Gere in AOPA.pdf - Rotec Radial Engines

Building andflying a1930s dreamReport and photos by John Spierswww.aopa.com.au January-February 2007 37

Building your own aircraft from akit or plans seems a serious enoughchallenge for most people - but how aboutbuilding and flying an aircraft you sawin a 1930s magazine when you were aschoolboy?And then - after eight years of buildingtwo years of flying - re-engining it with anAustralian-made radial engine?Meet Richard and David Shaw, a fatherand son team on their property Woodstock,north east of Cowra, NSW, whose GereSport VH-RSD won the grand championprize at the recent Sport Aircraft Associationof Australia Wings Over Wagga meetingin October.Plans for the Gere Sport were firstpublished in the 1933 Flying and GliderManual and Plans magazine in 1933 -which suggested making a tail skid froma leaf spring of a Model T Ford.Richard saw the magazine in his schoollibrary in 1940 and when he finally startedthe project in 1996, updated plans wereavailable from Dick Gleason of the USExperimental Aircraft Association whohad worked on the original aircraft as anapprentice.Richard initially trained as a fitter andturner with the NSW railways and eventuallysettled into the family company, R.A.Shaw, which made jewel cases and displaypads, before moving on to the land.He had built radio-controlled scale modelsand learned to fly and got his PPL at age60. His son David at first did not believethat his father was learning to fly and whenit was confirmed he joined in. GrandsonJames is also taking a keen interest andseems headed for a career as a LAME.Richard hand made many componentsfor the Gere Sport and made a number ofdetail design changes to improve strengthand reliability.He fitted Bendix type brakes to suit thefour inch rims of the SuperCub wheels(there is no suspension - tyres run at10lb)and designed and installed adjustablepedals - adapted from gliders.Bracing cables were tested to destructionat 2.5 tonnes - with the aid of a farmtractor and ute. Wing ribs were tested to7.5G. Stress tests were calculated frombooks.David did the test flying and some minorchanges were made, including plannedchanges to the prop, altering stabiliserincidence and moving C/G forward.Ground handling was improved bysome toe-out on the wheels.The Gere Sport was initially enginedwith a four-cylinder 2.2 litre 2200A rebuiltJabiru engine providing about 70 horse-38January-February 2007www.aopa.com.au

Clockwise from right - David Shaw, RichardShaw with grand chamption prize atWagga, wing interior, craftsman at work,Gere Sport in flight.www.aopa.com.au January-February 2007 39

Clockwise from above - Richard with the 1933 magazine that started it all, David Shaw flies, warm-up for amorning takeoff from the family property, three generations, Richard with newly-installed radial engine.power, but this was found to be a bit lowon torque at the sort of revs and airspeedrequired for a bi-plane.The Shaws took delivery of a RotecR2800 radial engine at the 2006 Natflyat Narromine and Richard was quickly atwork on the engine change.The engine mount required only minormodifications but battery box, oil tank,and other modifications were required tocorrect CofG.When it started flying again in Augustlast year, only minor modifications wereneeded to trim settings to allow flyinghands-off. A three degree pull-round on theengine proved ideal for stability.The look and sound of the radial-enginedbi-plane have drawn lots of attention.David says he has only two problemswith it: “Sore face muscles from all thesmiling and dry throat from all the talkingto people asking about the engine.”The aircraft does not need flaps: “Thereis enough drag.”It also has a cabin heater that works:“You have warm toes.”Tiny Melbourne-based Rotec is sellingtwo models of its radial engines worldwide- a 110hp seven-cylinder 2.8 litre versionand a nine cylinder 3.6 litre engine.The geared engines provide peak powerat modest output shaft rpm, making themhighly adaptable to replicas and homebuilts.About 10 years ago modeller PaulChernikeeff found there was no suitableradial for a half-scale flying model of aGee Bee Super Sportstar - so built his own350cc motor by hand.This sparked a great deal of interest ina bigger engine and his initial version ofthe seven-cylinder R2800 first ran in 2000.With his brother Matthew, a trained CNCmachinist, and father Jim, he was soonproducing and selling engines.Demand was strong and by 2005 theyhad launched the bigger nine-cylinderengine, which has about 80 per cent commonalitywith its smaller brother.Three to two gearing keeps prop speedbelow 2500 rpm when the engines are attheir 3700 rpm peak.www.rotecradialengines.comEmpty weight 603 pounds.Gross weight 945 pounds.Span 19ftWing area 109.5 sq ftFuel 75 litres.Cruise80-85 knots.Stall 39 knots.Rate of climb 800 fpmBest rate of climb is at 55-60 knotswhich also provides best glide at 1500fpm.Fuel burn19-20 litres per hour.40January-February 2007www.aopa.com.au

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Gere Sport, piloted by David Shawwww.aopa.com.au January-February 2007 43