Company's Props 10 For 10 At Annual Championships

Hartzell Propeller Inc. has maintained a perfect record in the Reno Air Races Sport Class since its inception a decade ago. The company's tenth consecutive win took place September 14 at the 2008 National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV.

"Nemesis NXT" took first place, piloted by Jon Sharp behind a specially-designed 3-blade Hartzell propeller system. The airplane reached a speed of 409 mph in qualifying, and 392 mph in the race itself.

Hartzell holds an unblemished record of 10 consecutive wins in the Sport Class at Reno. Specifically designed and manufactured for high-speed racing, Hartzell says its new-generation lightweight, compact propellers aid in the development of props for the general aviation market.

"The propellers we've designed for the various Reno racers achieve very high race speeds," said Mike Disbrow, senior vice president of marketing at Hartzell. "This clearly illustrates the amount of engineering effort required to create the optimal solution for each aircraft. This is just as true for 'regular' airplanes as well."

Hartzell's propellers have driven several memorable winners during the 10 year history of the Sport Class category. A Lancair IV championed the race from 1998-2000; a Lancair Legacy from 2002-2005; and finally Nemesis NXT from 2006-2008; each piloted by Dave Morss, Darryl Greenamyer, and Jon Sharp respectively. This year, Nemesis NXT, equipped with a Hartzell 75 inch diameter, three-blade, constant-speed propeller also set a new race record, qualifying at over 400 mph, and crossing the finish line at a remarkable course speed of 392 mph.

"We take home a significant amount of data and experience from Reno," Disbrow added. "Over time, this knowledge finds its way to the commercial market, which benefits everyone."

FMI: www.hartzellprop.com