Estes comes through again!

[mikemech]

A few weeks ago at our club launch my der Red Max had a cato. At ignition she climbed off the rod, and the propellant slug came out the front of the rocket. (When things don't go right it's really cool.) (Unless it's my rocket.) She lay on the ground smoking untill the LCO opened the range. Front of the airframe tube burned, MMT burned, 'chute suspension lines stripped, NC tennon partially melted. I filed a MESS report and notified Estes.
Today I received a new der Red Max, a pack of motors, and an extra 'chute.

Thanks, Estes! That's customer service!
Also posted to YORF

 

[Scotty Dog]

COOL.
I had a CATO last weekend with me Maxi 3 on an E9-4
Sent pics of me 24" Dynastar chute that got cooked and some of the rocket damage.

They got back at me for me street address to send motor(s). ups
Ill be hoping for a box in the reg mail too.

Oh ya,you said "again".
Have you had other cato's or issue's where Estes has made good?

 

[GlennW]

Yeah Estes is good like that. I've had a couple instances where I asked them to replace a part and they sent me the whole kit!

Glenn

 

[mikemech]

COOL.
Oh ya,you said "again".
Have you had other cato's or issue's where Estes has made good?

This is from my flight log. 3/22/14
Death. Motor D12-5 lot/date code: 22 G 8
Ignition seemed normal but the ejection charge popped at about 30 feet altitude. The nose cone and parachute ejected and two fins flew off. I did not see the motor eject but found it about ten feet from the pad with the retainer still attached.
The fin can is scorched around the missing fin slots, split seam at the base and is deformed/melted in spots. The motor retainer is missing an ear. The motor mount tube is half burned away inside the fin can.
Surprisingly, the motor casing looks normal. No external scorching, nozzle intact.
This could have been the propellant slug breaking loose from the motor casing.

Estes sent me a new D-Region Tomahawk.
I hope this does not turn into an annual event.

 

[Bat-mite]

Yeah Estes is good like that. I've had a couple instances where I asked them to replace a part and they sent me the whole kit!

Glenn

Ditto. I lost the little nose cone tip from my D-Region Tomahawk while painting. I called Estes and asked if I could buy a replacement. Instead they sent me a whole kit. Then later I found the little tip in my garage. Oops!

 

[ckjohnson]

I'll happily add to this list.

I bought an Estes Saturn V on Ebay a couple of years ago that had been water damaged. The centering rings were damaged on it. I emailed Estes and asked them if I could buy a set of the centering rings and a set of the wraps. They sent them to me free of charge! I've been a customer of Estes since I was a kid, and will continue to be a customer of Estes. They really do practice customer service!

 

[Scotty Dog]

Received an email from estes last Thru-Friday ?
It basically stated they were sending me a pack of E9-4s and a new Maxi 3 rocket.
COOL!
I found 2 more E9s with the same #s.

 

[gerbs4me]

Estes is great!!
I bought some E9's at Hobby Lobby, can't wait to use them.

 

[MaxxQ64]

Years ago, back when the Estes E motors were still fairly new, I had the large 4x 24mm Patriot missile kit. Flew it on four E's and all of them CATO'd about 15 feet off the pad. Sent Estes a nice letter, included a copy of the video (on VHS, no less), including a frame-by-frame segment, and the bad motor casings. A couple-three weeks later, a new kit and two packs of E's arrived in the mail.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Nice to hear they still have excellent customer service after all this time away (I'm an ABAR - Almost Born Again Rocketeer - thinking about getting back into the hobby after about a decade away).

 

[Kruegon]

About a month ago I flew my Ascender at a club launch. I left the nosecone loose to be able to utilize the payload bay for an altimeter. I made sure the friction fit was nice and snug. The nosecone would barely go in and required light force to do so.

I launched on a G64-10 and the flight was great. Deployment at near perfect apogee. Nice gentle recovery. When I got to the rocket the nosecone was gone. Apparently it detached during deployment. One bystander said he saw it but thought it was dog barf in a clump.

Called Estes and left a message. I explained what happened and they sent me a new nosecone free even though I offered to buy it. It's obviously a "second" but I can finish and paint it. Cheaper than buying a new rocket. Great customer service.

 

[smugglervt]

More kudos for Estes Customer Service. I ordered an Argent and Ventris back in June of this year and recently finished building the Argent. I opened the Ventris the other day to begin work on it when I noticed two creases in the fin mount body tube next to two of the fin cut-outs. I emailed Estes last Thursday and followed up on Saturday asking if I could get a replacement tube. I just got an email advising me that a new Ventris kit was on its way. I have to say they go above and beyond what is expected.

Thanks Estes