Builder Profiles
Personal Profile: Robbie Gentry
Robin Hickman (AACAOO2O/SP1151) asks homebuilding personality and AACA founder Robbie Gentry(AACAOO10/SP1118) a series of questions.
What are your first aviation memories?
It was at old Rongotai. I was eight years old and it was an Air Force Day. I loved watching the Tomtit and Avro fly. Unfortunately a Mr Fraser was killed when his parachute failed to open.
When was your first flight?
Apart from a flight in a Baffin as an ATC cadet it was on 11 October 1947 in 65 horse Cub ZK-AHC owned by Bill Foote. I had been struck with polio and had limited strength in my left side. I had learned to walk again, but my left arm was still weak. I approached Frank Brittain who said, "If I can fly with my gammy leg I am sure we can get you to as well." No intercom in the Cub so our flight was with Frank yelling at me over the noise of the engine: "push this, move that", and so on. After we landed Frank put me in a Tiger Moth cockpit and got me to operate all the controls as before. All was well so on the 18th I had my first instruction in Tiger ZK-ANY.
When was your first flight in a home- built?
4 April 1960 in ZK-BWE at Hood aerodrome. I had called in at Hood on my way to Hawke's Bay in my job as travelling salesman and made the booking for my return. So at 1600 the aircraft came back and I helped the pilot fill up with fuel. He complained about it being somewhat underpowered. I took off to the east and wondered if indeed I would get off the ground. I had a very pleasant flight once up and came on home. Next time through Masterton I went to see how the aircraft was and was asked why I had broken their engine. They had a new one on by then and the parts of the broken one laid out. It seems the crankshaft had failed in a web but still managed to stay engaged. However this put the timing out somewhat, hence the reduced power. This was a cast shaft.
[RH: Same thing happened to my engine just after I had sold CGU. The reduced power got Bill Sample across the hills to Pauanui.]
When or how did you first encounter homebuilt aeroplanes?
I saw BWE on static display by Syd Jensen at the opening of the present Rongotai. I subsequently bought the plans from him and used his jig to build my spar, bringing it back to Wellington strapped to the side of my car.
I used to visit the scrap bin outside the de Havilland factory for bits of ply for my gussets. Eventually when I got to talking with the blokes in there they supplied me with much larger offcuts that were scattered round.
Did you have any bad experiences when building?
Not really. Difficult perhaps. I was having trouble with the fuel tank on my Taylor monoplane ZK-CPC and Keith Trillo was giving me a hand. He was upside down head first in the cockpit and with nothing to grip could not get out. I was not strong enough to get him out so had to enlist Bill Kinsey to assist in dragging him out.
What is the best thing about building?
The conquest of achievement. Of facing the challenge and finishing. I like the flying but the building is the best bit.
How long did it take for your project?
The first one took only a couple of years as I worked on it pretty consistently with only a little dreaming.
Have you won any trophies?
Yes, spot landing in my Jodel D11 at Hood aerodrome. All the usual gun pilots were way out but I just hit the spot that day.
Which has been the nicest aircraft to fly?
By far my Jodel D18. Right from the first flight by Colin Sutherland everything went right. A very nimble machine.
Are there any that you wish you hadn't flown?
Not really.
When did you think this is what it is all about?
That first flight in BWE. The thought of the freedom to build something for yourself. I had seen Tigers being sold off from the air force for £100 which was a bit much for me. Then I found that you could probably buy a whole Tiger in parts for about £50, so I pondered this. However, I was told that you needed licences etc to put the bits together so I abandoned that idea.
Later, talking to Mac MacGregor, the engineer at Paraparaumu, he reckoned that I could have. I got plans from a fellow in South Australia who had designed the Jumbuk glider and built first the rudder and then the tailplane and ribs. These parts shared the family bedroom for a while. Eventually the CAA sent me to Syd Jensen and my dream came to reality.
Have there been any times that you would rather forget?
Yes, there are three.
I had my aerobatic checkout and went back to the club for lunch after filling the Tiger up with fuel as per club rules. After lunch I went out for my solo aeros and decided to show off a bit by the interisland ferry. First loop okay but possibly a bit slow over the top of the second and next thing I was being covered in fuel. Back home as fast as I could, of course only to be told that you don't do aerobatics with a full fuel tank.
My type rating check in the Magister with Frank Brittain. A bit heavier on the controls than the Tiger but otherwise okay. Frank said we had to do an air start even though I had never done one in the Tiger. So switches off, raise the nose until the prop stopped, then build up the speed again. The prop went round but no noise. Two more goes, including one for Frank and as we were getting low Frank said, "you have control", and we headed for Rongotai. We were pretty low and I had to slip through the gap by Moa Point as the hill in front was too high. This with flap out.
After we landed Frank said he had never seen that done before, slipping with flap, and he made me take out two ex-navy pilots, Andy Wigram and a Young, to show them.
In ZK-CAE up the coast to Stratford. Rumbling along, mind in neutral when all of a sudden a blow from behind kicked the tail up and I was looking straight down at Stratford. Got on the ground very quickly and shakily and managed to get the aircraft into the hangar before this fast moving front arrived with strong winds and heavy rain.
Perhaps another time when the CAA policeman Tony Glowacki gave me a lesson in formation flying. In another Turbulent his wingtip was under mine and he looked like he was coming into the cockpit with me.
Do you have any dreams?
Yes, I am trying to put together a high-wing single-seater that is low to the ground for those of us who are now athletically challenged as I find it difficult to get in and out of a Turbulent now. I had thought of using a Turbulent wing on top of a new fuselage but have found a better wing that I could use.
First solo, Rongotai
