Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers
Online Community of Zenith Builders and Flyers
Whirlwind propellers sold to Hartzell
Got an email today telling me effective 1 September my next phone call to Whirlwind will be routed to Piqua, Ohio, home of Hartzell propellers and its newest acquisition, Whirlwind propellers. All manufacturing and management will now be in Ohio. I imagine they’re clearing their desks out back in California. Oh, and also effective 1 September buying anything from Hartzell for my Whirlwind prop using my credit card will cost more. Yay!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Burns on
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Thanks for the update. Upside for me Piqua is close. Downside it probably won't be cheaper.
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Permalink Reply by Perry Delano on
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My experience with Whirlwind in California was great.
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Hi Jim,
Finally made a real second flight a couple of weeks ago and found a few changes that needed to be made. First pulled the custom throttle and went for standard panel mounted one. It is still a hybrid so some head scratching continues. Cannot do without elevator trim, so ordered and received Ray Allen/Zenith system from Zenith. I will try to install it this week. Third thing , the plane was not performing as expected in cruise, barely getting 60 mph w engine over speeding. Whirlwind prop set at factory recommendation (17 degrees I think). I believe you have the same prop as me, maybe not same length and you are running 80 hp vs 100, but do you recall what you set your prop at for STOL Ops.
Perry
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Permalink Reply by Jim and Amelia Isaacs
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Hi Perry,
I will have to check my notes from last year’s condition inspection for the exact pitch in degrees, but that is just a start point for reference. Really it’s about the static rpm and the climb/ cruise tradeoff. What is your static rpm at WOT? I set mine at 5450 for my 80hp Rotax 912. I’m flying the 70 inch Whirlwind GA RW3B and I had them cut it to 68 inches to provide a bit more ground clearance. 5450 rpm on the takeoff roll stays there at my Vx climb of 47 mph, then when clear the trees I lower the nose to get 5500 rpm at cruise climb 55 mph. When I set 5000 rpm for cruise I get about 75 mph at my typical flight altitude, usually around 2,500-3,500 on a warm Summer day that’s about 78-80F or so up there. On a cool day climb and cruise performance is a bit better.
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Other random thoughts. Roger Lee did a comprehensive prop test several years ago and his findings were regardless of the propeller, aircraft, or engine HP, a pitch setting for a Rotax 912 that resulted in 5600-5700 rpm WOT at your typical cruise altitude was the optimal tradeoff pitch setting for power and fuel flow. For me, operating from a confined area, I need more rpm at takeoff so I pitched for that. My tradeoff is a slower cruise speed because I must reduce power as I level off at WOT and pay attention to rpm while doing so or risk an overspeed. But the 701 is so draggy and slow to accelerate that’s not an issue for me.
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…and15 degrees pitch is what I set to achieve 5450 static
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