Important Notice Regarding Counterfeit Futaba Gyros and Servos

Futaba Corporation recently confirmed that another manufacturer released counterfeit Futaba merchandise into the Taiwan-area market around May of 2009, without Futaba's knowledge or consent. The counterfeit items included GY401 helicopter gyros and S9254 and S9257 servos.

As you know, an R/C helicopter's orientation and hovering stability depend on proper gyro function. Installing equipment that performs below your model's requirements greatly reduces your ability to control its attitude. A malfunctioning gyro or servo will not only make handling extremely difficult but could easily lead to a costly crash.

Futaba cannot accept responsibility for any problems resulting from the use of counterfeits - including damage to model helicopters or related accidents. You must examine your purchases carefully to make sure you are buying only genuine Futaba products.

The imitations and their packaging are visibly different than the true Futaba items. Refer to the photographs below to learn how you can easily tell between them.

GY401 Gyro Comparison

1. Compare the GY401 packages.

The "GY401" type fonts are different.

2. Examine the plating on the gyro connector terminals.

The terminals on the genuine Futaba gyros are gold-plated to lower contact resistance. Those on the counterfeit versions are silver.

S9254 & S9257 Servo Comparison

Differences can be found in the plating on the servo connector terminals and in the shapes of the grommets.

1. Connector terminals on the genuine Futaba servo is gold-plated to lower contact resistance. Those on the counterfeit version are silver.

2. The grommet on the counterfeit servo is slightly shorter than that on the genuine Futaba product.