HPh304s (Fes) owners

[[email protected]]

Hi,

Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there willing to share their experience with that bird?

Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of handling and suitability for low time pilot.

Post sales service etc.

I will much appreciate it.

Yours,

Slawek

[Dan Marotta]

I've flown one a couple of times.Â* Delightful handling and terrific
trailing edge dive brakes.

On 8/2/2019 11:46 AM, wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there willing to share their experience with that bird?
>
> Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of handling and suitability for low time pilot.
>
> Post sales service etc.
>
> I will much appreciate it.
>
> Yours,
>
> Slawek

--
Dan, 5J

[[email protected]]

Do you know how it compares to LS8 in terms of stability? Or DG300?

S

[Paul Ruskin[_2_]]

At 20:41 02 August 2019, Dan Marotta wrote:
>I've flown one a couple of times.Â* Delightful handling and terrific
>trailing edge dive brakes.
>
>On 8/2/2019 11:46 AM, wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there
willing to
>share their experience with that bird?
>>
>> Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of
handling and
>suitability for low time pilot.
>>
>> Post sales service etc.
>>
>> I will much appreciate it.
>>
>> Yours,
>>
>> Slawek
>
>--
>Dan, 5J
>
I take it you mean the Shark (comes in Jet, FES and self-launch
versions), not the 304 CZ, an almost entirely different glider which
is the one with the trailing edge brakes.

Paul

[[email protected]]

Yes.

HPH304 Shark.

S

[Gary Wayland]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 1:46:49 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there willing to share their experience with that bird?
>
> Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of handling and suitability for low time pilot.
>
> Post sales service etc.
>
> I will much appreciate it.
>
> Yours,
>
> Slawek

I owed a 304CZ. #6 new from the factory.

After leaving my Libelle 201B to the 304CZ...

Trailing dive brakes are fantastic. They are genius! You can put this bird into any field, and short. Fantastic circuit control in the pattern. Quality and room in the cockpit were very good. I'm 6'-0" and had to take my shoes off to be comfortable in the Libelle, but the 304CZ had plenty of room. I liked the flap handle position better than my 27. If I recall, it matched the Ventus configuration. It looks like in that era, everyone was copying the others design!

Moved on to the ASW27. A generation apart so you can't expect it to perform like the 27.
It was somewhere in the 41/42 L/D range.


You can't go wrong with a Glasflugal design... If I ever sold my ASW27, I would go back to my favorite bird, the Libelle 201b!

Don't know if this helps because you're asking about the shark... I would assume the cockpit is similar to the 304CZ. Looks like a great choice for what you're looking for...
I have the *.dwg of the panel if you ever need it and comparable to the shark...

Gary
ASW27b
(SQ)

[[email protected]]

Thanks,

Cockpit comfort is key as much as safe handling. Hph304cz is no longer in production I think.

S

[Gary Wayland]

On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:11:21 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> Thanks,
>
> Cockpit comfort is key as much as safe handling. Hph304cz is no longer in production I think.
>
> S

Does the Shark have trailing dive brakes?

[Clay[_5_]]

I'm 6'5" (195 cm), about 225 lbs, and fit well in the 304MS (self launcher w Solo 2625). I recently transitioned from a Discus CS and, so far (10 hours), find the Shark very easy to fly. I had zero time in flapped gliders before moving to the Shark. If comfort and benign handling are the most important criteria I think it's a good choice, even for a low time pilot.

Clay

[[email protected]]

No idea. I plan to go see the manufacturer in late September.

S

[Dan Daly[_2_]]

On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:24:56 AM UTC-4, Gary Wayland wrote:
> On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:11:21 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Cockpit comfort is key as much as safe handling. Hph304cz is no longer in production I think.
> >
> > S
>
> Does the Shark have trailing dive brakes?

No. You can see spoilers/dive brakes and flaps on the 3-view on the manufacturer's website. http://www.hph.cz/products/hph-304s-shark/

[Gary Wayland]

On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 11:48:24 AM UTC-4, Dan Daly wrote:
> On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:24:56 AM UTC-4, Gary Wayland wrote:
> > On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:11:21 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Cockpit comfort is key as much as safe handling. Hph304cz is no longer in production I think.
> > >
> > > S
> >
> > Does the Shark have trailing dive brakes?
>
> No. You can see spoilers/dive brakes and flaps on the 3-view on the manufacturer's website. http://www.hph.cz/products/hph-304s-shark/

Oh yes, I see. I looked at their new L/D for the shark as opposed to the comparison with the 304CZ. I'm like, how could they thin that airfoil with all the mechanism that it took to put trailing dive brakes in the wing and still get the higher L/D ratios... Well, now I can see!

It's too bad they can't use them. Love those trailing dive brakes...

Thanks...

[Paul Ruskin[_2_]]

At 10:04 03 August 2019, wrote:
>Yes.
>
>HPH304 Shark.
>
>S
>

OK. I have > 500 hrs in a Shark SJ. Very nice to fly. Well built,
well thought through. The cockpit is a good size (I'm 6 ft 2, 90kg
and long in the back). I find it very comfortable - I can do 6 hr +
flights without any problem (which I don't find in some other
gliders). Lots of electrical power, so it can support a full suite of
avionics for that time and longer.

