Snake bit! (Not Avant's fault)

[Hawk404]

As I may have noted earlier, when something goes haywire with a build it usually goes all the way, all in, balls to the wall cursed, hexed and snake bit.

USPS lost my parts being returned to Avant on the fixed pitch E-Mostro head. All the way lost with no clue whatsoever where it might be.

This was right after I stripped out a ball on a tail grip.

So, Avant hasn't messed up - nobody could foresee USPS getting in on the act. But snake-bit is snake-bit. The "it flies awesome" pot of gold at the end of the rainbow just isn't worth the aggravation. Into the closet she goes for a couple months - sometimes "snake-bit" evaporates if left in the dark for a long enough time.

Ah. I feel much better now.

I figured I would take one last long-shot stab at putting together something other than a static display model with no head. So I placed an order with CX for the head parts and simply paid for new ones - with one major wrinkle. I couldn't find E-Mostro main grips in the E-Mostro listing so just bought the first grips I could find with the "list all Avant parts" option - they're probably grips for an Aurora. Then I sent a separate email requesting that they ship me what I need rather than what I probably ordered. If they pull this off I'll consider the curse lifted but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm not generally superstitious but I'm making an exception for helicopter kits - when something goes wrong it cascades throughout all parts of a given build including things outside the manufacturer's control. If I can work out a exorcism ritual that shows promising results I'll turn it into a cottage industry.

[Hawk404]

Pretty damn impressive!

As an update it should be noted that Avant isn't accepting defeat - they're made of more resilient stuff than I am.

My order has been corrected to show the correct Mostro heads and my mistaken reference to M5 grip-to-spindle bolts has been corrected to M6.


Nice work.

[GA-3D]

Did you ask for some sort of discount or some other way to help you defray your lost package?
They usually help on those cases.

[Hawk404]

Originally Posted by GA-3D

Did you ask for some sort of discount or some other way to help you defray your lost package?

Actually, I specifically didn't ask for a discount as I place this entirely on USPS's doorstep.

I'm not exactly the most experienced builder around these parts and I wanted Avant to at least be able to verify that it wasn't me messing the thing up - and the receipt is handy for filing a claim.

All that aside Avant is sending them out based on the assumption they were defective so I guess I'm going to have to be honor-bound to spend more money there as well as publicly acknowledge some very responsive customer service. I'm OK with both of those.

And wouldn't a guilt-purchase of a nitro be a grand excuse for getting one?

Good thing I'm not married.

[GA-3D]

Originally Posted by Hawk404

And wouldn't a guilt-purchase of a nitro be a grand excuse for getting one?

Good thing I'm not married.

Nice you're getting the parts or free and now you have an excuse to get a nitro

[Pitch-Itch]

Man, don't give up that easily. I had way, way more issues and my bird is now in the air (albeit with a vibe I can't seem to track down).

It really is an amazing machine in the air. I'm not BS'ing, it literally feels like no other heli I've flown. There is something much more connected about it.

Even with my usual FBL settings the mostro was far more agile and connected. It's awesome.

[Hawk404]

Originally Posted by DavisBladeWorks

Man, don't give up that easily. I had way, way more issues and my bird is now in the air (albeit with a vibe I can't seem to track down).

It really is an amazing machine in the air. I'm not BS'ing, it literally feels like no other heli I've flown. There is something much more connected about it.

Even with my usual FBL settings the mostro was far more agile and connected. It's awesome.

Nah - I was just venting about USPS and didn't want to gum up the "off topic" forum. And I was unusually careful to be clear that Avant wasn't the cause of my superstitions.

Your experiences were valuable as it's provided a sort of check list for me. So far the head is the only glitch we've shared.

[Pitch-Itch]

Originally Posted by Hawk404

Nah - I was just venting about USPS and didn't want to gum up the "off topic" forum. And I was unusually careful to be clear that Avant wasn't the cause of my superstitions.

Your experiences were valuable as it's provided a sort of check list for me. So far the head is the only glitch we've shared.

Nice. May you have a smooth build and a vibe free machine!


You're gonna love it.

[hotstart]

Hope all turns out well I was lucky enough to get one of the first batch .Been flying it as much as possible (weather permitting ) You'll be very happy .

[Hawk404]

Originally Posted by hotstart

Hope all turns out well I was lucky enough to get one of the first batch .Been flying it as much as possible (weather permitting ) You'll be very happy .

Indeed Avant seems to have inverted the usual drill where the early ones need sorted out.

By all accounts the early ones were golden and then there was a brief flurry of second batch blues.

Just yesterday (2/2) I got my USPS package back (trashed and empty) and am now filing a claim that, if honored, I will hand over to Avant in its entirety as they shipped out the replacement parts without cost.

I certainly have no complaints with how Avant / CX has handled things. It's just a run of bad luck with getting a kit from a statistically bad group compounded by USPS going south.

In fact I would have to concede that Avant has conducted themselves so well through this episode that I will feel compelled to get them paid for the free parts even if I have to resort to trickery to do so.

I got a little twisted up at one point which I regret - all things considered it's a wonderful machine and I look forward to getting back to it in the near future.

[hotstart]

Being from NY I have to say I've never heard that term to describe a mechincal issue . Glad it seems you have your kit issues worked out .

[Hawk404]

I'm actually from NY state myself - Plattsburgh and Rochester at various times.

I didn't hear it until I hit Texas. Then again Texas was a never ending font of colorful colloquialisms.

Uglier than a mud rail fence.
How the cow ate the cabbage.
And of course "snake bit".

In the age of the internet such things spread across borders and "snake bit" has successfully migrated from the Urban Dictionary into the hallowed halls of Merriam-Webster.

My favorite was "Rat Chair" which meant "in this very place" usually in combination with a pointed finger. e.g. "This helicopter rat chair is snake bit".

[hotstart]

I've been schooled !! Lol enjoy your machine

[Hawk404]

Just as an update: USPS coughed up the standard insurance amount of 100.00.

They paid it to the account holder which is my employer so the USPS check will be sent to our accounting department in Texas who will cut a check to me which I'll then turn into a money order and mail to the CX po box address.

Would have been better if it was the full amount of the parts but I'm surprised they paid at and pretty quickly so I'm calling it a win.

Drinks are on me.