Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Rotec Rallys

The next type of microlight to be registered here was the Rotec Rally.  This was designed by aeronautical engineer Bill Adaska and was developed from a hang glider in 1977.  It was produced by Rotec Engineering Inc of Duncanville, Texas.  The single seat Rally 2 appeared in 1979 and the Rally Sport was a strengthened version that was aerobatic which appeared in 1983.  The wider and longer span 2 seat Rally 3 appeared in 1981.  They were pushers with the engine mounted above the wing and the control column came down from above and the throttle was a twist grip - you can see the column in the advert below.  Roll control was by differential spoilers which can also be seen..

The Rally was constructed of aluminium tubing with dacron covers.  It was cable braced from a central kingpost and was a taildragger.  The specifications for the Rally 2B (with those for the Rally 3 in brackets) were:  length 16.8 feet (17.3 feet), wingspan 31 feet (38 feet) and wing area 155 square feet (190 square feet).  The Rally 2 was powered by a Cuyuna 430R or a Rotax 377 engine of around 35 HP while the Rally Sport and the Rally 3 had Rotax 503 engines of 48 HP.  With their various engines, the Rally 2B cruised around 40 mph while the Rally Sport was a bit faster and the Rally 3 was a bit slower.  The stall speed is quoted as 20 mph. 

We have had 15 Rallys of various marks registered here and one was re-registered with a new registration.

ZK-FCH at the Poerua River Mouth, near Harihari in Westland in 1987, flown by Lindsay Molloy.

The first Rotec Rally to be registered in New Zealand was a 2B model, ZK-FCH (c/n MAANZ/106) that was registered on 12 Aug 1982 to New Zealand Aeronautical Services, Christchurch, then 15 Nov 1989 to Lindsay B. Molloy, Harihari.  Cancelled 16 Mar 1992 as withdrawn from use and for spares.

ZK-FCI (c/n MAANZ/107)  Rotec Rally 2B  Registered 12 Aug 1982 to New Zealand Aeronautical Services, Christchurch.  Ground loop after heavy landing in a gale at Waharoa 19 Jan 1983. Damaged by said gale.  Cancelled 22 Jun 1992 as withdrawn from use. 

ZK-FGO (c/n 25302)  Rotec Rally 3 (2 seater) with a 48 HP Rotax 503 engine.  Registered 17 Feb 1984 to P. J. Silcock, Haast.  Flew into high voltage power lines while flying into setting sun at Kokatahi, near Hokitika 28 Oct 1985,  Then 12 Aug 1992 M. J. Moynihan, Hokitika.  Cancelled 27 Aug 1997 as registration revoked.

ZK-FHD (c/n 25470)  Rotec Rally 3  Registered 5 Aug 1985 to H. A. (Alex) Taylor, West Dome Station, Mossburn.  Cancelled 20 May 1993.  Recorded as withdrawn from use and scrapped, some parts with Russell Brodie at Rangitata Island.

ZK-FHY (c/n 25461)  Rotec Rally 3.  Registered 14 Mar 1984 to A. C. West, New Plymouth, operated by Stratford Aero Club.  Engine lost power due to loose spark plug and force landed near Stratford 2 Mar 1986.  Then 28 Aug 1987 G. Chivers, New Plymouth ($9,000).  Swung on landing and ran into ditch at Stratford 18 Oct 1987.  Cancelled 15 Mar 1994 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-FIG (c/n MAANZ/238) Rotec Rally Sport at Rangiora on 21/9/00.

ZK-FIG Registered 27 Mar 1984 to Marshall P. H. Freer, Rangiora, then 19 Dec 1989 A. R. Dalley, Oxford Cancelled 13 May 1999 as withdrawn from use. 

Re-registered 19 Jul 2000 to B. van der Velden, Rangiora Cancelled 20 Aug 2002 as withdrawn from use.

Re-registered as ZK-EIG2 (just one piece of tape as ZK-FIG had been taken!) 12 Apr 2005 to Russell K. Brodie, Rangitata island.  Cancelled 2 Oct 2008 as withdrawn from use.  Stored at Russell Brodie's NZ Microlight Heritage Museum, Rangitata Island.

ZK-FKT (c/n 25545)  Rotec Rally 3  Registered 27 Mar 1985 to J. G. Perry, Turangi.  Crashed at Turangi 21 Apr 1985.  Cancelled 10 Aug 1989.

ZK-FOC (c/n 72318)  Rotec Rally Sport.  Registered 26 May 1987 to K. Wilkinson, Motueka, then 27 May 1994 Neil M. France, Auckland. then 6 Aug 1994 L. F. Mabey, Palmerston North, then 12 Oct 1994 C. I. Aitken, Stratford.  Cancelled 13 Oct 1997 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-FON (c/n 25448)  Rotec Rally 3.  Registered 16 Jul 1987 to A. R. & L. D. Dalley, Oxford.  Cancelled 24 Aug 1995 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-FVJ (c/n MAANZ/435)  Rotec Rally Sport.  Registered 15 Nov 1989 to Wright Products & Services, Mount Maunganui, then 28 Jun 1990 D. C. Inwood, Christchurch.  Cancelled 31 Jul 1998 registration revoked.

ZK-PWJ (c/n 25476)  Rotec Rally 3.  Registered 27 Mar 1985 to P. W. Jones, Kokatahi, RD 1, Hokitika Cancelled 1 May 1992 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-RDJ (c/n MAANZ/236) Rotec Rally 3.  Registered 9 Feb 1984 to Aero-Hire Ltd, Ohope (John R. Eades) Cancelled 8 Apr 1992 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-ROT (c/n 25585) Rotec Rally 3 at Waitohi.

ZK-ROT Registered 27 Mar 1985 to Clayton Farming Co Ltd, Clayton Station, Fairlie (John D. McFarlane & Donn J. Armstrong).  Cancelled 9 Mar 1990 withdrawn from use.

ZK-SIM (c/n 010650) Rotec Rally 3.  Registered 27 May 1985 to R. J. Sim, Heriot Crashed at Heriot 16 Jan 1986 then R. J. Sim moved to Paekakariki.  Cancelled 7 Apr 1992 as withdrawn from use and scrapped.

ZK-WAC2 (c/n 25568/MAANZ/416).  Rotec Rally 3.  Registered 14 Dec 1988 to Martin G. Farrand and Paul E. Morrison, Warkworth.  Paul Morrison modified this Rally to have a standard control stick and throttle, and I think others may have been similarly modified.  ZK-WAC2 crashed into bush after in-flight incapacitation of the pilot at Matakana near Warkworth (2 killed) 14 Apr 1991.  Cancelled 1 Feb 1994.