It's a little heavier empty than say a 29, and you really need a
rigging aid to rig, but it's straightforward if you have that. I fly at
about 500kg dry, so I can add about 100kg water if I want to. It
handles that well, and becomes a bit more stable.

On mine I get a little airflow around my feet, so use overshoes
when it's cold outside. But that might be specific to my airframe.

I like the jet - it's a good choice of powerplant. I get about 130km
range in still air - which is about twice the actual range of the FES I
think (all the FESs, not just the Shark). But the FES seems to work
reasonably, at least to give you more choice as to where you land
(we have two FES Sharks and a Discus at our club).

It doesn't quite have the performance of a 29 or a JS-1, but then
it's not as expensive. If you're in gliding to win competitions you
might want to spend more, but if like most people, you're in it for
fun, then it might suit you.

The flaps are straightforward - landing flap is nothing like as
aggressive as say an early 20 (which I had prior to the Shark), and
the airbrakes are good.

I've found the support in the UK superb, but can't comment on
what the support would be like in the US - it's very dependent on
the agent, I think.

Paul

[[email protected]]

Thanks! That is helpful.
What is the deployment time of Jet vs Fes?

S

[Paul Ruskin[_2_]]

At 12:51 05 August 2019, wrote:
>Thanks! That is helpful.
>What is the deployment time of Jet vs Fes?
>
>S
>

The FES is pretty much immediate I think. The jet is about 40
seconds to full power, but you know you have a start within about half
of that.

Paul

[David Bingham]

Slawec,

I am a Shark FES owner.

It is a roomy comfortable cockpit.controls are nicely balanced and
a pleasure to fly.

As a non competitive pilot I find the performance matches every
expectation I had.

It is not difficult to fly.

The flaps are straightforward. I tend to use +2 flap for landing.
Landing flap is benign but beware the additional drag.

The fes is instant.

Don’t expect it to use is it as a motor glider to get from A to B.
But it will give you the ability to fly to the next thermal/landing
strip or simply give you a wider selection of fields to land in.

Perfect for ridge flying and low deployment.

A great glider.

Manufacturer back up? .........not so great but it shouldn’t be an
issue and I wouldn’t let that be a deterrent.

I have no purchase regrets.



At 17:46 02 August 2019, wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there
willing to share
>their experience with that bird?
>
>Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of
handling and
>suitability for low time pilot.
>
>Post sales service etc.
>
>I will much appreciate it.
>
>Yours,
>
>Slawek
>

[David Bingham]

Slawec,

I am a Shark FES owner.

It is a roomy comfortable cockpit.controls are nicely balanced and
a pleasure to fly.

As a non competitive pilot I find the performance matches every
expectation I had.

It is not difficult to fly.

The flaps are straightforward. I tend to use +2 flap for landing.
Landing flap is benign but beware the additional drag.

The fes is instant.

Don’t expect it to use is it as a motor glider to get from A to B.
But it will give you the ability to fly to the next thermal/landing
strip or simply give you a wider selection of fields to land in.

Perfect for ridge flying and low deployment.

A great glider.

Manufacturer back up? .........not so great but it shouldn’t be an
issue and I wouldn’t let that be a deterrent.

I have no purchase regrets.



At 17:46 02 August 2019, wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there
willing to share
>their experience with that bird?
>
>Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of
handling and
>suitability for low time pilot.
>
>Post sales service etc.
>
>I will much appreciate it.
>
>Yours,
>
>Slawek
>

[[email protected]]

Looks like cockpit space will be deciding factor. I fit in Diana3. Will test fly both.

What did you mean by lacking manufacturer support?

Slawek

[[email protected]]

On Friday, August 2, 2019 at 1:46:49 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Any HPH304s owners (with Fes would be excellent) out there willing to share their experience with that bird?
>
> Not much interested in performance , more comfort, easy of handling and suitability for low time pilot.
>
> Post sales service etc.
>
> I will much appreciate it.
>
> Yours,
>
> Slawek

I am the owner of a Shark MS. I have read with interest Davis Binghams thoughts and comments. I agree with almost everything mentioned. The one big thing I disagree with is factory support.
I have owned 20 + gliders over the years from different manufacturers. All have been a pleasure to deal with but none have measured up with the support I have received from HPH. Every question I have asked has been answered. I have sent e mails on Saturdays which have been answered the same day.
I have received follow up e mails from the factory making sure all is well. The factory has been as interested in my opinion and thoughts of the shark as I am of theirs. A rare experience!
Another feature I have appreciated is construction. I measured the contour of my wings when purchased 3 years ago and they have changed very little. An important issue for a competition pilot.
All in all I have enjoyed the HPH experience. Sam Giltner 5U

[Alberto Recchi]

I am the owner of a Shark MS and can confirm the factory support is excellent. You can email the CEO Jaroslav or Dasa or Martin directly and they’ll always answer immediately. I am 6.4 and weight 240lbs. With the weight of the engine the glider is very very fast. It flys superbly. Manufacturing quality is top notch. It’s certainly one of the best 18m out there in terms of quality/price ratio you can get.

[[email protected]]

I agree with Alberto and 5U.
Response from factory was always immediate and helpful.
Quality was amazing and glider was great to fly.
Very stable, climbed well, and was fast enough for me.
The small group of US and UK owners were always helpful and willing to help with any needs.
Over the five years I owned my MS model, it was very reliable and never had a problem.
Mike
MS