Don Dunbar wrote:

Hi Paul,
What do you think of Grove Aircraft's wheels, brakes, and axles. Does any

of the group have any information on dealings with these people.

Regards Don

I know nothing about them.

Paul Lamar

Cliff Manzke wrote:

Excellent stuff!  Of course, I'm a bit biased since I've been doing some
consulting work for Robbie Grove.  He's also been nice enough to let me use
his CNC equipment for some other projects. As far as his landing
gear...generally 2024 aluminum, machined to shape and then bent using a
custom hydraulic press.  Just the other day we where discussing the design
of a new 300+ ton press to do steel gear.  The internal brake line is a
slick option (not sure on the price).  He gun drills the unbent gear blank
from both ends.  These holes then serve as internal brake lines.

Calipers are CNC machined from aluminum billet.  Same for the axels.  Brake
discs are turned from bar stock on a CNC lathe, although Robbie is looking
into having them forged.  All work is done in house at Gillespie Field in El
Cajon.  He is, by the way, next door to Whirlwind Propellers.  Jim Rust
(owner of Whirlwind) and I graduated together from the aerospace engineering
program at San Diego State University.  So you can one-stop-shop for landing
gear and a new prop at the same time!

Robbie Grove also does a lot of composite work.  He did many of the parts
for the first two Teledyne Ryan Global Hawk UAV's.  Anything else?

Give Robbie a call at 619-562-1268.

Sincerely,
Cliff Manzke

  
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