re:Fw: Christen-Eagle Whirlwind prop

[Charles Tucker II]

 

----- Original Message -----

From: woodt...@aol.com

To: chad...@msn.com

Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 9:22 PM

Subject: Re: Christen-Eagle Whirlwind prop

Whirlwind has had a checkered past in the aerobatic and homebuilt community.  Some big name performers use them, and have had excellent luck with them.  Others have experienced multiple prop failures, some leading to significant damage to the airframe.  I personally know of three who have had to make off airport landings due to their whirlwind 200C props.  Go to the vans aircraft builders site and read about users experience there with the Whirlwind - also a mixed bag.  There have been several instances of mandatory product improvements that have left the owners holding the bag for thousands of dollars of "upgrades" to their props, some who have not even yet flown their aircraft (prop has 0 hours on it.)  (Think service bulletin type work here.)

 

Whirlwind started out in San Diego under Jim Rust, and was then sold to Titan Aircraft in Ohio.  To my knowledge, no one has died as a result of a Whirlwind prop, but my fear (and reason for not buying one) is that the first person who does, will simply put the company out of business (small business) and then I would be left with a prop with no support or service.  Do you really want to use a cheap prop on your airplane?  It is one of "the" most important parts of the airplane, right up there with the engine, parachute, etc.  I love to see new competition to the market place, especially when they are intoducing new products for the aerobatic community, and I certainly don't want to bad mouth them as I have no personal experience with them to share, so please don't share this email with others. 

However, if it were my money, I'd let them develop their product on others with deeper pockets, buy an MT or keep flying the Hartzell (which is what I'm doing) and re-visit them in a few years.

Good Flying,

Josh P.
Portland, OR
Pitts S-1T N57W


-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Tucker II <chad...@msn.com>
To: christe...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 1:04 pm
Subject: Christen-Eagle Whirlwind prop

---

Gents,
I'm considering a Whirlwind 200C composite prop to replace my Hartzell when my hub drops dead on the 24th. It's either $5K for a new Hartzell hub/overhaul or $8K for a 200C.

Anyway...does anyone have any good or bad news about these on an Eagle or Pitts? I've heard they are better than an MT...

Thanks and Merry Christmas,
C Tucker
Eagle 677RB
Henderson, NV

---

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[Dave von]

Another issue to consider with the Whirl Wind is the annual overhaul
on the 200C... I looked at going with the Whirl Wind over the MT for
performance gains, but pulling the prop every year and sending to Ohio
for a $550 overhaul changed my mind.

Dave

On Dec 15, 5:35 pm, "Charles Tucker II" <chadt...@msn.com> wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: woodtic...@aol.com<mailto:woodtic...@aol.com>
> To: chadt...@msn.com<mailto:chadt...@msn.com>
> Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 9:22 PM
> Subject: Re: Christen-Eagle Whirlwind prop
>
> Whirlwind has had a checkered past in the aerobatic and homebuilt community. Some big name performers use them, and have had excellent luck with them. Others have experienced multiple prop failures, some leading to significant damage to the airframe. I personally know of three who have had to make off airport landings due to their whirlwind 200C props. Go to the vans aircraft builders site and read about users experience there with the Whirlwind - also a mixed bag. There have been several instances of mandatory product improvements that have left the owners holding the bag for thousands of dollars of "upgrades" to their props, some who have not even yet flown their aircraft (prop has 0 hours on it.) (Think service bulletin type work here.)
>
> Whirlwind started out in San Diego under Jim Rust, and was then sold to Titan Aircraft in Ohio. To my knowledge, no one has died as a result of a Whirlwind prop, but my fear (and reason for not buying one) is that the first person who does, will simply put the company out of business (small business) and then I would be left with a prop with no support or service. Do you really want to use a cheap prop on your airplane? It is one of "the" most important parts of the airplane, right up there with the engine, parachute, etc. I love to see new competition to the market place, especially when they are intoducing new products for the aerobatic community, and I certainly don't want to bad mouth them as I have no personal experience with them to share, so please don't share this email with others.
>
> However, if it were my money, I'd let them develop their product on others with deeper pockets, buy an MT or keep flying the Hartzell (which is what I'm doing) and re-visit them in a few years.
>
> Good Flying,
>
> Josh P.
> Portland, OR
> Pitts S-1T N57W
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles Tucker II <chadt...@msn.com>
> To: christe...@googlegroups.com
> Sent: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 1:04 pm
> Subject: Christen-Eagle Whirlwind prop
>

> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Gents,
> I'm considering a Whirlwind 200C composite prop to replace my Hartzell when my hub drops dead on the 24th. It's either $5K for a new Hartzell hub/overhaul or $8K for a 200C.
>
> Anyway...does anyone have any good or bad news about these on an Eagle or Pitts? I've heard they are better than an MT...
>
> Thanks and Merry Christmas,
> C Tucker
> Eagle 677RB
> Henderson, NV
>

> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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