|
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hensley Aircraft Inc. Unveils the "Wolf"The world’s first Global Utility VehicleApril 1, 2001 -- Robert Hensley, President of Hensley Aircraft Inc., announced plans to begin flight testing of the “Wolf” by fall 2001. Hensley’s goal for the Wolf is to make the transition from the single engine sport homebuilts, to that of an affordable, comfortable, utility-derived twin engine homebuilt. The Wolf is a 4-seat, composite design, which boasts a very roomy and quiet 48-inch wide cockpit, side-stick control, and unmatched visibility. Two engines are not the only redundancies that are built into the Wolf. The electrical system has two independent main busses with bus tie capability; each powered by their own alternator and battery. The engines have dual electronic ignition modules that are computer controlled and dual vacuum systems are also provided. Quantum Series™ engines will power the Wolf. They are Honda VTEC based, state of the art, liquid cooled, fuel infected, digitally controlled, 4-cylinder engines and are built exclusively for Hensley Aircraft Inc. by Firewall Forward Aero-Engines Inc. Published fuel efficiency data will set a whole new standard for twin engine aircraft. At a cruise power setting of 65%, each engine will burn only 6.2 gallons of 87-octane auto fuel per hour. As a scuba diver, Mr. Hensley wanted a twin engine aircraft capable of reaching even the most remote diving locales. “I enjoy flying the single engine airplane I built, but as an airline captain and A&P mechanic, I realized the need for a serious, mission capable twin engine aircraft. One that utilized the most modern technologies, making on demand global travels a reality. I also wanted one that was affordable, straightforward to build, a snap to work on and could change mission configurations quickly.” Insisting not to leave the fun of flying behind, the Wolf will even satisfy the fighter pilot in us. It has been designed with a +6.0, -3.0 limit load factor to handle even the most “lively” maneuvers, stated Hensley. Several industry notables have played important roles in bringing Mr. Hensley’s design to fruition. Mike McGettrick, of McGettrick Structural Engineering, has worked on designs ranging from the Starship to the Legend, provided all the structural analysis. Bringing Mike into the project was an important coup for Mr. Hensley, not only for his knowledge in both certified and homebuilt aircraft, but also for his DER 23 standing with the FAA. Another important notable was Joe Penaz. In addition to being a pilot, has an extensive mechanical and tool making background and his bodywork and painting forums at Oshkosh are always standing room only. These qualifications made Joe the natural choice for Project Director. Filling out the card was Jeff Viken at NASA. Jeff designed a custom airfoil, called the VH-1 Twin-Turbo, which is an extremely low drag, high lift laminar flow airfoil, specifically designed for a twin pusher application. Hensley Aircraft is currently focusing all its resources on getting the Wolf to the flight-testing phase as quickly and safely as possible. We appreciate your patience in understanding that at this time no additional information is available. Please visit our website www.HensleyAircraft.com in the coming months for more information and the latest updates. For More Information Contact:
|
|
Send mail to joe@hensleyaircraft.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|