I think that Flite Test should do a review on the new UMX Whipit DLG from E-flite. I am looking into getting a dlg, and when the Whipit came out, I was really excited because of how cheap it is. The low price would allow me to see if I want to get into dlg's so I don't spend too much money on a dlg and find out I don't like it. Another great thing is that even though its cheap, it is from Horizon Hobby which is a very reliable company that makes quality products that you can get replacement parts for it if they break. If anyone else has a whipit, I would really appriciate your comments about what you think about it. I am also wondering how it compares to the Dream Flight Libelle as a first DLG? Thanks!
 
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tyoho

Member
Yup and if you didn't get to the preorder it went pretty quick

I got in on the tail end of the pre-order, but when I check on the web site all it says about my order is processing, no ETA.
By the time it comes it might be nice enough weather to actually fly it, so maybe it's for the better.
Na, I want it NOW!!!!!
 

CrashRecovery

I'm a care bear...Really?
Mentor
I got in on the tail end of the pre-order, but when I check on the web site all it says about my order is processing, no ETA.
By the time it comes it might be nice enough weather to actually fly it, so maybe it's for the better.
Na, I want it NOW!!!!!
Mid April is what I was told by horizon.
 

Kurt0326

Your ADD Care Bear
Mentor
I just got one myself, easy flying plane! I'm enjoying it. But I did have a servo go bad a week and a half after I got it. But that's the end of the bad part.:) Okay so I start making my call to Horizon to help trouble shoot the problem. I got a hold of a guy named Chuck and he walk me through his trouble shooting and we both agreed it was bad. Chuck did ask if I had a receipt and I said yes buy it's not itemized to show the whipit. Well I took my word on it and is sending me a new board for my whipit. Which shocked me because I was just asking for a replacement servo. He told me that since it's an integrated board it's not allowed. So two thumbs for support!:applause: and in a week my Whipit will be in the air again.

Which will leave me with a board I can repair. Now I'm wondering what I should do with it.
 

ZoomNBoom

Senior Member
I am also wondering how it compares to the Dream Flight Libelle as a first DLG? Thanks!


I cant compare because I never flew the whipit, but I did fly the libelle. Its a fantastic little chuck glider or can even be used at slopes with very mild wind. I was impressed, even astonished by how well it glides and handles.

But as a DLG, meh, not that good. Most annoying is the wing pen thats mounted at the height of the spar, which is too far forward and not at the extreme end of the tip, which makes it awkward (and to me at least, painful) to launch. Launch height is also somewhat pathetic. Im not sure I managed much more than 10-15 meter or so, compared the 40+ meter I get from my composite DLGs. The owner who has been flying it for months didnt do better than me. To be fair, I never felt like achieving a good throw, because of the wing pin and the tip getting in the way.

For a first DLG, limited launch height by itself would be acceptable to me, but the launching feels so different, Im not sure how well it prepares you for the real thing. For the flying, landing, catching, yes it is good training, but for launching, which is the most tricky part, I worry you might pick up some bad habits that work for the libelle, like throwing upwards), that will cause tip strikes and destroy your future expensive composite DLG's if applied to them.
 
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Kurt0326

Your ADD Care Bear
Mentor
I'm starting to get a bit angry about the whipit. I was out flying it yesterday and in mid-flight the plane decided to go hard left on the rudder and locked there. I had about 50 feet to try and save it, I still had elevator so the only thing I could do and pulled hard back. Well needless to say that didn't work. All I could do is watch as my plane spiraled nose in to the ground with a hard crack.

I inspected the damage and the plane suffered a crack in the fuse and the horizontal stab was hanging from nothing but the control horn. I opened the control box and saw that the rudder servo was buzzing and starting to get really hot so I pulled the battery. After it cooled down I plugged the battery back in and the servo started to buzz again so I pulled on the liner actuator gear and it popped out freeing the servo motor and it started to do nothing but spin as fast as it could go. So now I'm scratching my head and trying to figure out what is going wrong. No matter what I try the servo motor will do nothing but spin with the battery plugged in. So is it a bad servo or the board? I'm not sure but I'm getting tired of these servos.
 
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Kurt0326

Your ADD Care Bear
Mentor
Product Support's answer is almost what I expected. I can send the receiver to them so they can trouble shoot it. If they find that the receiver was malfunctioning, they determine if it's "passed it's life expectancy", if so than I have to buy a new plane all together. If not then they will determine if the part is "fixable", meaning if it costs more to fix than the parts worth, it's not fixable and a new replacement part it mailed back. There would be no explanation as to why it malfunctioned, which is what I was trying for. No chance to learn to trouble shooting.
 
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