Our History

In 1845, when Williamsport, PA was known as the Lumber Capital of the World, Madame Ellen Curtis Demorest founded the Demorest Manufacturing Company. Over the next 60 years, Demorest produced sewing machines, bicycles, typewriters, duplicators, gas irons, and printing presses.

In 1907, Demorest was restructured and named the Lycoming Foundry and Machine Company, focusing on the design and manufacture of engines. Over the next 25 years, 57 Lycoming engine models powered over 250 different automobiles, including the venerable Cord, Auburn, and Duesenberg.

On April 3, 1929, a Beech-designed TravelAir biplane was the first aircraft to feature a Lycoming motor (the nine-cylinder, 215 horsepower R-680 radial engine) on successful trial flights. It was christened "The Lycoming" because the Lycoming Manufacturing Company, now known as Lycoming Engines, built the motor. The successful trial came just two years after Charles Lindbergh flew his "Spirit of St. Louis" nonstop from New York to Paris marking the "golden age of aviation" and introduced Lycoming as the world's foremost piston aircraft engine manufacturer. Over the next twenty years, Lycoming built over 25,000 R-680 radial engines and established a worldwide reputation for excellence that has thrived ever since.

Headquartered in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, today Lycoming is a global operating division of Textron's Avco Corporation subsidiary, and an operating unit of Textron Systems, specializing in the engineering, manufacturing, assembly, test and support of piston aircraft engines. Lycoming's factory produces the most complete line of horizontally opposed, air-cooled, four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines available including the only FAA-certified aerobatic and helicopter piston engines on the market. The company has built more than 325,000 piston aircraft engines and powers more than half the world's general aviation fleet, both rotary and fixed wing.

Lycoming engines power a wide range of aircraft, are consistently reliable and are backed by a worldwide network of sales, service and technical support. As the industry leader, Lycoming continues to improve the performance and value delivered to its customers through research and development with enhanced valve train systems, alternative fuels and materials advancement.

About Textron Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a $10.5 billion multi-industry company operating in 25 countries with approximately 32,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, defense and intelligence, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the word for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.

LYCOMING MILESTONES

1907: Creation of Lycoming Foundry and Machine Company
1910: Produces first automobile engine for Velie Motor Corporation. Produces Cord, Auburn, Duesenberg, Locomobile, Paige, Graham, McFarlan, and Checker models
1917: During World War I, Lycoming produced 15,000 engines to power military trucks and ambulances
1929: The Lycoming factory developed its first aircraft engine: a nine-cylinder radial, the R-680. More than 25,000 R-680s were built
1933: Lycoming becomes part of Aviation Corporation, later AVCO
1938: Lycoming develops the O-145 opposed cylinder engine. Igor Sikorsky flew the first successful helicopter powered by a 65-horsepower GO-145
1942: For its contributions to the World War II production effort, the Army Air Corps presented Lycoming with the coveted E-Award for its outstanding contribution to the welfare and security of the United States
1945: A Lycoming-powered Stinson "Sentinel" liaison plane was the first allied plane to land on Iwo Jima
1967: Lycoming developed the first and only FAA-certified aerobatic engine
1987: Textron purchased AVCO, which included AVCO Lycoming
1994: Lycoming selected to power the Cessna Single Engine Restart Program
1996: Lycoming piston engines power all United States aircraft competing the World Aerobatic Championships
1997: Lycoming engines power more than 85% of the new general aviation aircraft produced worldwide
2002: Textron Lycoming announces name change to "Lycoming Engines" eliminating Textron from it previously co-branded logo
2003: Lycoming announces the debut of its racing program with the sponsorship of two teams appearing at the 40^th anniversary National Champion Air Races and Air Show at Reno, Nevada
2004: Lycoming opens engine museum at company HQ in honor of the 75^th anniversary of its first aircraft engine
2005: January 18, Lycoming powered Robinson helicopter lands on South Pole after departing Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 29, 2004

Lycoming Engines announces certification and implementation of its new valve-train roller tappet technology.
More Info on Roller Tappets
UAW Local 787 and Lycoming Engines ratify a new labor contract to solidify cooperation and collaboration on Lycoming's path to premier
2006: Lycoming achieves 1,000,000 hours of operation without a lost-time accident

Lycoming launches its ATC (Advanced Technology Center) - Lycoming's center of excellence for innovation

Lycoming's new Advanced Technology Center's dedication to innovation and excellence in research and development is exemplified by the Thunderbolt Engine

Lycoming Engines announces a partnership with the Lindbergh Foundation, by creating the Lindbergh-Lycoming grant. The grant is Lycoming Engines' way of investing in the aviation community while supporting the profound work done by the Lindbergh Foundation.

Lycoming engines powers first place winners Jon Sharp in the National Championship Reno Air Races and Kirby Chambliss in the Red Bull Cup Air Race World Series. Mike Jones's Warp Speed Wanda is fastest normally aspirated Sports Class racer at Reno.
2007: Lycoming receives AS 9100 Certification

July 25 - Second Lindbergh-Lycoming Grant Winner Announced at EAA Airventure in Oshkosh

September 28 - NemesisNXT Wins 2007 Reno Air Races With a Lycoming Engine
2008: For a second time Lycoming achieves 1,000,000 hours of operation without a lost time accident.

July 28 - At EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Lycoming launches iE2 Integrated Electronic Engine, IO-233-LSA Light Sport engine, first Echelon STC engine, soon-to-be-certified IO-390-A1A6, andThunderbolt turbocharged TIO-360-EXP.

July 28 - Dr. Ganesh G. Raman wins 2008 Lindbergh-Lycoming Grant for work in aircraft noise suppression.

September 14 - Jon Sharp's NemesisNXT wins Reno Air Race third consecutive year and sets new speed records.

September 22 - Lycoming receives National Safety Council's Occupational Excellence Achievement Award for outstanding safety record.

2009:

April - Lycoming welcomes the IO-390-A1A6 as a permanent member of its certified engine family after it is awarded type certification recently by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

June - Lycoming is honored with the Shingo Silver Medallion for Operational Excellence at the 21st Annual Shingo Prize Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

July - In anticipation of the advanced technology it will soon unleash on the market and to provide a higher level of aftermarket support to legacy engines, Lycoming Engines launches its network of Lycoming Authorized Service Centers.

July - Lycoming's breakthrough propulsion system, the iE2, flies into EAA Airventure 2009 demonstrating the technology is steadily moving to market.

September - Jon Sharp sets new records for qualifying time and average speed for an entire race on his way to another victory in the Super Sport Class of the Reno Air Races.

October - Lycoming retains its AS 9100 certification for another three years following a comprehensive multi-day recertification audit by NSF, the international registrar of aerospace standards.
2010:

May - Lycoming celebrates the launch of the Lycoming Piston Line. The robotic manufacturing process of the line, complete with automated inline quality checks, make it a one-of-a-kind capability in piston aviation.

July - Lycoming announces that it is now taking experimental non-certified orders for its mogas capable 233 series Light Sport Aircraft engine.

July - With positive press and customer response at a fever pitch, Lycoming announces that its breakthrough iE2 integrated electronic engine is now available for purchase on the Lancair Evolution.

November - Lycoming earns the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, referred to as the "Nobel Prize for Manufacturing." Lycoming became just the second business ever given the prize at the business-wide "Enterprise Level," recognizing the operational excellence Lycoming has achieved throughout its organization.

Additional Resources

Legacy Engines

The Lycoming Museum (PDF)