I have been looking to get another heli for about a month now. I have not flown a heli in 12 years now, that was a Concept 30. I was proficient in forward flight when I sold it. Course I took 8 years off flying planes and had no trouble on my first flight back. I had decided on a JR Venture or the Caliber 30. Then I found a good deal on a Hirobo GPH346. Basically new, 3 flights by a local expert, for only $500 ready to fly, plus 2 planes for free. The heli has been sitting in his photo lab for a year now.

I intend to check the batteries, servos, engine and gyro to ensure they appear to be in good shape prior to first flight. As well as disassemble most of the heli to make sure everything is tight and to get a good feel for it.

I have been told it has every upgrade offered by Hirobo.

I was wondereding other than a set of training gear what you all might suggest to make this heli a bit easier to fly as I get back
into heli's? Maybe a set of heavier flybar paddles? I know this is not a trainer, but for the deal I decided to go for it anyway.

TIA

I had one, nice heli. The paddles are heavy and have weights, no changes needed. Any training gear will be fine. Depending on which GPH (regular or SE) and what comes with it will determine if $500 is a good deal.

What GPH version is that heli??? The first edition of the GPH was wire drive and it was plagued with a lot of gliches for wire drive issues............Then they fixed releasing the belt drive.

Also check this pics to see if this are the same Hirobo Blue Anodized Upgrades:

GT-Z Full metal head:
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/402622.jpg
Blue Anodized Metal Stabilizer:
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/402582.jpg
Metal Blue Anodized GT Seesaw with plastic Arms
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/403263.jpg
Metal Elevator Lever Set - Blue Anodized
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/403260.jpg
Metal Cross Bar - Blue Anodized
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/403269.jpg
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/403268.jpg
Tail boom Servo mount - Similar to this one but for round boom:
http://www.ronlund.com/images/hirobo/404736.jpg
Metal Collective Pitch Lever - Blue Anodized
http://w3mh.co.uk/bekra/gold/0403-265.jpg

Bottomline, IMO I think $500.00 is a good price.
Also if you are a begginer you can put a FMA Auto Pilot that can be a great help.
Also a Futaba 401/9253 will hellp you a lot with tail.

Pictures of the GPH 50 Assembling

I take this address from a Hungarian heli web site.
Take notice that the heli in the pics is the tube drive version.
The GPH 50 sell by Altech in USA is belt drive.

http://rc.zomputer.hu/heli/gph346/a...ng_pictures.htm


I pay for my GPH 50SE kit US$399.00.......... In my field there are 3 GPH 50´s including me and belive me, this heli fly likes a dream. It does not have any kind of flutter like Sceadus and Craptor.
One has a OS 50 and the other two has Webra 52AAR with Weston one piece pipe.

Unfortunately I don't know which version GPH it is, not yet at least. I will pick up the heli on Saturday. I did not know until I started looking into the GPH that there were 2 versions. I have been told it has all the metal upgrades that are available. I'll see about that.

The heli has an OS46 in it and a 6 channel Futaba, not a computer radio though, with 3004 servos. I will likely change the radio out and use my JR 662 for the time being. I am not sure which gyro it has.

The heli comes with 2 planes, 1 new, 1 used and 2 new plane engines for free. So $500 should be a good deal. I expect to sell the planes and engines, anyway. This deal is from a co-worker, his wife wants the stuff out of the house so he is mostly just looking to get rid of it. He is big into photography these days.

I appreciate all the info.

Once I pick up the heli I will post what I find, and what exactly it has in it. I'm sure I'll have a few more questions.

Well, I hope is not the wire drive version.

The GPH is a very good heli and you will loved. Is HIROBO quality!

Make sure to check these webs and read all the tips they have for the GPH.

http://home.earthlink.net/~waludwig/gph.htm

http://home.earthlink.net/~waludwig/gph_list.htm

Here are pictures of a inexpensive GPH version. Not the SE Upgraded one
http://helicopter.itgo.com/photo.html
Asembly intrucctions of the inexpensive GPH version.........Its almos the same as the SE
http://www.ronlund.com/gph_346.htm

Here you wil find one of the SE Tube Drive GPH Version Manuals in PDF
http://rc.zomputer.hu/manuals/

Good Luck

Isaac

Isaac, thatnks for all the links you have posted. There is a lot of good info within them.

I am starting to have second thoughts on this heli though. The only hobby shop within 75 miles does not stock Hirobo parts anymore. I may go through with the deal anyway if I can find a mail order shop that does stock parts for the Hirobo GPH. I'm inclined to go through with this deal anyway, because of all the stuff I am going to get with it aside from the heli.

The LHS has a Jyosho Nexus I can get with an OS32 and new electronics for $450. I know that the Nexus is not as good as the GP though, but they stock virtually every part for it.

Any idea when Hirobo stopped production on the GPH346?

Believe they stopped production within the last year although Hirobo still lists them. Altech still has kits in stock and from what Jeff Green at Altech has told me that parts support is not a problem. They still support models from up to 10 years ago. Was looking at Ricks RC (www.ronlund.com) web site yesterday looking at part prices for the GPH and from what I can see they have everything listed.

Looking to pick up another helicopter soon and torn between a GPH 50 or a Sceadu 50. Really interested in getting a quality metal helicopter with most of the upgrades and the GPH 50 looks very appealing.

Jim

Well, my only advise is to stay away from Kyosho Nexus. Is the worst Piece of **** heli I know. The parts on the Nexus are poor quality and spare parts are expensive......BOTOMLINE: Stay away from NEXUS

There are a lots of mail order Hobby Shops that carry Hirobo Spare Parts.
www.ronlund.com
www.heliproz.com

If they dont have it on stock, they can order it for you.

The GPH use many parts that are the same as the Hirobo Shuttle.
On the head use many parts similar to the Sceadu or Freya. So you will not have problem with spare parts.

Also, you can talk with Jeff Green at Altech wich is the company that distribute Hirobo in USA.

http://runryder.com/helicopter/f27p1/

I beleive I will stay away from the Nexus. I remember 12 years ago I was quite displeased with the quality and flight characteristics of my Kyosho Concept. In fact I sold it in hopes of getting an X-Cell 60. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

I should be getting the GPH346 in about 90 minutes. Ket the fun begin.

Isaac thanks for all the helpfull links. I have printed a good bit of the info on those sites already, including the 76 page instrcution manual.

Well the heli didn't arrive tonight. The owner is a co-worker of mine, but we only see each other for 2 hours a week as our shifts overlap. He says next Saturday he will have it for sure. I am starting to have my doubts, but I'll give him another chance.

The GPH is the wire drive tail, not the preferred belt drive. Oh well.

I am pretty sure you will not have problems with the Wire drive if you grease it and follow the recomendation on the webs I give you............... Check were they talking about the grease and also about the rear tail pitch slider because the plastic factory one broke easy and you will lost tail control.
You can made this mod:

Or you can buy this aftermarket one on http://www.centuryheli.com

Also Century has more upgrades for the GPH
http://www.centuryheli.com/products/...nmechanics.htm

Good luck,

Isaac

Read the following about the Tail Pitch Slider:
I took this info from the following web:
http://home.earthlink.net/~waludwig/gph.htm

12/11/98 -- My Baby Bites the Dust!
Well, it had to happen sooner or later....my GPH was flying really sweetly this morning (as usual) and, all of a sudden, the tail started spinning like crazy! I hit the hold switch but, at only about 20' of altitude, I didn't have time to do a real auto. I ran out of collective way too soon and it did the funcky chicken all over the ground. Looks like the pitch slider lever broke for some unknown reason. I was not driving the linkage to the stops - no load other than normal flight loads. Damage: landing gear, tail boom, flybar, boom supports, pitch slider, drive wire, pitch arms, minor canopy damage. Surprisingly, fiberglass blades ok, main shaft and feathering spindle ok.


AGAIN, FOLLOW ALL THE RECOMENDATION HERE:
http://home.earthlink.net/~waludwig/gph_list.htm
Belive me, they all are correct!

I will be sure to lubricate the tail dirve wire. I will check and see what upgrades the heli has and determine what is needed then. I am told it has all the metal uprades offered, swashplate, head and tail dirve but we'll see.

I thik I will also disassemble most of the heli and loctite the bolts throughout.

Thanks so much for the info. Those links have some very helpful information.

Well my GPH346 arrived tonight. I can hardly wait to get it in the air. But alas I know I need to disassemble it and check everything to esnure it is tightened and loctited properly to ensure it is safe and air worthy. Anyway I will get started tomorrow.

BTW, the GPH346 came with an OS46, and a Futaba T6HX. Oh yeah the best part IT WAS FREE, no not stolen. WOOHOOO.

[:-]