Another DISAPPOINTING, BORING product announcement from Horizon!

[xviper]

Durafly is the manufacture for Avios

But the question is ........................... where and who makes Durafly? Durafly is a HobbyKing inhouse brand. Durafly (or Avios) is not a manufacturing company. "Somebody" makes it for them. It's like Banana Hobby doesn't make BlitzRCWorks. It's just their inhouse brand.

[JamesonC]

How many foam plane manufacturing companies are there? Serious question. :Thinking:

[Aros]

Durafly is FMS. It's Hobby King's brand made by FMS just like FlightLine is our brand from Freewing.

[OV10]

And BlitzRC is a LX (Shenzhen Lanxiang) product. ;)I believe all the foamies are made in China with the balsa ARF's coming out of Vietnam and several other countries around that neck of the woods.

[lmramos44]

Durafly is the manufacture for Avios

Are you sure? What is your source?

[Spitfire4life]

A little insight if it helps, as much as I'm willing to on this subject anyway, as the former Durafly and Avios brand manager.

First off, Durafly is NOT FMS, however up to the Mk-24 Spitfire, FMS did produce those 1100mm warbirds for Durafly. Durafly was due to carry the now FMS 1100mm Zero and the Typhoon (I developed them with FMS) , but the relationship ended after the Mk-24. FMS, from what I understand now, make for several 'brands' most of which are recycled designs for brands including Eflite, Roc Hobbies, Arrows, and what every that Banggood brand was with the V2's of the Durafly 1100mm warbirds a year or so ago. Durafly (like 99% of the industry) work with several partners in Asia to produce models. Avios and Durafly are brands of Hobbyking, these brands work with several suppliers on decisions, development and requirements for models, again just like the rest of the industry.

Back on the original topic (though a while ago now), yes, I must say not really my cup of tea, but I can understand the allure of it from a novelty perspective.

S.

[RRHandy]

Are you sure? What is your source?

It had been stated over on RCG in the C-130 forum. R.

[rampage]

I'm pretty sure Avios and Durafly are both manufactured by FMS. My Avios Albatross, for example, has a Durafly battery strap. Something that wouldn't happen if they weren't coming from the same factory.

One easy way to tell that FMS produced most of these models is the pilot figure. That's usually a tell-tale giveaway.

With EFlite, you can generally tell too. You can tell which models are FMS-produced (like the Maule, the 1.2M P-51, etc) and which ones are made by another manufacturer (CZ Cessna, Cirrus, Cherokee) by their design philosophy. Plug-in wings, covered servos, etc.

[xviper]

So, you don't believe Stuart, huh (post #25)? I guess the guy who was with HobbyKing for years ( and worked out of the Hong Kong office) and was the brand manager for Durafly and Avios, doesn't know what he's talking about. :Silly: I suppose if it comes from RCG, it MUST be true. :Don't-tell-Anyone:

[Woodcock]

The fact is there could be all sorts of brands we don't know about having foundry work done at the FMS plant, as well as others. But that's what it is, "Foundry Work". As far as Durafly is concerned FMS could be molding there foam. FMS is pretty good at it so what? There rigging hardware isn't the same, it's much better in my opinion. Durafly control rods are always 2 or 3 times as heavy duty as most any other PNP planes. I had about a dozen of there offerings, they all have ball joints for the control horns and such. Not the cheapest plastic clevises available. They also have an above average amount of carbon fiber reinforcement in their foam.

Now I put my faith in what Stewart says. But to be honest, I like FMS products, for the most part, they seem to do a good job in my opinion. All though I will not be purchasing my FMS products from Horizon.

I'll close with this, I honestly think the most American pickup truck sold in America is a Toyota. LOL I don't expect many to believe this. But them Chevy trucks have an awfully lot of Isuzu parts on them. As a matter of fact, all the diesel Chevy trucks come with an Isuzu engine. They call it a Duramax. Nuff said.

Foundry work is simply foundry work. This basically means they're making parts for the final product. Not to be confused with making the final product. If I were designing and building an RC airplane I would probably approach FMS to mold my foam, TO MY SPECIFICATIONS. Why? They do a good job! it's that simple.

