*crickets chirping*

@ RaidenCharlie I never got an email regarding an UPS claim from you, only a email asking "Was the box damaged?"

So anyway, I'm getting a delivery from UPS today, a truck part, and the driver has other paperwork too:

"You got something for me?"

Ummm, huh?

"You have a package going back to, uh, 'Nitroplanes' for me?"

Uh, what, oh, I guess so, but the box isn't packed up, I wasn't expecting.............

"Oh, OK I'll be back tomorrow, just leave it by the door, I'll leave the paperwork."

So I guess this box and entire plane is going back across the nation because of two holes in the fuselage? Why not just send me a new fuselage Charlie? As I posted above, and what I explained in my email was; the packaging of this plane is seriously insufficient. UPS banged it up pretty good, but I'm not sure the damage was done through rough handling. The wing was on top of the fuselage and undamaged.

I'm just afraid if you send another plane, in the same type packaging another component, wing, tail etc. might arrive broken? What then?

OK, if you think this is the best course, you guys are the pros! Hope to hear from you guys............

Doug

Well, today UPS picked up the plane. Not to return it to Nitroplanes, but to take it to their distribution center and determine if the interior damage to the contents was from their negligence in handling or poor packing/damage prior to delivery.

As I posted above, the box was beat up but not pierced or punctured. I'm pretty sure UPS will determine the latter is the case, the product was damaged prior to or during process for shipping and I would have to agree with them. The inner protective partitions on those areas that are damaged are unscathed. This was not discussed through my complaint process. I was simply asked; Was there any damage to the box? I answered honestly. Maybe I shouldn't have. Maybe I should have just stated the box was in good condition.

So far I think NP is being reasonable, trying to protect their interests, but I'm let down as a repeat customer. Who knows what dings and dents the kit will get in discovery @ UPS. If UPS will not capitulate with the claim? I would have expected NP would just send me another replacement fuselage for the kit I had in hand and settle with UPS. I know why they didn't, it's elementary; It would render another $200 kit worthless to NP's stock. There are no support pieces for some of their products. You may say; What's $200 to them? The kit probabaly cost them $25. Just keep the parts around the warehouse for spares............." but that's not in their business model philosophy. This 'aint Wal-Mart fellas!

See how it pans out. This situation doesn't warrant a new thread with regard yet, but I'm feeling manipulated through this UPS claims process.

I just send you a PM for the order.

Responded Charlie with the infos...................

And to the members;

NP has updated their product page with many new photos of the A-10 in flight with the stock fixed gear, which is honest, and an expanded view of the kit contents.................properly done and represented.

I hope my situation is resolved soon, as I am keen on building this model!

Doug

lol, UPS tried to deliver the A-10 again today. WT*?

Global economy is directly proportional to global idiocy.

After, what? Seven weeks after delivery, a lot of hemming and hawing with UPS and Nitroplanes I get my replacement A-10 today.

Gee, quelle surprise:





lol, you have to laugh. In a PM to RaidenCharlie I mused that I had little hope of receiving the repalcement in 'good shape'.

I'm not going to pursue this with Nitroplanes.

How the process goes:

They file a claim with UPS and state the merchandise was damaged in shipping. No it wasn't. Both times the merchandise was drop shipped in a broken state. That is my opinion. Although the packaging was inadequate, there was no exterior damage on the box that could possibly correlate to the damage to the airplane. Just no way.

UPS picks up the plane and takes it to their warehouse for inspection. They correspond with NP and you are out of the loop. When NP receives both the airplane back to Cali and their reimbursement from UPS, then they send you a new plane. That takes time. It's reasonable, but not what I would call 'above and beyond' customer service. I'm not impressed.

What would have impressed me was an apology from NP back in the middle of August, and them sending me a CAREFULLY packaged fuselage to replace the first one. That way I would have a perfect wing AND a perfect fuselage. Now I have a perfect fuselage and a broken wing.

So, what? Am I going to go through this process again and in the middle of October get a third plane in Lord knows what kind of condition? No thanks.

I'll cut my losses, fix the plane I have in hand and move on.

For the record I'm not upset with Nitroplanes. They are what they are; a middle man importer of Chinese drop shipped goods. We pays our money, we takes our chances. Right guys?

Also, the kit is neat guys. An empty house that will take hundreds of dollars of electronics to get up and flying, but it will be worth it. She really is a nice piece, the engine nacelles especially, mmmmmmmmm fiberglass, very scale and refined, but I've seen watermelons stacked in the back of pick-ups packed with more care. Pity.

