Their start-up, aviation manufacturing and maintenance organisation is in the process of setting up an aircraft manufacturing facility for building and servicing Gyroplanes.
Utilizing their different fields of expertise, they hope to make a difference in the world of Gyroplanes. Grové is a Mechanical Engineer with 12 years experience in design and development.
Boswell is an ex-military fighter pilot and flying instructor with 17 years of flying experience and Eugene van der Walt is a Geological Engineer by profession.
He also has seven years experience in the production of quality control standards, as well as quality assurance and associated record-keeping system development.
Boswell explains that because of the way lift and thrust are generated, Gyroplanes are simpler and safer to operate and maintain than helicopters and even many fixed-wing aircraft. "If any serious problems are experienced in-flight, the Gyroplane merely remains in an autorotative state and can be easily and safely manoeuvred into a forced landing on any available, small clear area".
Innovation
Currently the team is busy designing their new Gyroplane called the 'uTe' which stands for utility.
"The innovative design and construction approach makes the uTe able to function effectively in a multitude of airborne roles which includes airborne research, game and infrastructure management, air-cover and patrol functions, marine and forest management, transport in inaccessible areas, airborne agricultural applications, leisure flying and air-touring as well as flight training".
The Gyroplane has a width of 1.9m, a length of 5.6m and a height of 3m and can reach a maximum level-flight airspeed of 192km/h and cruising airspeed of 160km/h.
The minimum airspeed is 48km/h and the endurance three hours.
IN KORT
Stefan Grové en Craig Boswell Gyroplane entoesiaste is tans besig om 'n nuwe utiliteits Gyroplane te ontwerp wat aangewend kan word in landbou en misdaadbestryding. Hulle is saam met Eugene van der Walt betrokke by die inisiatief wat gedryf word deur hul vlieg- en instandhoudings organisasie Rivaero (Pty) Ltd. Hul is tans besig om die nodige fasiliteit vir die doel op te rig en is baie opgewonde oor die toekoms van die projek.
This illustrates the difference between a gyroplane and helicopter.
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ARTICLE: LOUISE MOUTON, SUID-KAAP FORUM JOURNALIST
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