REFLECTOR: Reflector Digest, Vol 75, Issue 79- Blade repair info for Aerocomposite props

Mark Riley the_rileys1 at verizon.net
Mon Jun 20 19:57:20 CDT 2011


I thought the group might be interested in the repair scenario for leading edge damage to an Aerocomposite prop. I caught a large screw or stone directly on the leading edge guard of one of my blades. A hairline crack eventually formed on first the aft side, then the forward side of the leading edge guard. There was no delamination. Aerocomposites uses American Propeller Service in Redding, California to do all of their repair, overhaul and refinishing. They said the guard would eventually delaminate and needed to be replaced.

I got a new leading edge guard, all of the blades rebalanced and repainted, and the whole thing reassembled for $2,000 plus shipping in 2 1/2 weeks. 

My MT had the same sort of damage and cost something like 3 times that much - and I had to ship it to Germany for the repair.

I still favor my Aerocomposite prop over the MT, which I found to be very delicate.

There are pictures of the damage on the blog at marksvelocity.blogspot.com . I should have pictures of the refinished prop posted by next week.

Mark
On Jun 20, 2011, at 9:04 AM, reflector-request at tvbf.org wrote:

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>   1. Re:  Leading Edge Prop Damage Advice (Alex Balic)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:03:49 -0500
> From: "Alex Balic" <velocity_pilot at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Leading Edge Prop Damage Advice
> To: "'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'"
> 	<reflector at tvbf.org>
> Message-ID: <020901cc2f4a$807972b0$0201a8c0 at alexdesktop>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Hey Doug-
> 
> How are you liking your p-tip prop?  I want to get a properly sized prop to
> get my engine tuning done, and to get to flight testing,- the 160 hp 3 blade
> I have on there now for that purpose goes to full speed at just ? throttle
> at the moment, so I am sort of stuck until I can get a prop on there to
> absorb the HP.  will almost certainly upgrade to MT later on.  I contacted
> Catto, but he is so busy, I may not get one until the fall- so prince is
> another choice- how are they to work with?
> 
> 
> 
> Alex
> 
> 
> 
>  _____  
> 
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Douglas Holub
> Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 7:56 PM
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Leading Edge Prop Damage Advice
> 
> 
> 
> That looks similar to damage one of my valve cover screws did to the edge of
> my Prince fixed pitch P-tip prop (maple core with carbon fiber overlaid.)
> The damage was about that size and took a little bite out of the maple, too.
> We were traveling at the time in Amarillo, Texas. I emailed pictures of the
> damage to Lonnie Prince and he told me how to fix it: clean up the wound
> with sand paper, fill in with JB Weld, then sand it smooth in the morning.
> Worked great. I'm not sure if the procedure would be the same with a metal
> prop.
> 
> 
> 
> I replaced all the star washers on my valve cover screws with split ring
> lock washers.
> 
> 
> 
> Doug Holub
> 
> 2009 Velocity Standard FG
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> 
> From: Bob Jackson <mailto:bobj at computer.org>  
> 
> To: 'Velocity Aircraft <mailto:reflector at tvbf.org>  Owners and Builders
> list' 
> 
> Cc: Bob  <mailto:bobj at computer.org> & Ann Jackson 
> 
> Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 8:40 PM
> 
> Subject: REFLECTOR: Leading Edge Prop Damage Advice
> 
> 
> 
> We 'vacuumed' up another screw (looked like a Lycoming valve cover fastener,
> when we 'swept' the runway afterward is what did the damage) on takeoff
> yesterday and this time damaged the leading edge of our MT prop -- we need
> your repair advice:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The damage is about 3/8" in size, with the two most troubling aspects being
> the break in continuity of the leading edge, and 
> 
> the obvious separation and bending out of the lower part of the leading edge
> strip on the one side.  The damage is about 
> 
> 8" from  the tip of the blade.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I assume if I were to ask MT, they would say 'scrap that blade and build a
> new one from scratch'!  
> 
> 
> 
> We're just curious what anyone might have to say about their experiences
> with this type of damage, and whether or not you guys would recommend trying
> to fix it ourselves.  We have a new 4 blade MT prop ordered (to improve our
> high altitude cruise performance),  but it won't be here for 6 to 8 weeks,
> so if we can safely do it, we'd like to repair this damage and continue
> flying it until the new prop arrives.
> 
> 
> 
> What does everyone think?  We don't think we can re-bridge the missing
> metal, but are hoping that by injecting some epoxy and filling the gap with
> thickened JB Weld there would continue to be adequate rigidity and strength
> in the remaining leading edge stainless material to prevent vibration in
> flight and the lose of the outer 8" of this blade -- which obviously would
> be bad!
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bob Jackson
> 
> Custom Turbo XL/RG
> 
> N2XF
> 
> 
>  _____  
> 
> 
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> End of Reflector Digest, Vol 75, Issue 79
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