Hartzell Engine Technologies (HET), a Tailwind Technologies Company, took advantage of the first-day excitement at Sun ’n’ Fun 2016 to announce that it has purchased the Sky-Tec brand of high-performance aircraft starters and solenoids. Based in Montgomery, Ala., HET is an OEM supplier of aircraft cabin heating solutions and engine accessories, including turbocharging systems, aircraft alternators, starters and fuel pumps.

“Sky-Tec’s current starter and solenoid products are the perfect complement to the Hartzell line,” said Mike Disbrow, president of Hartzell Engine Technologies. “Sky-Tec has a strong position on Lycoming engines and HET’s strength is in Continental engine starters. Customers will further benefit when the best products of both businesses are together under one roof.”

Disbrow emphasized that HET will continue to produce the Sky-Tec starter and solenoid products under the Sky-Tec brand and manufacturing will continue in the current factory in Granbury, Texas, though year-end. “The purchase of the Sky-Tec brand is consistent with our strategy of growing our core product lines organically and through acquisition,” Disbrow continued. “Sky-Tec not only brings us a leadership position on Lycoming engines, it also adds new applications such as four-cylinder Continental and Rotax engines, Franklin engines and other developing aircraft powerplant technologies to our product portfolio.”

In other news, HET will make the ES-6904 alternator for the Williams engine on the Cirrus SF50 jet, as well as the Turbocharger system for the Tecnam P2012 Traveller light twin aircraft. On the aftermarket side of the business, the company announced availability of the PM1207/PM2407 starters for Continental engines.