Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

[Loneflier]

I only see a couple of reviews for this jet, and while I know it is expensive compared to some of the Freewing or FMS EDF jets, I was hoping that someone has flown it and could offer a comparison to those others, or even just a quick rundown of what they liked about this one, dislikes, etc. If they ever put this one on sale, I am thinking I will have to try it!

[tcolby]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

I have one of these (along with several other edf and turbine jets), and I was pleasantly surprised. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles (retracts, flaps, etc.) but I think that's part of what makes it fun. Super simple, throw it in the truck if there is the slightest possibility I might be able to sneak a flight or two in. It's a great little flier, and does all the stuff well. Not a speed deamon but not a slouch. I often fly it from a big grass retention basin park. It might be a little pricey to some but I love it.

[Loneflier]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

Thanks for your reply tcolby. I know Eflite stuff tends to be pricey, but they always seems to have all the bugs worked out and are great flyers, especially with the AS3X systems. Like I said, I am just waiting for a sale on this one, and then will have to try it out!

[Konrad]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

While E-flite is much better than say Great Planes I fear you have started out at the top of the foam ARF and even Foam EDF market. The FreeWing and to much the same extent FMS/ROC are far above the best in the way of product and even value. MotionRC makes the customer experience as good or better than the legendary E-flite/Horizon Hobbies. Having had a plethora of HH/EF products I can say they have as many or more teething issues that the products sold by MotionRC. (I often think HH is a little too quick to be the first to market).


For the money you can do a lot better at MotionRC, both in value and customer support. Don't wait for a sale at HH the best is just a click away here.

I did like the older wood and glass F-86, 15 EDF of E-flight.

All the best,
Konrad

[Loneflier]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

While E-flite is much better than say Great Planes I fear you have started out at the top of the foam ARF and even Foam EDF market. The FreeWing and to much the same extent FMS/ROC are far above the best in the way of product and even value. MotionRC makes the customer experience as good or better than the legendary E-flite/Horizon Hobbies. Having had a plethora of HH/EF products I can say they have as many or more teething issues that the products sold by MotionRC. (I often think HH is a little too quick to be the first to market).


For the money you can do a lot better at MotionRC, both in value and customer support. Don't wait for a sale at HH the best is just a click away here.

I did like the older wood and glass F-86, 15 EDF of E-flight.

All the best,
Konrad

Hi Konrad,

I am somewhat confused by your answer, as MRC does carry the EFlite FJ-2, as well as many of the HH products. I also have several Freewing and FMS planes as well, and yes, they are good flyers as well. MRC is a great company, and as they can attest, I have done a lot of business with them over the years.

Just from my experience, HH products (which I almost always buy from MRC or my LHS) are typically very well sorted out and always fly well. Either way, when I do purchase on of these, I plan to get it from MRC-maybe at their next Black Friday sale!

[Konrad]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

As a dealer for Horizon Hobbies, MotionRC is bound by their contact with them. As such you will have noticed that MotionRC doesn't (can't) undercut the MSP or HH sale price.

I'm glad you have had good luck with E-flite products. I've had more issues than one would have thought one would have with the premium one pays for the Horizon Hobbies product. That having been said Horizon Hobbies has been very good about any and all warranty claims I've filed.

But so has MotionRC been about any product they import/sell. I've had less issues with the servos in the FreeWing jets than I've had with the Park Zone and E-flite BNF. The Eagle gyro is less restrictive than what I've found in the AS3X RXs of Spektrum.

I like the ZTW ESC found in most of the MotionRC imported products better than the ESC I find in the E-flite and Parkzone models.

Don't get me wrong, but as a value product most of the items MotionRC imports are of an equal or higher quality than what one finds under the Horizon Hobbies brands. With one exception the Dynam product line. But as this product line is priced accordingly they are of great value! And with a little effort one can actually make a fine model with no need for apologies.

Note; I hope you all perform an electronic burn in on all (regardless of brand) your ARF, PNP, BNF models prior to actually making the first flight.
Most of these consumer grade electronics will fail inside of 5 minutes if they are going to fail in short order. This is known as infant mortality in the manufacturing industry. If the electrical device last for the first 5 minutes it is likely to last for a few hours, maybe years!