I plan on doing a build thread on this but it is going to be a while before I get the components together. I plan on two E-Flite 70mm Delta V fans and their 15 outrunners for EDF's, or not, have to kick it around...........more later

Doug

ordered one of these because they were having a sale. arrived today in an undamaged box. opened the box to find some small dings on the fuselage but nothing i couldn't live with. when i unwrapped the wing and turned it over it was a mess. i then noticed that it was broken in two about 1/3 of the way down, completely unusable. given your replacement problems perhaps i should just ask for a refund since it seems unlikely that i will be able to get a good plane. this was NOT a ups problem for sure.

We need to hear from anyone else who had ordered one and see if they're all damaged...

the way this thing was packed is awful. it is no wonder the wing broke as it was only supported on the ends. and the finish on the bottom of my wing was a mess. there must be zero quality control for this thing to have made it into a kit. i would have to say at this point that projet has little concern for their reputation or putting out a quality product. i ordered the cmp t-45 from nitro and that is a nice kit. so far projet seems to be 0 for 3 on the a-10. i'll post some pics monday.

Sent the pics to Nitro. We'll see what happens. I told them I thought I would rather have a refund. Just not thrilled with the quality and there is probably no way on earth to get a spare part if needed (although nitro should be starting a pile of parts now). Too bad, sure would have been impressive at the field.

UPDATE: Have been contacted by Nitro and Charlie and am going to get a refund. I'm pleased with the handling of this situation. Nitro did not make or pack the jet but they did stand behind the product they sold. Charlie said they will be getting up with Projet about the packing of this plane. I'll buy from nitro again. Thanks for not making this into a real headache.

Originally Posted by seadog985

UPDATE: Have been contacted by Nitro and Charlie and am going to get a refund. I'm pleased with the handling of this situation. Nitro did not make or pack the jet but they did stand behind the product they sold. Charlie said they will be getting up with Projet about the packing of this plane. I'll buy from nitro again. Thanks for not making this into a real headache.

Good to hear! And also, to be clear...NitroPlanes doesn't make ANY planes. They're simply a distributor of airplanes from overseas. They re-brand some makes as well.

Charlie also said they would be checking each A-10 before it was shipped to ensure quality. Added work for them but a time saver for everyone in the long run.

Good gracious Seadog!

I've had EDF's cartwheel down asphalt @ 30kts and come out with less damage. What a wreck! There's something going on here. That kind of damage is not 'rough handling' by warehouse personel or UPS. That HAS to be disgruntled labor at the point of manufacture (would hate to think it's going on @ Nitroplanes). That's deliberate.

Roger on the statement; Nitroplanes are just distributors. There is a knee jerk reaction to get all in a huff but it's just unfortunate for EVERYONE involved.

Charlie did try on my behalf to make things right within his power and he has to my satisfaction.

I bought my plane originally @ $199, then shipping, before it went on 15% sale. I got a partial refund for that, then an option to re-order my replacement plane @ the $149 price with a FULL refund on the original charge. After a second attempt at delivery with another broken plane (the wing tip) I was given the option to return for full refund or to fix it myself and get another 15% charge back on my credit card. I fixed the wing tip myself. A little build up doubler of the end cap rib, reglued the fiberglass wing tip, did a little monokote work to the underside tear and hid the seam with some red 1/4'' pin stripe, which looks good offset of the OD paint scheme.

So, all settled out, the *perfect* plane I would have gotten originally for $238, I know own for $155. The difference will go a long way to buying some electronics to get flight ready.

Just a personal lesson that; cooler heads prevail. I KNOW there are some frustrating stories going on here with delays for months with parts, but it's better to have a 'friend' working for you to make things right. Than an enemy that puts you on the back burner. Be persistant, protect your rights certainly but be polite. THEN if you choose not to do business with Nitroplanes in the future that is the best recourse as a dissatisfied consumer.

I will certainly do business with Nitroplanes in the future but with a caveat emptor attitude that not all these products are manufactured and packaged equally. I have ordered quite a few 'Exceed' and 'Airfield/FMS' products and had nothing but excellent luck. This A-10 and the Embraer Tucano I ordered previously (which are CMP products) have a LONG way to go with regard to QC and shipping. It's a pity because these could be excellent models.

MmmmK onward. Again, and, I'm not putting this on Nitroplanes, but, to anyone reading this thread I would give this model a 'pass'.

If I were Nitroplanes? I would open every single box from CMP going out and check for damage. I know that would probabaly play havoc on their business model, but the raves of 100 satisfied customers is not as loud as that from the 1 dissatisfied who is rants in these threads and out at the flying field.

Agreed Demsey. I'll be shopping with nitro again. I don't expect things to always be perfect and am willing to do some minor repairs myself but I would hope any seller would listen and help when I have a serious issue. Nitro did this. The A-10 could be a great model BUT they (Projet) have a lot of bugs to work out. There was more damage than you would think from just bad packing. There was also some cosmetic stuff on the fuselage that should have never passed a QC check. But to me the most important thing is that Nitro made things right in both our cases.