The folks over at Flite Test are bringing out a PnP Grumman Widgeon this year. Not a lot of details yet, but their announcement showing the two planes coming out ahead of it (Micro Beaver and a Micro Cessna), has a few quick clips of the Widgeon pre-production sample being flown.
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Can you provide more details in the form of links or videos? I stopped subscribing to FliteTest when I got fed up with all of their videos being monetized - can't stand all the ads scattered throughout their vids. They even have to have sponsorship for certain sections of their vids. They have become so much less about the RC hobby and so much more about securing money. They've become "pitchmen". -
Yeah, the ads are a bit annoying, though they're showing up far and wide on YouTube now.Comment
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Potentially interesting products although Horizon has so far cornered the UMX market. All of their little planes are equipped to fly in very windy conditions, far windier than I would dare fly any of my large models. But that 1 minute, 10 second ad for their sponsor was just too much and a real turn off and the reason why I unsubscribed to their channel.Comment
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I can mostly understand their in-video endorsements for their sponsors, as that does help pay their bills. The ones that really bother me, are the ones that YouTube puts in, often at awkward points in the video (rather than at logical break points). It's really annoying when the ads are as long (or longer) than the video I'm trying to watch. I know the creators get compensated based on whether the ads get watched, so if the ads aren't too long or offensive, I'll watch them. There are some, though, that I'll skip the moment they start, because they're excessively long and/or downright insulting.
Flite Test, though, is right up there with MRC for customer service, and most of my RC purchases are divided between those two.Comment
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Just watched their build video. Looks pretty good. It really looks great on the water. Quick to get up on the step.
Now if only the lake would open up.
Here's the build video
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That is a very interesting plane. Is it an actual FliteTest product or does someone else make it for them? I know them for their foamboard kits and now, I see they are sellers of Eflite and Flex Inno planes.Originally posted by Gilatrout View PostJust watched their build video. Looks pretty good. It really looks great on the water. Quick to get up on the step.
Now if only the lake would open up.
Here's the build video
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Just went to see what it would cost to get one to my door. Turns out the the shipping alone is almost $200.00 and that’s the cheapest AND that’s with their “shipping discount”. How is it that Motion can ship a huge box to me for just over 50 bucks? These FT people are seriously crazy. Moving along. Nothing to see here.
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That sucks. It just be an international shipping thing. I checked what it would be for me, because holy crap $200. For me, in the US the shipping is $31 for the cheapest option.Originally posted by xviper View PostJust went to see what it would cost to get one to my door. Turns out the the shipping alone is almost $200.00 and that’s the cheapest AND that’s with their “shipping discount”. How is it that Motion can ship a huge box to me for just over 50 bucks? These FT people are seriously crazy. Moving along. Nothing to see here.
Even so, just about every other place would have free shipping for anything over $100.Comment
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Yep, the shipping is a fail on this new Flite Test ARF Widgeon. Plus, they use UPS which is my least favorite shipper.
I did mumble and curse a little under my breath as I went ahead and ordered one and forked over 30.99 for shipping. Would not have gone for it except for the fact I am a huge fan of all the Grumman amphibians.
Suprised that A Main Hobby (who fulfills orders for Flite Test) does not have some better shipping options, as most other dealers do, even for boxed ARFs. The shipping prices before the shipping discount resembled over the counter retail shipping costs.Comment
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I checked the Amain site. Put one in the cart just to see what the shipping is. I don't have an account with them so they wanted me to give them all my details anyway. I didn't want to. Surprisingly, the check out pages looked identical to the Flite Test check out pages. I went on "chat" to ask about the shipping. Waited and waited and waited and nobody responded. They wanted my email so I told them I gave up on waiting and they could just email me. Never heard from them. Shipping - FAIL. Customer service - FAIL.Originally posted by tab28682 View Post
If this plane shows up with some other vendor, I'll take another look at it then. I know Great Hobbies here in Canada carries some of the FT products. Maybe one day, they'll carry this Widgeon.Comment
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Not too surprising, since A Main is doing the fullfillment for FT. When you order on the FT site (except for the FT STEM products, which are differently fullfilled), you are being ported over the the A Main site behind a FT facade.Originally posted by xviper View Post
When I checked A Main, I was asked to log in. Tried to create a new log in. A Main would not let me and said I already had one. Logged in using my normal log in for things like this and lo and behold, there was my FT order info. Same order completion page as appeared on the FT page. Tested another kit from A Main for shipping costs. High as well and the order page was the same format.Comment
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The term "Tricky Dickie" comes to mind. Oh well, I guess I can't put all the blame on Flite Test. Too bad since it looks like a nice product. I've done business with Amain in the past. It cost more for shipping than what those little items cost. As with FedEx and UPS these days, the Covid-19 situation has caused most shipping agents to jack up their prices (a lot). I'll wait till it's calmed down and business can get back to a more normal state.Originally posted by tab28682 View Post
An inquiry to Great Hobbies in Canada (who sells Flite Test products) has revealed that Flite Test will only sell this plane "direct" (ie, via Amain). Who knows, maybe FT is getting the screws turned on them, too.Comment
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I received the FT Widgeon and have to say I am completely impressed. Quality is excellent. Many nice and fun features, with minimal nit picks to be found.
I started a mini review over in the Waterplanes forum on “the other place”. Will post it here if there is any interest.
Although the stock blue and silver paint is prettier In person than I expected, I am going to repaint it in WWII US Coast Guard colors.Attached FilesComment
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I liked the little Widgeon so much I had to have a spare. Number one is well along in the conversion to a Coast Guard J4F.
I have a couple of flights off the water and 10 or so flights off the runway on the second Widgeon. It is a really impressive flyer, both off water and off the ground.
A few details left to do on the Coast Guard Widgeon and it will then be complete.Attached FilesComment
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My wife gifted me the Widgeon for our anniversary this year. I had a short maiden on it two weeks ago, electing to land very soon after taking off because it was flying very squirrely. It turned out I had the expo reversed (doh!). Even so, I managed to bring it back around for a mostly safe, albeit rather ugly, landing. Remaidened it this morning with the settings corrected. I still need to get a better feel for it on landing, but any landing that doesn't require repairs, is, IMNSHO, a landing I'll take.
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Latest flight, and a landing I'm much happier with than my early ones. Flite Test has a 3D printed FPV camera mount that swaps in for the stock battery hatch, and I'm considering seeing if my son will make one for me on his printer.
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