Set Review ➟ 41100 Heartlake Private Jet
Heartlake city is expanding and part of that expansion includes a brand new airport. There are two sets in this section of Heartlake City, the Heartlake City Airport, which features a complete terminal and a large airliner, and the smaller Heartlake Private Jet that comes with a metal detector and x-ray luggage checkpoint.
I’ve never been a big fan of LEGO planes in general – creating a realistic plane in many cases “requires” the use of very specific and very large parts. Take for example the wings of the passenger plane that comes with the airport (Bricklink #93541), a single piece that consists of both wings joined by a middle section. The Heartlake Private Jet also includes a couple of these larger parts, specifically for the cockpit and the tail section of the plane, though due to the smaller size of the plane they are of course also smaller. This kind of part does make the plane look more realistic, and there are smaller parts too that have an equally specific use: the engines to name one. Still, seeing those specific large parts in a set has always held me back from acquiring any of them.
This time there was good cause for revamping our Heartlake layout and going with the holiday spirit of the moment we decided to give it a go. The single booklet that comes with the set starts with the smaller accessories to the set: the metal detector gate and the luggage checkpoint; two simple but very nicely designed elements that really make the set mode complete (even if private jet plane passengers are unlikely to have to go through either one of these security measures).
The little seat that comes with the luggage checkpoint once again drives home what to me is one of the biggest issues with the LEGO Friends minifigs: they can’t really sit down without falling off quite easily. My little helpers weren’t too bothered about this though: the seat was removed and security personnel will simply have to stand.
Construction of the private jet starts from the bottom up, and in this case the wings are built using several parts giving them a very nice look. The cockpit takes a single pilot, held in place in the standard LEGO Friends way, by means of a panel with center divider. The central section can take 2 VIP passengers in comfortable first class chairs placed opposite one another. The rear section is a mix between cargo area and kitchen for the flight attendant.
Oddly enough, the sticker that is applied to one of the panels that separate the passenger section from this service section is decorated with what looks like perfume bottles on a shelf. Some kind of food and drinks would have been more consistent with the kind of plane it is on. I can’t imagine being offered perfume at a discount during a private jet trip.
I complained about the engines of the plane, but that isn’t entirely accurate. They are actually made up of three separate parts and look absolutely great on the plane. I also loved the front landing gear which can swivel and so the plan can taxi comfortably to the runway.
Of course the ultimate test for the quality of any set is the reaction of its intended audience. Suffice it to say half of the population of Heartlake has been given a tour on the newly acquired plane and there is still a steady stream of passengers coming in every day. The set is an absolute success and a great addition to the diversity of Heartlake City.
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