REFLECTOR: Prop selection

[Brooke Wolf]

Andy.  Thank you for your very insightful dissertation of props and  
the Velocity.  You have been around a long time and I know you are  
very respected in this community.  Your comments are valued and your  
insights have made my prop selection much easier.

Thanks....Brooke
>
>
>
> Hello John,
>
> Welcome to the Reflector.  Thanks for taking the interest in the  
> community and having the desire to make sure we get good information.
>
> You signed up, so I’m assuming you would like to contribute and have  
> a sincere desire to be helpful.
>
> FWIW, and as you might have guessed, the MT propeller has been  
> discussed by the community in great detail.  As it has been the only  
> real constant speed option for a long time, there is a lot of  
> experience here.
>
> I do not own an MT propeller.  I have done a fair amount of research  
> on propellers for my Velocity.  The majority of my MT knowledge has  
> come directly from this community.  I have been very grateful for  
> this.
>
> I am going to be a bit presumptuous here and give you a brief on MY  
> understanding of the MT propeller.
>
> It was adopted for the Velocity because it was: 1) constant speed   
> 2) available in a pusher configuration and 3) light weight
>
> At one point Whirlwind did make a prop that would work for the  
> Velocity, but stopped years ago.
>
> By-and-large, there has been no other practical, constant speed  
> option until the Aero Composite prop hit the market.
>
> Some, maybe many, MT owners are happy and/or satisfied.
>
> More than a few are VERY critical of the prop and the company.   
> Their experience has been that the prop is fragile.  A pusher is  
> more susceptible to FOD damage, and the MT doesn’t take much to put  
> it out of commission.
>
> Some owners have had major problems with the seals in the hub.  MT  
> has blamed the owner for causing the problem.  I believe the prop  
> was installed and run per directions and it failed.  The company  
> refused to accept any responsibility and charged the owner for  
> “repairs” that did not fix the prop.  This is a major sore point  
> here and is VERY uncool.
>
> The prop is expensive.  It is expensive to buy.  It is expensive and  
> time consuming to have it repaired.  Again, aggravated by the  
> experience that the prop is fragile.
>
> The Velocity factory is a dealer for MT.  They have gone out of  
> their way to make the MT propeller available to the community at the  
> lowest possible cost.  They are good people.
>
> A few years ago I spoke with a gentleman at Hartzell about making a  
> prop for the Velocity.  They had made a pusher prop for Adam  
> aircraft and were willing to re-develop the prop for us.  They made  
> the prop and Velocity tested it.  Without modification (just the new  
> prop) the plane was flat out faster; the new blade was more  
> efficient.  When MT learned of the result, they became worried and  
> made promises that they would improve their blade and match the  
> performance … not funny.  If they cared about us, they would have  
> been working on improving the product all along; not just under  
> threat.
>
> Hartzell found a harmonic problem with the engine/prop combination.   
> Sadly, they withdrew from the program and the prop was never made  
> available.  Just as sad, MT did not come out with the promised new  
> blade.  Apparently when the competition went away so did their  
> desire to improve.
>
> Craig Catto and Lonnie Prince have been making fixed pitch props for  
> pushers for a long time.  They have a reputation of being damn near  
> bullet proof.  We know a light, strong, efficient blade can be made.
>
> The Aero Composite prop is expensive as well.  It is being viewed as  
> a much better value though.  It is tough.  It handles the FOD well,  
> and it performs.  All you have to do is shrug off one pebble and it  
> has paid for itself.  The MT might eat the pebble and cost you $6500  
> and down for six weeks.
>
> There are people on this list that have pulled their MT off and put  
> on an Aero Composite prop.  I don’t think anyone has gone the other  
> way.
>
> I know I’m running the risk of getting flamed here.  I don’t own the  
> prop.  I’ve been on the reflector for 9 years now.  Experience  
> varies.  There are happy campers here and I hope they are willing to  
> give their .02.  There are people on this list that will tell you  
> they have had $20,000 stolen from them by MT.
>
> This can be a very frank forum.  I have shared what I have learned  
> here in a true spirit of cooperation and openness.  Given this  
> information, I would very much like to hear what an MT  
> representative has to say.  Honestly, all we want is a good prop  
> that is a good value.  If you can help people, good for you and good  
> for us.  Better still if you can do it in an open forum such as this.
>
> Please jump in!
>
> Andy
> =====================================
>
> Andy Millin
> amillin at sbcglobal.net
>
>
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/private/reflector/attachments/20090422/9ffb6448/attachment-0001.htm>