Woody

[rampage]

So, you don't believe Stuart, huh (post #25)? I guess the guy who was with HobbyKing for years ( and worked out of the Hong Kong office) and was the brand manager for Durafly and Avios, doesn't know what he's talking about. :Silly: I suppose if it comes from RCG, it MUST be true. :Don't-tell-Anyone:

Stuart didn't actually say anything contrary to what I said. He confirmed that FMS made their 1100mm Warbirds up to the Spitfire Mk24. Also, the 11 Hobby warbirds which were supposed to be Durafly-branded but the deal fell apart, something that was speculated as soon as the 11 Hobby warbirds showed up. Again, notice the pilot figures. That's a dead giveaway.

In the end it's not really a big deal but sometimes it's fun to know the origin of the product you're buying.

[Woodcock]

I Agree, but sometimes this subject seems pretty touchy. LOL

Woody

[lmramos44]

It had been stated over on RCG in the C-130 forum. R.

Ok thank you for that information. FMS is extremely busy considering they produce for eflite, Durafly, Avios and I think they are behind arrow rc ...good for them . They make a quality product. Thanks again!

[lmramos44]

It would be wonderful if we could have a manufacturing plant here in the USA. I understand the issues with labor cost etc... but it would be cool.????

[RRHandy]

It would be wonderful if we could have a manufacturing plant here in the USA. I understand the issues with labor cost etc... but it would be cool.????

The cost to produce them here would be very cost prohibitive do to us needing high dollar per man hour. R.

[fhhuber]

Somehow... there are companies that compete well in manufacturing some items here in USA

A few T-shirt makers, flag makers, furniture... Things that seem to be labor intensive, but even with paying $10 an hr (starting, sweeping the floor) in USA for labor they can compete with Chinese companies paying less than $1 an hr for the average line worker.

The economics of running a business don't make a lot of sense to people who have never done it.
The paychecks to the employees can be a small part of the business cost compared to taxes, insurance, raw materials, utilities, building mortgage or rent... and a lot more.

For the manufacture of a foam model, the costs of developing, then making the molds and the processing equipment is significant, and its a start-up cost.

[Spitfire4life]

Hi guys, just to clear it up (at least up until I left) FMS were not making any models for DF or Avios and knowing how the relationship ended, I do not think they would have started again. Keep in mind of the 3-4 foam model factories you have heard of in China, there are at least as many you have not, and most likely will never hear about.

Also keep in mind that 99% of these factories source pilots etc from the same supplier, rather than making it themselves (too costly), this is often the reason you tent to see the same pilot doing the rounds in all kind of model offerings from various companies.

S.

[xviper]

Also keep in mind that 99% of these factories source pilots etc from the same supplier, rather than making it themselves (too costly), this is often the reason you tent to see the same pilot doing the rounds in all kind of model offerings from various companies.

S.

That's what I thought and it makes perfect sense. Comparing pilot figures is NOT a way to determine commonality of source of manufacture of any plane. It's like saying that just because the runners I have that came with orange laces was made at the same factory as my friend's shoes with the orange laces even though they have different labels. "Dead giveaways"????

[JamesonC]

Hi guys, just to clear it up (at least up until I left) FMS were not making any models for DF or Avios and knowing how the relationship ended, I do not think they would have started again. Keep in mind of the 3-4 foam model factories you have heard of in China, there are at least as many you have not, and most likely will never hear about.

Also keep in mind that 99% of these factories source pilots etc from the same supplier, rather than making it themselves (too costly), this is often the reason you tent to see the same pilot doing the rounds in all kind of model offerings from various companies.

S.

Thanks for the insight Stuart! I have been curious how many foam plane factories there were since the only ones you ever hear about are FMS and Freewing.

[lmramos44]

Durafly is FMS. It's Hobby King's brand made by FMS just like FlightLine is our brand from Freewing.

Ok I keep getting contrary information. Is Durafly made by FMS? Is Avios a sub of FMS? Or Durafly or what?