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Whirl Wind 74HRT Prop Report

N729LS

Well Known Member
Patron
I recently sent my Whirl Wind 200RV propeller on my RV-8 in for a hub IRAN and to change the blades to the newest scimitar-style 74HRT blades. Last week, I finally got the prop back with the new 74HRT blades. WW quoted 8-10 weeks turn-around, but it was actually 12 weeks and required numerous calls/e-mails to WW to get it done. :mad:

That being said, the new prop is, indeed, very sexy! The 74" blades are also very large compared to the 72" 200RV blades. I estimate ~2X the blade area. WW advises people with aftermarket cowlings and large spinners to be very careful with the installation to confirm clearances, but this was not an issue for my RV with the stock Van's snorkel cowl. The prop weighs about 1# more than the 200RV. Dynamic balancing went very well (0.01 IPS!) and the hub is not leaking any grease. (It never did, but that sometimes happens on the WW hubs.)

I have now flown it a few times, both in cruise (10800' DA, full throttle, 2400 RPM) and in formation. Do not seem to have lost anything at all in cruise, which surprised me! :) It definitely accelerates faster on TO and formation response subjectively seems better to me.

And when I am prop-full-forward in the pattern and pull the power, it really works now to help slow down, unlike the skinny 200RV, which did very little. Subjectively again, in this situation it feels more like a fat 3-blader. :)

All in all, I am not so pleased with WW service, but quite pleased with the new prop so far.
Andy
 
Whirlwind timing....... I ordered my 200RV prop on June 8 and was told 8 weeks. It?s now been 12 weeks, and I?m still at least 2 weeks from getting my prop. Whatever Whirlwind tells you - double it. I like their props - I?ve had two of them on my last two builds, but they?re incredibly inaccurate at determining how long it takes to make one. If you?re not flying yet - no problem, plan for it. I?m flying and fortunately I?ve been able to borrow a Hartzell BA prop from a friend. I have 60+ hours on my RV8 with the borrowed prop, so I?m lucky, sort of. ....Don?t ask how I got into this position of needing a new prop early on - it?s a very $pensive occurance. But be forewarned - Whirlwind is painfully slow at delivering their product.
 
I had heard something from Whirlwind about a year ago, I believe, that they were working on a swap-out program for people sending in props for rebuild, so they wouldn't be AOG for 8+ weeks waiting on prop work. Did that ever get cranked up?
 
I guess not, since that was just what I did - Sent in the 200RV and got back the same hub with 74HRT blades. The time-consumer seems to be just blade production and finishing. I advised them that the prop was coming in a month before I sent it, and offered to send a deposit, in an attempt to reduce the lag. Didn't help much. :confused: Of course, July & August in Arizona are not great flying weather, so being plane-less is not such a loss!

However, I do understand that sometimes a very small company simply cannot be responsive to all customers. That being said, I've recommended to Jeremy at WW that they be much more communicative, updating customers regularly about real expected shipping dates. That will greatly reduce buyer frustration.
Andy
 
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I think the official word is 205HP...or more.
And that would be to get the benefits of the blades.
The 180 will spin it for sure, but right now the RV200 would seem to be a better fit.
Word has it that WW is working on a smaller HRT blade to fit the 180hp RV's.....but their plate is pretty full right now, so not sure when it will see prime time.
To be sure of any of this......call them and ask.
 
I have my money down for the new prop, if it passes the rest of the testing that is ongoing. If not I'll get a rv 200. The new prop by the way is the 190

Jackz
 
I recently sent my Whirl Wind 200RV propeller on my RV-8 in for a hub IRAN and to change the blades to the newest scimitar-style 74HRT blades. Last week, I finally got the prop back with the new 74HRT blades. WW quoted 8-10 weeks turn-around, but it was actually 12 weeks and required numerous calls/e-mails to WW to get it done. :mad:

That being said, the new prop is, indeed, very sexy! The 74" blades are also very large compared to the 72" 200RV blades. I estimate ~2X the blade area. WW advises people with aftermarket cowlings and large spinners to be very careful with the installation to confirm clearances, but this was not an issue for my RV with the stock Van's snorkel cowl. The prop weighs about 1# more than the 200RV. Dynamic balancing went very well (0.01 IPS!) and the hub is not leaking any grease. (It never did, but that sometimes happens on the WW hubs.)

I have now flown it a few times, both in cruise (10800' DA, full throttle, 2400 RPM) and in formation. Do not seem to have lost anything at all in cruise, which surprised me! :) It definitely accelerates faster on TO and formation response subjectively seems better to me.

And when I am prop-full-forward in the pattern and pull the power, it really works now to help slow down, unlike the skinny 200RV, which did very little. Subjectively again, in this situation it feels more like a fat 3-blader. :)

All in all, I am not so pleased with WW service, but quite pleased with the new prop so far.
Andy

Resurrecting an old thread....

What is the HP rating of the engine you've paired with this prop?

Is anyone running the 74 HRT with a IO-360 and 9:1 pistons? I'm told that the engine I purchased from JB Aircraft Engines produces 190-195 HP.
 
Resurrecting an old thread....

What is the HP rating of the engine you've paired with this prop?

Is anyone running the 74 HRT with a IO-360 and 9:1 pistons? I'm told that the engine I purchased from JB Aircraft Engines produces 190-195 HP.

I just mounted a 74 HRT on my 210hp RV8. (200 hp with 10:1 pistons).

Like previous comments, it took the factory a LONG time to build and ship. I stopped counting.

Performance is nothing short of amazing. Recent flight: 6,500?, 2400 rpm, 24? map, lean of peak. 181 Knots True Airspeed and 9 gph. Takeoff and climb is fantastic.

Looks beautiful too.
 
200 HP +

This prop is designed for 200+ HP engines according to WW. They said you will gain nothing using these blades on lesser HP due to the much wider blade.

I had a 200RV on my first 7 with 190HP engine and it was absolutely great.
 
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