KR> Rain & Wood Props

[Mike Stirewalt via KRnet]

Owen said, 

> "You might want to check out polyurethane tapes for leading edge
protection (used on military helicopter blades)."  

Not long before he passed away, I flew up to Santa Maria to meet Paul
Lipps.  I did a prop balance job on his Lancair but mainly just wanted an
opportunity to meet him and talk to him about props.  You may know the
name . . . he's the fellow whose props have been taking first place at
Reno, Bi-Plane division, for the last ten years or more.  Google the
plane "Phantom", Tom Aberle's winning racer based just north of me up at
Fallbrook for a look at one of Paul's designs. 

He's written a lot on VAF under the name "elippse" and has also written
extensively for Contact Magazine.  His thoughts on props are well worth
reading if anyone's particularly interested in prop design and
efficiency.  I'm glad I got to meet him.  He died of cancer not long
after, although he looked fine when I was visiting.  

Googling "Paul Lipps" will summon a wealth of data regarding his work. 
Bruce Catto pretty much uses Paul's designs with the props he creates. 
If I were ever going to go from anything from my trusty Sterba, I would
get on Catto's list.  They're beautiful, and the backlog is somewhat long
last time I talked to him.  

Regarding the leading edge tape . . . I ordered some expensive airfoil
leading edge tape after I got my re-finished prop back from Lonnie
Prince.  The tape was designed for helicopter rotor blades - whether main
or tail rotor I don't remember . . . probably the latter.  I carefully
put it on and flew up to Santa Maria where Paul was horrified to see what
I had done.  He explained the tape was disrupting "tripping" was the word
he used, the flow of air across the blade and explained what a dumb idea
it was.  He used engineering terms and didn't use the word "dumb", but
that's the gist of it.  

I took the tape off then and there and if anyone wants some I still have
a roll of it stored in the hangar.  Not recommended though.  

For that matter, when I got home I took the Prince off and put it back in
it's shipping box and that's where it's sat for the last seven years. 
It's a 52 x 54, left (VW) rotation and if you never intend to fly through
rain, it'll make someone a gorgeous propeller.  It's gleaming black,
appears absolutely as new following the refinishing.  Lonnie said he
"re-did" the leading edge protection but I don't believe a word of it
even though I paid extra for such "protection."  Lonnie is a very
likeable and knowledgable propeller man.  I've been to his shop and it
was a fascinating visit.   I just don't like a prop I can't fly through a
storm with.

Mike Stirewalt
KSEE


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Re: KR> Rain & wood props

[svd via KRnet]

You might want to check out polyurethane tapes for leading edge protection 
(used on military helicopter blades).  

You can take advantage of large volume / low price applications such as car 
door edge guards and it comes in a variety of thicknesses, widths, and lengths 
- such as:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4WGKA6 

or
http://www.amazon.com/iJDMTOY-Inches-Clear-Protection-Scratch/dp/B008OK2ESE/ 



Owen
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Re: KR> Rain & wood props

[Jeff Scott via KRnet]

 

Larry said,

If you will be running a wood prop you IFR will be limited to popping
through a cloud bank or two. Rain could destroy the prop in a matter of
minutes.



Unless you have a Prince or other wooden prop without leading edge
protection, that's absolutely not true. Sterba has carried me through
much rain without damage. Sensensich like Joe has I would guess this to
be also true.

I destroyed the leading edges of my gorgeous Prince prop going through
rain however, so it depends on the prop.

Mike
KSEE
 
---

Like Mike said above, I have flown in rain quite a bit with wood props wihtout 
damage.  If you get one with a loaded Epoxy or a Urethane leading edge (which 
Ed Sterba offers)and a high quality epoxy finish, it will hold up to rain 
better than a metal prop.  But also like Mike, I creamed the leading edge on my 
Prince prop in the rain.  However, it was a simple home repair to rebuilt the 
leading edges.  Prince does now sell a hardened leading edge that can be flown 
in the rain.

While I don't have an instrument rating and have no intentions of getting one, 
it is my opinion that the KR really isn't a stable enough platform to be doing 
any kind of hard IFR work.  No doubt others will disagree, so take it for what 
it's worth, just my opinion.

-Jeff Scott
Los Alamos, NM

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KR> Rain & wood props

[Mike Stirewalt via KRnet]

Larry said, 

If you will be running a wood prop you IFR will be limited to popping 
through a cloud bank or two.  Rain could destroy the prop in a matter of 
minutes.


 
Unless you have a Prince or other wooden prop without leading edge
protection, that's absolutely not true.  Sterba has carried me through
much rain without damage.  Sensensich like Joe has I would guess this to
be also true.  

I destroyed the leading edges of my gorgeous Prince prop going through
rain however, so it depends on the prop.

Mike
KSEE


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