Hartzell Propeller’s president JJ Frigge took a few moments at the beginning of Sun ‘n Fun Day 2 to talk about the recent acquisition of Whirlwind, competing propeller manufacturer very popular in the Experimental world. The plan is to bring manufacturing to the Hartzell HQ in Piqua, Ohio, rather than leave it in San Diego, California, where founder Jim Rust began the business. Frigge says the transition could take six months, but the factory in San Diego will remain online as long as possible to prevent supply interruptions. Rust, for his part, will remain with Whirlwind under new ownership for at least a year. Moreover, Frigge says there are no plans to rebrand the Whirlwind products as Hartzell, saying the brand has a great reputation and recognizable name.
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