- Joined
- Mar 25, 2013
- Messages
- 1,227
- Reaction score
- 620
Soon after buying my Pitts 2 years ago I began to ask around about replacing the prop. I asked around maybe a bit too much--to the point that I queried one person twice, forgetting that I had already discussed his prop a year earlier. Age and indecision weigh heavily on a feeble mind. I ordered from Catto but couldn't get past the sticker shock. I ordered from Steve Hill at Twisted Composite but neither of our hearts were into having him build one last prop.
Then LaurenR joined the forum to make friends and one would guess, to sell props.
...which she did
I've only flown about an hour of acro and I don't want to post too much yet without good numbers. But general impressions so far...
The Hercules is sized at 75-59 and replaces a metal Sensenich (76-56). The new prop included a nifty inlaid nickel crush plate. Otherwise, all hardware plus the spinner came from the old prop. Turnaround from ordering to unboxing was about 6 weeks. Unboxing it yesterday was a real highlight. The prop is a work of art. Well they all are, but this one especially so IMO. Before the test I pulled the prop past a step-ladder as a reference and both blades passed within a millimeter of one another. I didn't think to weigh the prop but it is much lighter of course. Based on memory, I'd guess it is within a few pounds of a Catto I tested earlier this summer.
Static runup yielded 2250 RPM compared to 2380.
Climb at 100 mph was at 2360 RPM compared to 2560.
Time from 0' to 2000' was 60 seconds compared to 57 to 61 in similar conditions (full gas, 22deg C).
WOT at 2500 MSL was 2980 RPM compared to ~3100.
Speeds at any given RPM were a good 10+ mph better.
Speeds at equivalent FF were at least 5 mph better.
The prop was nearly (maybe just) as smooth as the Catto.
Initial acceleration on takeoff was slightly, but noticeably slower.
In the box there was much less vibration and less torque. I flew my Free so badly, though, that I want to fly a bit more before making any pronouncements about performance. (Plus, I got distracted by tailslides. I couldn't stop doing them for some reason.)
That's all for now...
ps: For those who followed my fiberglass cowl door in-flight failure thread, you might notice that they have been painted. I had considered trying to paint them myself but after seeing how beautifully Joe Flood managed it, I am grateful I didn't.
Then LaurenR joined the forum to make friends and one would guess, to sell props.
...which she did
I've only flown about an hour of acro and I don't want to post too much yet without good numbers. But general impressions so far...
The Hercules is sized at 75-59 and replaces a metal Sensenich (76-56). The new prop included a nifty inlaid nickel crush plate. Otherwise, all hardware plus the spinner came from the old prop. Turnaround from ordering to unboxing was about 6 weeks. Unboxing it yesterday was a real highlight. The prop is a work of art. Well they all are, but this one especially so IMO. Before the test I pulled the prop past a step-ladder as a reference and both blades passed within a millimeter of one another. I didn't think to weigh the prop but it is much lighter of course. Based on memory, I'd guess it is within a few pounds of a Catto I tested earlier this summer.
Static runup yielded 2250 RPM compared to 2380.
Climb at 100 mph was at 2360 RPM compared to 2560.
Time from 0' to 2000' was 60 seconds compared to 57 to 61 in similar conditions (full gas, 22deg C).
WOT at 2500 MSL was 2980 RPM compared to ~3100.
Speeds at any given RPM were a good 10+ mph better.
Speeds at equivalent FF were at least 5 mph better.
The prop was nearly (maybe just) as smooth as the Catto.
Initial acceleration on takeoff was slightly, but noticeably slower.
In the box there was much less vibration and less torque. I flew my Free so badly, though, that I want to fly a bit more before making any pronouncements about performance. (Plus, I got distracted by tailslides. I couldn't stop doing them for some reason.)
That's all for now...
ps: For those who followed my fiberglass cowl door in-flight failure thread, you might notice that they have been painted. I had considered trying to paint them myself but after seeing how beautifully Joe Flood managed it, I am grateful I didn't.
