McCauley and all other prop manufacturers will always tell you not to polish your prop. "...because it is then susceptible to corrosion..." What they don't say is that because there is no coating, it is susceptible... -But that is only if you do not ever polish it again -(!) When you upkeep your polish job, (repolishing) you are cleaning the surface of corrsion-causing material. Yes, polishing will cause your prop to deteriorate IF YOU DON"T EVER POLISH IT AGAIN! Well, it seems to me that if you let the factory-direct paint go, and don't ever clean it, it might also eventually corrode (?) But I suspect that it is the liability issue that drives all before it. If the factory polished the prop, then if you didn't ever repolish, it would corrode, so they would be liable. However, by painting it, then they reduce their liability to the minimum. And, it follows that they don't want you to change from factory- approved condition, ...if they it was OK to polish, then you didn't upkeep the polish job, you could say it was their fault. So they are caught in the liability straight-jacket, and say "...Just Don't" -Ron
--- In [email protected], "Lynol A" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks for all your responses and links. I contacted McCauley > Service Engineer, Chris Bell. Our emails were like this: > > Me: Am I allowed to polish the front surface of this propeller using > Nuvite aluminum polish. Nuvite burnishes the surface, rather than > removes material. > Chris: No, We do not allow polishing of fixed pitch propellers. You > would have to get the polishing approved by your local FAA FSDO. > Me: If McCauley doesn't allow it, what basis would the local FSDO > approve use to approve it? > Chris: We do not allow it because the polished propeller does not > have any corrosion protection. However some FSDO's do field approve > polished propellers even though we do not allow it. > Me: What corrosion protection would the current brushed aluminum > finish have? > Chris: It is not supposed to be bare brushed aluminum. It should be > anodized or alodined and painted. > > > --- In [email protected], "Dan Hall" <d.hall@> wrote: > > > > > > Someone from the FAA was out here in CA doing ramp checks and > calling polished props not airworthy a while back. I don't know the > outcome (my Coupes McC prop is painted). > > > > Dan Hall > > N3968H > > @ CNO > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: AJ DeMarzo > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 2:43 PM > > Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Regulation on Polished Propeller > > > > > > Well, if you push down a bit under another paragraph, it > mentions that it is almost always not approved. I was correct, it's > due to the lack of corrosion protection. It goes on to say that if > in the instructions for continued airworthiness states that the prop > needs to be painted, then you're SOL. Looking at the text, you'll > find a "should" rather than a "shall" which leaves the decision up > to either your IA or prop shop. > > > > Al DeMarzo > > Visit the Ercoupe Swap Page > > Free, Easy and No Membership Required > > http://www.ercoupeowners.com/swap/swapbook.htm > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: WILLIAM BIGGS > > To: AJ DeMarzo ; [email protected] > > Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 4:03 PM > > Subject: RE: [ercoupe-tech] Regulation on Polished Propeller > > > > > > > http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular > .nsf/0/895eff1883ee06768625707b00727fd6/$FILE/AC%2020-37e.pdf > > > > Above is link to the pertinent AC. > > > > Read 102-a.-1 page 3 > > > > the FAA does not "recommend" polishing. (Don't think they > forbid it.) > > > > Bill > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ - > ------- > > To: [email protected] > > From: noshitoal@ > > Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 14:40:15 -0500 > > Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Regulation on Polished Propeller > > > > Well, as you've figured out, there are a lot of OWT's (Old > Wives' Tales) about this subject, too. I'm going to agree with the > reply about McCauley specifying paint in their O/H instructions > which caused the intelligencia at FAA to determine all metal props > had to be painted. I hear the McC decision was due to corrosion > issues. No I haven't seen anything, so if it ain't written, it's a > rumor. > > > > There are plenty of antique planes with polished props, and > it may be beneficial to ask McCauley or to contact your guy within > the EAA Vintage group. I would think he would have the correct, or > rather current, interpretation. Another source would be the Antique > Airplane Association. > > > > Al DeMarzo > > Visit the Ercoupe Swap Page > > Free, Easy and No Membership Required > > http://www.ercoupeowners.com/swap/swapbook.htm > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Lynol A > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 10:22 AM > > Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Regulation on Polished Propeller > > > > > > I am considering polishing my Ercoupe Met-L-Prop > propeller. I have > > seen polished propellers on airplanes at airshows. A local > AI says the > > FAA does not allow polished propellers because controllers > say it is > > too reflective and distracting to them. I cannot find any > FAA > > Regulation on propeller finishes or any other other > official document > > confirming or denying this claim. Does anyone in this > formum know if > > an Ercoupe can have a polished propeller? Is there a > vintage > > airplanes exclusion or allowance? > > > > Thanks, > > Lynol > > N2169H, Miss Direction. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ - > --------- > > Pack up or back upuse SkyDrive to transfer files or keep > extra copies. Learn how. > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ - > ----------- > > > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG. > > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.11/1368 - Release > Date: 4/9/2008 4:20 PM > > >
