links were tight (both ways). I didn't disassemble it because the instructions didn't tell me to (No mention of CA glue; but there is on threadlock for the metal-metal) + the fact that some assemblies come pre-assembled.

That's why it's Century's fault. I only had 20 minutes at max flight time on the thing before it failed.

When you buy Ferrari, and the wheel falls off of it as you leave the dealer lot. Is it your fault the wheel fell off, or the manufacturers for not tightening the lug nuts?

~corn

01-09-2004 06:15 PM

SteveH
rrProfessor
Location: Texas

Corn,

Another thing came to mind, where are you located? In your profile you state Round Rock, is that Round Rock, Texas? If so we could get together and I would be more than happy to help you in any way I can.

SteveH
Magnum Fuel
AMA76186

01-09-2004 06:16 PM

Robbiett2
Heliman
Location: Virginia Beach, VA

I have been flying the hawk sport since sept on my 8th gallon of fuel now. never had a problem except my thumbs every now and then. even arfs need to be double checked before flight any one that flys out of the box without checking has money to spend. cant blame a company for not checking your stuff only if wrong parts. talked to century several times never had a problem either.

Rob

01-09-2004 07:09 PM

shootist
Senior Heliman
Location: New York State, East Coast US

Quote
The swashplate was already assembled in my kit when I got it. All the ball-links were tight (both ways). I didn't disassemble it because the instructions didn't tell me to

You bring up good points. I put the Century bling bling purple tail rotor slider upgrade on without disasembling it, too. Only after I read here that one had unscrewed in-flight did I realize my mistake, and then red-loctited it.
It coulda been me, as easy as it was you.

01-09-2004 07:12 PM

the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

Century's free # 1-800-686-8588,,,

"I'm NOT trying to start a fight !!, I just don't see how that ball could have unscrewed in such a short time, I have never had a screw come out or even loosen from plastic on my Hawk or Falcon...

Jim

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz

01-09-2004 07:18 PM

Lift
Elite Veteran
Location: Houston, TX

corn_tortilla,
Can you please PM me the name of the person that put you hold 30min and then 20 mins?

I would like to discuss this with the owner for you.

01-09-2004 08:35 PM

the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

In2helis,,, you must have done something very very wrong, cause that A-arm is quite strong !!, in 2 years of flight and 9 crashes I have yet to brake mine...

Jim

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz

01-09-2004 09:13 PM

TroyE
Senior Heliman
Location: Orlando, FL.

I agree with wasp.

01-09-2004 09:30 PM

HOMEPAGE

Falcon SE
Senior Heliman
Location: College Station, TX

Hrm, I guess the only question I have is:

Quote

1) Do you want to deal with a company you can’t even get someone on the phone ( I tried twice and both times was on hold forever (1st time for 30 minutes & 2nd for 20 minutes) before I hung up. (No 1-800 number for Century, so that's an LD call)

2) Do you want to deal with a company that won’t respond to emails. (It’s been over a week since the first email I sent out)

3) Do you want to deal with a company that hasn’t even asked to see the swashplate to see if the flaw is in design or manufacturing. (To prevent stuff like this from happening from other customers)

How did you arrive at 3 if in 1 and 2 you state you never spoke with them? It seems to me one or two would have to take place before you can claim 3.

At any rate, sorry about the crash, do try to get in touch with them!!

Finally, how can you be so sure the ball link didnt pull out in what sounds like a spectacularly violent crash? Just because it will screw back in to a plastic block doesnt mean it didnt get yanked out.

01-09-2004 09:30 PM

50feet
Key Veteran
Location: Wilmington, Delaware

I would hate to have it happen to me but parts fail
you can go out an but new car and something could brake the first day. If it was an ARF I would say it was over tightened and stripped the threads in the swash. I did this once.before I got some hex drivers, my hand was tired from using the short end of a hex key. The ball links were a hard turn and to for to reach with the short end so I tied to use a power screw driver. It turned it a least 1 rotation more than it should have before I released the button. So I replaced the part and did it the hard way.

is there any warranty on faulty parts from any company? I would think a company might have one for ARF kits if they stood behind the quality of assembly as well as the quality of the product.