All the best,
Konrad

P.S.
Sorry I think I see the problem. I said this:
"Having had a plethora of HH/EF products I can say they have as many or more teething issues that the products sold by MotionRC. (I often think HH is a little too quick to be the first to market)."

I should have said:
Having had a plethora of HH/EF products I can say they have as many or more teething issues than the products IMPORTED by MotionRC. (I often think HH is a little too quick to be the first to market).

[Bill]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

Konrad,
What do you consider an electronic burn-in? How do you do it?
Thanks

[Konrad]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

Cycle things back and forth, like servos, and retracts. My radio allows me to run these cycle tests without having to stand there and move the sticks. I run motors and esc from idle to 3/4 for one or two packs (don't run motors a full power on the bench for more than a few seconds). I do this with all my electronics regardless of brand.

With the products from MotionRC I've had one Dynam retract fail, 2 FMS/ROC servos fail and one Freewing servo fail. Better on the bench than in the air.

When I buy a model I buy a few extra servos, and retracts. Not because of quality concerns but rather I know I'm going to bend something while test flying. If I have the parts on hand I'm often able to get the ship back in the air in ten minutes. Time is money, I've spent 60 to 80 hours working and to waste my hobby time at the field because a $9 servo died is just too costly of my time.

[Lon]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

Cycle things back and forth, like servos, and retracts. My radio allows me to run these cycle tests without having to stand there and move the sticks.  I run motors and esc from idle to 3/4 for one or two packs (don't run motors a full power on the bench for more than a few seconds).  I do this with all my electronics regardless of brand.

With the products from MotionRC I've had one Dynam retract fail, 2 FMS/ROC servos fail and one Freewing servo fail. Better on the bench than in the air.

When I buy a model I buy a few extra servos, and retracts. Not because of quality concerns but rather I know I'm going to bend something while test flying. If I have the parts on hand I'm often able to get the ship back in the air in ten minutes. Time is money, I've spent 60 to 80 hours working and to waste my hobby time at the field because a $9 servo died is just too costly of my time.

Yes, yes!!! It took awhile for the wife to understand my spare parts peg board. Some of the spares have been hanging there for over a year. I too don't want to waste my hobby opportunities for a $9 part.

[StarHopper]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

@LF,
I picked up the Fury from one of the vendors at the First In Flight Jet Rally in Wilson NC back in May. Great flying plane, easier to land than I thought the swept-wing would be. Didn't like the non-retracts but it is what it is - & that saves prolly $150 on pricing. The major downer - tho it's adequately powered, when the runway grass is slightly long or wet (dew) it has a hard time rising off ground when there's no headwind. Our club's runway is manicured & 900' long, but even that's not enough without a lucky bump to get the nose in the air. (Kind of embarrassing too, when the other clubbies get to hootin' & yucking it up at your expense! ;) )

Mine met its demise when it failed to pull up out of a loop in time, & landed on its 'chin'. Advisory - fly it like a scale warbird edf - it isn't highly acrobatic. I liked the plane, it was fun to fly - but not enough to replace it -- once was enough. "Been there done that", ya might say.

[Alpha]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

It's a fun plane to fly as it is intended. I'd agree with Starhopper that scale flight is its forte. I preferred flying it without AS3X, but that's just me. The couple FJ-2s at my field tend to stay with hand launching due to concerns over ROG and bounces during landing on the fixed wheels, but to me it doesn't seem like it hops as much as some might say it can. While a fun plane, the cost is up there, which I know weighs into many people's decisions. All in all I cannot think of anyone I met who owns one and is completely unhappy with it. HH is great in that regard --their expertise in flying and developing their models to a high standard while still in the prototype stage is very evident, and allows them to release products which are overall much easier and hassle free to get into the air than some other brands. That refinement does come at a premium, the value of which is subjective to each pilot.

[Loneflier]

RE: Has anyone tried the new EFlite FJ-2

Thanks Starhopper and Alpha,

It is a nice looking jet, and my experience with HH products is why I was leaning towards it. I am not a 3D flyer, and while I enjoy flying basically scale most of the time, I do throw in the occasional non scale maneuver too. I mostly fly prop planes, and am just delving into EDFs, and they are a lot of fun. I will definitely be looking closely at this one if/when it is on sale again, perhaps during Black Friday?? :rolleyes: