HIROBO  A E R O S P A T I A L E

There really aren’t any surprises or additional remarks to add to the included manual. Everything is clearly illustrated and described, with all individual parts for each building step packed in sealed bags. I am not a big fan of using Z-bends on the pushrods of helicopters, but this system has worked on Shuttles for years, and it proved to work just fine on the Lama as well. When installing the three-bladed rotor head in the future, I will upgrade the pushrods with ball links on each end to avoid any slop.

A good remote glow adapter is an absolute must, since there is no easy access to the glow plug. We used a Century Helicopter Products #2222 remote glow plug adapter.

Use a padded clamping system to aid in the assembly of the tail boom section. Take your time when assembling and installing the completed tail section to the airframe, and make sure the tail drive output shaft is seated all the way into the transmission coupling for proper alignment. Also, make sure to lubricate the driveshaft before final assembly.

The stock Hirobo muffler must be reversed by rotating the exhaust port 180 degrees, as the muffler needs to face towards the rear. To ensure a trouble free exhaust system, disassemble the muffler, clean the mating surfaces, and reassemble using red thread lock on the mating surfaces and the main through bolt before securely tightening. Also, make sure the motor mount bolts are thread locked and tight before installing the muffler, as you will not be able to get to them afterwards.

THREE-BLADED ROTOR HEAD
Hirobo offers a scale three-bladed rotor head for the Lama, and we are currently setting up the helicopter for this system, which will further improve the good scale looks.

Items used to finish the Lama Futaba GY-240 heading lock gyro. This is the entry-level gyro from Futaba, but is does a great job holding the tail steady on the Lama. Heading hold mode makes backwards flight a lot easier. Futaba 9C radio with S9252 digital servos. The 9C computer radio from Futaba offers simple and logical setup with its unique rotary dial. While standard ball bearing servos are adequate for the Lama, we chose the more powerful and faster digital S9252s because we will be upgrading to the three-bladed rotor system. Hirobo .36 helicopter engine. The new Hirobo .36 engine produces 1.3 HP at 18,500 rpm and is a perfect match for the Lama. Plenty of power and smooth running through the entire throttle range. A muffler is included with the Lama kit.

CONCLUSION
The Hirobo Lama is a sweet looking scale helicopter that will make a perfect first scale helicopter for anyone with even limited flight experience. Were it not for the $40 tail boom and the other scale parts, it could even be recommended as a first helicopter because of its stable flight characteristics. The Lama is very easy to see in flight and gets a lot of approving looks wherever it shows up. Though the Lama has been on the market for more than 15 years, the new upgrades have prepared it for another decade.

Links

Century Helicopter Products, www.centuryheli.com, (408) 451-1155.

Cool Power Fuel, distributed by Morgan Fuel, www.morganfuel.com, (800) 633-7556.

Futaba, distributed exclusively by Great Planes Model Distributors, www.futabarc.com, (800) 682-8948.

JR, distributed exclusively by Horizon Hobby Distributors, www.jrradios.com, (877) 504-0233.

Krylon Paint, www.krylon.com, (800) 457-9566.

Model Rectifier Corporation (MRC), www.modelrec.com, (732) 225-6144.

O.S. Engines, distributed exclusively by Great Planes Model Distributors, www.osengines.com, (800) 682-8948.

ZAP is manufactured by Pacer Technology, www.zapglue.com.

For more information, please see the source guide in the magazine.

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