A Message From HRP

[Rotorious]

Thanks for the reply Ryan. I was starting to have my doubts, but I'm willing to hang in there. Please keep the communication coming if there are any hold ups.

[nickyd]

This is a truely sad day for my lifetime heli. Poor E325:V1 no longer supported.
Guess I'll just have to try not to crash ever again

[petesmith]

I just ordered my second N5c from Synergy, and a Gaui X3.

When the X50F and E325S crashes that is it.

Why anyone would buy from Thunder Tiger after how we were treated is beyond me.....

[Dee Tries 3D]

At Ryan - thanks for posting the info as you got it. I know your just the messenger.
At T Tiger - It seems that this gamble will not improve the heli line, and in fact may kill it off...
I can survive a crash or 2 on my (3) TT helis, but even with common parts from the remaining products & 'grafting' of fitting parts from other helis, it won't keep me from changing brands.
Disappointing, as I was a true TT flyer from back in the R50 V2 days.

Would short part runs for a few quarters to have parts in the pipeline really cost that much??

[darkfa8]

short of a press release from TT Taiwan or via HRP, we'll likely never know the exact reason why they're making this move.

However, in my opinion based on having briefly worked with a legacy RC heli manufacturer, I suspect the move was purely financial. The pod-n-boom market is probably plateauing and/or shrinking due to the increase in popularity of multi-rotors. In order for most heli companies to stay alive, they are or should be offering product that generates profit. Thunder Tiger has already made this move with their Robotix line.

They probably reviewed their portfolio, analyzed sales over a period of time along with release dates, manufacturing intricacies and decided to trim the under-performers.

I believe that so long as they provide strong parts support for the current models, this move will free up some resources (R&D/capitol) to put towards new product(s) development. What ratio that's divided up between pod-n-boom and multi-rotor/Robotix, only they know, but I think it'll be for the best in the long run.

This isn't the first RC heli company to restructure in recent years. Others have tried and failed, but unlike TT they didn't have the product diversity to support the company if any one segment was under performing.

As for parts for the discontinued models, I'd fly them until the parts supply totally dries up and then move to something new whether with TT or another brand.

[trickybit]

If course its financial. If, all things considered, they can't manage to support recent models and are doing a poor job with current models, the customers--at least in helis--will move on, and I'm sure they understand that.

We can fly, we can sell, but for damn sure we can't recommend Raptor in good faith to anybody. It's just a shame.

[petesmith]

It would be quite a situation if Thunder Tiger is at IRCHA this year?

I wonder if we can get Nick Maxwell to help with this? (at least switching brands to someone like Synergy)

[trickybit]

Originally Posted by petesmith

It would be quite a situation if Thunder Tiger is at IRCHA this year?

I wonder if we can get Nick Maxwell to help with this? (at least switching brands to someone like Synergy)

Nick's probably also caught in the middle. I wouldn't want to lean on him, even though he was the front man for the E700.

It is an interesting question about whether TT will make a presence at IRCHA. I assume it will be greatly diminished, in any case.

[squeely531]

Isn't the E700 still going to be supported?

[CL2-MrZero]

Yes, the 700 will still be supported as well as the E550 Fbl and the E360.

[nickyd]

So if the e360 is supported, I just need to replace my 325v1 frame with a v2 frame and all is good again.

[TheKingPhisher]

Can someone explain why parts for the now discontinued Raptor E820 is so overpriced????

I was looking forward to ordering the CNC main gear but $75??? Really?

[Glenn Goodlett]

Its called price gouging.

I just ordered a PV 0599 gear for $56.99 with 15% off and free shipping.

[glmonroebbs]

Whew! Happy to hear the E700 will continue to be supported since I just bought one. My first 700. It sucks the others are being discontinued. They are likely going to focus on their V3 full fuselage versions.

I went through a similar thing with my Fusion50s. I'm still flying them, but I know that's for a limited time. Thankfully, I don't crash as often. Experience is a good thing.

At least TT is still around, and they are providing an incentive for a newer supported model. Small consolation for those that are on a limited budget.

[squeely531]

This is price gouging

[Rotorious]

I saw that too. WTF

[TheKingPhisher]

So I caved in knowing that the optional parts for the now discontinued E820 are going to be very hard to find if that's even possible.

I got the optional CNC main gear from ExperienceRC for $75+ shipping.

I also got the LAST optional carbon stick pack battery tray for $130 from Midland Helicopters UK. I didn't really need the optional carbon battery tray since I got 3 of the standard stacked plastic ones but I knew I wouldn't be able to buy one if I waited too long. Good thing is I could reverse engineer the carbon one and make more if I needed to...

[f2000ez]

34.99 is the out of stock price for the lower right frame. In stock price will be 54.99......................

[jxl857]

I've talked with the dealers directly, and the reason the frames are more expensive is because they were parting out kits to supply the necessary parts. $10 extra isn't that much when you consider that they'll have a tough time selling parts which don't tend to break in a crash.

If you want a the lower price for the bottom frames, then PM icychen@thundertiger.com. I placed a large order for parts on 6/4/2015 and got them delivered from Taiwan on 6/12/2015 (8 days after I placed the order).

[Atomic Skull]

Titan X50E was not on the "discontinued" list are parts still being made or did they just forget to add that one?