Press Releases

Wayne Handley Sets Second Overall Turboprop Class Record; Bruce Bohannon’s Record Flight Is The Beginning Of A Series Of Record Attempts

PIQUA, Ohio – January 6, 2000 — Hartzell Propeller Inc. announced today that its propeller systems for the Exxon Flyin’ Tiger and the Oracle Turbo Raven helped both aircraft achieve two new propeller-driven time-to-climb records … one for C-1.B class of piston-powered aircraft climbing at an average of almost 4,300 feet per minute and the other an overall record for turboprop aircraft at an average of 6,350 feet per minute.

Bohannon, in the Exxon Flyin’Tiger, set a new record for piston-powered flight to 3,000-meters of 2 minutes and 20 seconds on July 31 at AirVenture ’99. For the record attempt the aircraft utilized a three-bladed Hartzell prop which was designed to deliver superior low-speed thrust. It is expected that this will be the first of many record attempts by Bohannon.

The Turbo Raven, piloted by airshow performer Wayne Handley, set a new record for time to 6,000-meters of 3 minutes and 6 seconds, (6,350-feet per minute!) and bested all other propeller-driven climb records. The Turbo Raven had previously set new records for the 3,000-meter mark. Handley utilized a new 100-inch diameter three-bladed composite propeller from Hartzell for the latest attempt. Compared to the previous aluminum Hartzell design which set the 3,000-meter record, Hartzell’s latest design was able to increase the aircraft’s static thrust by 34% through the use of very wide-chord blade airfoils. Handley’s record is all the more impressive as it was set on Friday, July 30 in nearly 100 degree Fahrenheit heat at AirVenture ’99 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Since achieving this mark Handley encountered a forced hard landing after losing power in the Turbo Raven at the California International Airshow in Salinas on October 3. Fortunately, Handley has recovered from injuries sustained in the accident. However, the Oracle Turbo Raven was lost in the crash and Handley has decided to retire from the airshow circuit. “Hartzell is very proud of its association with Wayne and we are delighted to have played a small role in establishing his name in the record book. Wayne’s records in the Turbo Raven will undoubtedly stand for a long time to come, “ said Mike Disbrow, vice president of marketing.

Hartzell Propeller Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of propeller systems, well-known for its advanced engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The company is rich in aviation heritage tracing its beginnings to relationships with Orville Wright and Glenn Curtiss. Significant technical innovations include the industry’s first full-feathering propeller for light twins, the first fully reversing propellers for corporate turboprops and the industry’s first composite structure blades. Hartzell was recently selected by NASA as the exclusive propeller partner for its General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program- developing the next generation of general aviation propulsion systems.

Hartzell World Record Applications:

ABSOLUTE WORLD RECORDS
Voyager – Speed around the world, non-stop, non-refueled
Great circle distance without landing
Distance in a closed circuit without landing
All of the Absolute records for propeller driven aircraft

OVERALL CLASS RECORDS – PISTON ENGINE
Piper Aerostar 601P – Altitude in horizontal flight (31,791 ft)
Piper Aerostar 601P – Speed around the world, eastbound
Piper Aztec – Speed around the world, westbound
Piper Navajo – Speed around the world over both poles
Piper Navajo – Speed from equator to equator over a pole
Piper Navajo – Speed from North Pole to South Pole
Plus 28 additional sub-class records, including the Exxon Flyin’ Tiger’s

OVERALL CLASS RECORDS – TURBOPROP ENGINE
Grob/E-Systems Egrett-1 – Altitude without payload (53,574 ft)
Grob/E-Systems Egrett-1 – Altitude with 1,000 kg payload (51,023 ft)
Grob/E-Systems Egrett-1 – Altitude in horizontal flight (53,276)
Turbo Raven – Time to climb to 3,000 meters
Turbo Raven – Time to climb to 6,000 meters
E-Systems LTV L450F – Time to climb to 15,000 meters
Plus 15 additional sub-class records

OVERALL CLASS RECORDS – SEAPLANE / AMPHIBIAN
Lake Renegade – Altitude in horizontal flight (27,100 ft)
Cessna 206 – (Allison powered) Speed over a 15/25km course
Cessna 206 – (Allison powered) Speed over a 3km course
Maule MX-T-420-Time to Climb to 3,000 meters
Grumman G44 Widgeon – Speed over a 15/25km course
Plus 24 additional sub-class records

U.S. NATIONAL RECORDS
Boeing Condor – Altitude (67,028 ft)
Boeing Condor – Altitude in horizontal flight (66,980 ft)
Plus more than 600 other recognized performance records.