Wow. With all the nitpicking and comparing all the haters are doing, you're probably all helping HK hone in on the design for the next version. Let them do the work. If you're really so against the plane, bumping the thread to the top so you can take a stab at it doesn't help your cause. Vigilante internet haters... lol. Let the people who actually want the plane talk about it and it might disappear. Bad publicity is still publicity & with such low prices, that's all HK needs to lure in the ignorant spenders. Just my $0.02.

Originally Posted by Motojunk

Wow. With all the nitpicking and comparing all the haters are doing, you're probably all helping HK hone in on the design for the next version.

The next version will be another facsimile of whatever plane is in the thread seems to get the most hits.

I'm thinking if we bump this one enough, they will be forced to copy their own plane and maybe some real innovation will happen!!!

Originally Posted by LoneWolfRC

Somebody said it was a user uploaded manual probably designed to stir up trouble (as if the plane itself won't stir something up).

Good point. But if so, I wonder why HK doesn't take it down. Tacit condoning, maybe?


Chuck

Originally Posted by FireyFate

The next version will be another facsimile of whatever plane is in the thread seems to get the most hits.

I'm thinking if we bump this one enough, they will be forced to copy their own plane and maybe some real innovation will happen!!!

I'll admit that was funny, but while you're busy hating, they're laughing all the way to the bank. Have fun with the thread. I'm outta here.

Brand loyalty is interesting. My brand loyalties are inspired by good products and good service at a good price and spare parts availability.

A business would be ill advised to depend on other types of customer loyalty to protect its intellectual property, and would be better served by lawyers, trademarks, patents, and copyrights.

Originally Posted by LoneWolfRC

Brand loyalty is interesting. My brand loyalties are inspired by good products and good service at a good price and spare parts availability.

A business would be ill advised to depend on other types of customer loyalty to protect its intellectual property, and would be better served by lawyers, trademarks, patents, and copyrights.

I agree with you there, but I think the rules are a bit fuzzier over there and probably difficult to enforce from over here..

What I don't understand is all the accustions pointed at HobbyKing for designing/copying and then building what looks like an AJ Slick. I think people are forgetting the fact that HK are a retailer, they don't build or design anything. They source product they think people will like or are approached by manufacturers and then sell that product.

How that sits them on the dodgy scale I don't know, but remember they aren't the ones copying/stealing the design but they are guilty of selling that product I guess.

Originally Posted by luke352

What I don't understand is all the accustions pointed at HobbyKing for designing/copying and then building what looks like an AJ Slick. I think people are forgetting the fact that HK are a retailer, they don't build or design anything. They source product they think people will like or are approached by manufacturers and then sell that product.

How that sits them on the dodgy scale I don't know, but remember they aren't the ones copying/stealing the design but they are guilty of selling that product I guess.

When you work for hobbyking and attach a "Fly The Best" (3dhs slogan) decal to a HobbyKing plane and make an advertisement video of it... i think they know exactly what they are doing. it's all very calculated. We're not talking a simple buying of a similar design to sell, this goes way deeper than that...

How much does it cost for 3DHS to design these models? Research and development? Flying to China to meet with manufactures? Marketing?

They just took their laser cut original files and got it built somewhere else. Who knows maybe from the same company.

How about you just give us all 20% of your paycheck? Probably wouldn't be fair would it? China has copied things like this forever.

Robert King

Originally Posted by luke352

What I don't understand is all the accustions pointed at HobbyKing for designing/copying and then building what looks like an AJ Slick. I think people are forgetting the fact that HK are a retailer, they don't build or design anything. They source product they think people will like or are approached by manufacturers and then sell that product.

How that sits them on the dodgy scale I don't know, but remember they aren't the ones copying/stealing the design but they are guilty of selling that product I guess.

Wow! I don't have the two models to make a side-by-side comparison, but looking at the pictures from the HK site and comparing them to the 3DHS build manual, it's pretty easy to see that it's an exact copy. Now, copying an airplane using modern digital tools can't be that hard. Just apply some debonder and take the plane apart piece by piece, use a scanner of some sort to measure the pieces and feed it back into your laser cutter. Done! (Pretty much)

I've always been trying to give HK the benefit of the doubt because they provide a cheap way to get people into the hobby, but if this is really an exact replica (and the evidence sure points that way), this is seriously uncool! They are obviously targeting 3DHS in a very apparent and intentional way.

But it also reflects on HK as a company who can't come up with a good 3D design (they've tried numerous times) without creating an exact copy of someone else's plane. It's sad to see a company with vast resources not using them to invent and drive the hobby forward. Look at ValueHobby, for example, in comparison, who comes up with its Sabre X. They instead went with an original design and came up with something unique that also flies very well.

It's just sad to see one of the most successful companies in the business resort to imitation instead of invention.

Isn't it more likely that the ARF company building these for 3DHS is selling them to HK? It's not like the Chinese have ethics.

Originally Posted by TimmyC

Isn't it more likely that the ARF company building these for 3DHS is selling them to HK? It's not like the Chinese have ethics.

highly unlikely as that builder would most likely have the entire 3dhs catalog pulled and both EF and PA would take notice of said builder and also pull their models if they had them built there.

Some people over there have ethics but some don't.

Originally Posted by TimmyC

It's not like the Chinese have ethics.

Why do these discussions always go into xenophobia and racism territory? I know countless Chinese people who are very honest and have an excellent moral compass. Don't judge an entire people based on the business ethics of a certain business.

Originally Posted by TimmyC

Isn't it more likely that the ARF company building these for 3DHS is selling them to HK? It's not like the Chinese have ethics.

Spend lots of time in China? Have contacts over there?

I've been twice and I will say it's a definite culture shock compared to the US. I don't think you meant any harm in your post, just be careful.

I'm not remotely concerned with the ethics over there, I'm more concerned with the ethics of one of the largest companies in this hobby. The big Goliath company who must have tons of resources, but can only resort to ripping of a mid sized US company. They must be proud... I won't hate you if you buy from them, your choice- but I'll definitely applaud you if you support the real work...

I'm still waiting for someone to buy this plane, give a flight report, and as a bonus compare it to the AJ slick... Anyone?