diff --git a/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_menu_gear.cpp b/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_menu_gear.cpp
index c94fe2c5e..5dbcb9ed5 100644
--- a/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_menu_gear.cpp
+++ b/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_menu_gear.cpp
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ void parse_gear( const string& linetoken2, const string& linetoken3,
 	    uiuc_warnings_errors(1, *command_line);
 	  
 	  use_gear = true;
-	  gear_rate = token_value/3;
+	  gear_rate = token_value;
 	  break;
 	}
       default:
diff --git a/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_wrapper.cpp b/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_wrapper.cpp
index d0151133a..ba2333889 100644
--- a/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/FDM/UIUCModel/uiuc_wrapper.cpp
@@ -232,8 +232,11 @@ void uiuc_defaults_inits ()
   Zp_input = 0;
   Mp_input = 0;
   b_CLK = 0;
-  //  gear_model[MAX_GEAR] = 0;
+  //  gear_model[MAX_GEAR]
+  memset(gear_model,0,MAX_GEAR*sizeof(gear_model[0])); 
   use_gear = 0;
+  // start with gear down if it is ultimately used
+  gear_pos_norm = 1;
   ice_model = 0;
   ice_on = 0;
   beta_model = 0;