But I would think they could argue that the ball came out after the crash and not causing it.

To trust no one is to trust everyone equally

01-10-2004 01:21 AM

fritz
Senior Heliman
Location: San Antonio, Texas 78232

this might not be the cause......

but you must pre and post flight check for loose parts and other obvious things that go wrong as a result of vibration an plain old wear and tear..........I find things once in a while due to attention to detail and during clean up after flights.............hard to believe the swash plate ball came out after a few flights like that..............stuff happens.........fritz

Hawk sport/SE upgraded.. OS.32 Predator 60 OS.61 Hitec electronics

01-10-2004 01:33 AM

Skip Wescott
Heliman
Location: Nags Head NC.

my 2 cents worth

I have found that a lot of times its a battery problem not to say that was yours but thats what i have found to be a lot of them, and when a heli goes down its so much twisting on things its hard to pin point just one thing, what we are playing with depends on a lot of parts and a lot of plastic parts so all i can say is just do a good pre flight and ck the batterys good and my moto is when in dought chicken out! Thats my 2 cents !

Skip

01-10-2004 02:08 AM

Andrew_S
Veteran
Location: Gaston, South Carolina

hawk

I haven't flown mine yet..I ordered it last week . After I started putting it together when it came time to bolt the engine on, low and behold there is no engine mount....I guess I got the one that someone robbed parts off of. But Century said they would send me one, hopefully it will be here tomorrow(sat)...
Andrew

01-10-2004 03:11 AM

corn_tortilla
Heliman
Location: Round Rock

Okay,

This wasn't the ARF kit, but the swashplate and a couple other things did come pre-assembled (The kit was short some screws, but no biggee-- I had extras laying around from other kits.. I've raced Nitro RC cars for 2 years and know very well that Loctite is your friend, and that never overtighten a screw in plastic. I've also learned to check out all equipment that is Nitro powered. (Ever see an eighth scale buggy lose it's battery in Wide Open Throttle. (Not a Pretty Sight)

I had broken down some parts on the hawk to clean up the slop on the tail, etc... I went over all the major stuff before I flew it Friday PM as I was working on the heli the previous night and was tired (Try to catch stupid mistakes). The ball-link for the swashplate was tight and should have held. The way the heli acted, nose dive into a continous flip matches what happens when a for/aft cyclic goes out of control (It definately looked like greater than 5degree cyclic forward change. My caliber swashplate came pre-assembled, my metal quick-uk swashplate came pre-assembled (for the caliber), and so did the Century (Why should things be different). (I've now broken the quick-uk down and locttited to prevent a repeat --JIC) I know what a vibration on the receiver problem looks like, a low battery problem, but my VoltWatch was in at the FAR RIGHT in Goood. As to how it happened, I don't know. Why I wanted for Century to get the swashplate, so they can figure it out..

Falcon SE, You can have my problem 3, problem 2 is they never Replied.

SteveH & Lift, thanks for all the offers of help. Yes, it is RR, TX (I may take you up on the offer when I get her flightworthy again, and need some help stuffing her in the shell). This is the level of support that I'd expect to come out of a home office from a company (Even McDonalds) when a customer wants to talk to them. (Lift --I never got to talk to anyone when I called Century because I hit the prompt for support.)

The part that really pissed me off was, the other flights wer just getting her light on her feet or hovering < 20 feet and it was < 2 tanks of gas. I really wanted to get her tuned in, so I could stuff her in the shell. I could understand and deal with this if I had managed to burn a gallon or 2 on the mechs (Then it'd be wear and tear, etc.). I'll give Dennis a call on Monday afternoon...

~corn

01-10-2004 06:58 AM

SteveH
rrProfessor
Location: Texas

"I've raced Nitro RC cars for 2 years and know very well that Loctite is your friend, and that never overtighten a screw in plastic."

Corn,

Did you by chance remove the balls from the swash and reinstall them using locktite?

SteveH
Magnum Fuel
AMA76186

01-10-2004 02:06 PM

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